When do babies sit up?

[PoppyAmex]

I realise I'm going to sound like a typical pfb mum obsessed with developmental stages, but please bear with me - I don't know other mothers in RL so any input and experiences would be appreciated.

I've been reading about this because DD is now 21 weeks and getting close to the magic 6 month weaning date.

All advice seems to point to not weaning until they can sit up independently, but she's nowhere near that stage.

She's a strong little baby (91st percentile weight and 99th percentile height) and has hold her head since she was a couple of weeks old, lifts her head and shoulders (mini-push up) and has tried to crawl since a very early age.

She also bears her weight on legs really well, but every time we try to sit her up she just topples sideways or slumps.

Is she really expected to learn to sit up independently in 4 weeks? Can you do BLW before that?

If she can sit in a high chair then you can try BLW. Some high chairs are quite supportive, what with the straps, tray, etc.

Around the 6 month mark is about right for independent sitting. Just give her lots of practice, it takes a lot of core muscle strength to sit up, so like any exercise needs practice opportunity.

She could eat before then, as the gut maturity is a different thing, but obviously you would have to be careful to supervise/support properly to ensure she didn't struggle to swallow well etc which as you can imagine would be tricky if you are slumping.

She'll suddenly do it. Dd is nearly 6mo, can't sit herself but every day is a bit better when I hold her.
I remember taking ds to a taster class and being told he would be welcome to join once he could sit up, I said he can't sit yet, and everyone looked at me and pointed out he'd been sitting by my feet for the last 10 minutes!

I'm in no hurry to wean dd though, too much hassle and she's not interested.

As long as she is sitting happily in her high chair she should be fine. You can always pad it out a little with a cushion or towel if she needs to lean forward a little.

If it helps, DD sounds like yours - 6mo, she's a strong, healthy girl but she is so obsessed with standing up that she can't sit yet. If you try and get her to sit she either stays rigid so you can't even bend her, or digs her heels in to stand up so she topples over. Pretty much every other baby her age and plenty younger are all sitting alone happily! But then I notice that some of those babies aren't happy standing. They're all different, and they'll all get there in their own time.

Mine was 9 months!

As long as they are steady in a high chair it's fine to start weaning don't worry about anything else.

All in good time (or some such profound nonsense!)

DS was more like 7-8 months for sitting I think, but he was able to feed himself finger foods at 5 months.

As long as the baby can sit straight with support (on a lap or in a highchair) they are fine to eat if all the other signs are there. The worry is when people wean early and have to have their babies reclined in a bouncy chair or car seat which is a choking risk.

My DD has just this week perfected her sitting independently, and she is 7mo. She has had a week before this of sitting about 30 seconds then toppling, and ta da! This week, total control, sitting for about an hour and a hlaf with me on the beach just happy as larry.

She is now a 'sit unsopported' baby. It really can happen very quickly.

However, she started weaning at 6mo, and we do BLW. I sat her in her Bumbo and it worked perfectly.

My dd couldn't sit unsupported until nearly 1 year old but she was happily weaned at 6 months old. We used a bumbo seat which worked really well for her.

As you can see, there is a wide range of ages for sitting. We were told that the average is 6-7 months but most are sitting by 9 months.

Average according to my red book thingy is 6-7 months for sitting independently. Ds was 6 months just happened one day.

My DD1 was 19 weeks! She looked so cute sat up so tiny :) I didn't wean till 26 weeks though as it's the maturity of the digestive system that is important. DD2 is 20 weeks and still a slumped but can roll the full living room already they are all different! I would leave weaning a few more weeks as your DD will get stronger everyday provided she can sit well in a highchair or bumbo type thing she should be fine

Thanks all.

I don't plan to start weening until 6 months (or possibly later if she doesn't show any signs of being ready), but was really confused about the guidelines.

Good to know she's on track anyway. Now all I need is for someone to tell me how to survive the 4 month sleep regression!