My 6 months leans over in Bumbo

[DearDarling]

Just started to try solids but when I sit my DS in his bumbo he leans right over to one side. I keep putting him back him up straight but he starts leaning over again. He also keeps putting his hands in his mouth. Of course this mean spoon-feeding him is practically impossible. Is there anything else I can put him in? Can I just feed him when he's sitting in his bouncer? Part of me thinks perhaps he's not ready for weaning but we had a sausage casserole yesterday and he was really eyeing it up, bless him.

DTs were very prem so they couldn't sit at all at weaning age (and we weaned a bit early due to reflux). I used to feed them purees in their bouncy chairs, it was fine. I would have preferred to go down the BLW route but couldn't do finger food until they were properly sitting.

I would think a bouncer is a bit too reclined for safety to be honest.

We had the Ikea Antilop high chair which you can get an inflatable cushion for. That can help to wedge them in sufficiently so they can sit up. It also has a higher back than the bumbo.

It's worth also pointing out that if he can't sit up with support then he might not be ready for weaning quite yet.

Some bouncers are more reclined than others. We had one that sat up quite well so we used to feed purees to ds in that. However lots of baby led weaning people (we did a mixture of both) believe that you shouldn't wean at all until they can sit up straight unaided so maybe it is a little early to start properly.

Babies "eye up" food as they are interested in what you're doing. If he can't sit upright even aided then I'd reconsider solids, wait until he picks something up and eats it. Bumbos aren't great for development are they?

I would be a little concerned about the leaning, is it the neck? My DN did that at 4m when trying out our bumbo they thought may e from being bf more on 1 side.
Sitting practice (mine played with a spinning top from vtech).
Mine wanted to eat from 4m but we didnt wean until 6 (sitting unaided from 5.5m)
You may as well get a proper high chair as it is needed anyway. I did use bumbo as didnt yet have high chair, but soon DD started forcing the table off etc.
You could give them a spoon etc to hold to distract them.
I did a mix of finger food and spoon feeding

They worry me. A child once died with head injuries rocking/falling on to a stone floor in a bumbo.

I would seek advice from your health visitor about whether he is ready for solids. A child should be in an upright position when taking solids. They need to be able to sit upright with some support. Bumbos are great but only for a very short time. It might be with a high chair and padding behind him to support him will be enough. But please check with your health visitor as we can't see how he is sitting or how strong his core muscles are.

My DS used to lean in the bumbo whilst I was weaning him. We started sitting him in the highchair which is a stokke so sits at the table and I put a rolled up towel around his back to keep him upright given the highchair had gaps around it.

Mine is 6 months old and does the exact same thing. So I put him in a high chair and give him a toy which frees up his mouth, while his hands are busy with a toy.

Eyeing up food isn't an indication of readiness for weaning unfortunately, more of a sign that's he's interested in what you are doing. He probably watches you load the washing machine and have a shower too, watching you is just what they do

The signs of readiness are here. If your Lo isn't meeting them, I'd just leave it for a bit and try again later.

Have you read the MN Weaning info? It's very good

FWIW I thought our bumbo was an absolute death trap. Dd would stick her heels in the floor, throw herself backwards and be out of it in seconds.