 Babies are typically able to begin self-feeding at around 6 months old, although some are ready and will reach for food as early as 5 months and some will wait until 7 or 8 months.The intention of this process is that it is tailored to suit the individual baby and their personal development.The 6-month-old guideline provided by the World Health Organization is based on research indicating that the time period from 6 to 18–24 months of age is when the risk of malnutrition is high in infants.