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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

27 weeks, not sitting unaided...

21 replies

Badgerina · 14/04/2013 10:35

I'm right to wait aren't I? DS1 was sitting confidently at 5.5 months, so we started BLW at bang on 6 months. DS2 however is still a bit teeter-tottery in his high chair and I'm reluctant to start giving food to a baby who needs a parent to prop him up.

Reassure me that waiting is right please!

OP posts:

lizzywig · 14/04/2013 11:43

I don't think my DD sat unaided until she was 8mo but i started her at 6mo because the guidelines say 6mo, she was also ready for it in every other way. She was fine in her highchair but just not on her own. Also didn't crawl until 10.5mo. Some of them are just later.

SJisontheway · 14/04/2013 12:03

For most babies, weaning and physical dwvolopment go hand in hand, but not all. While food is not yet essential from a nutrition point of view, this is an important window for introducing flavours and textures. I wouls seriously consider introducing puree. You can still move to finger food when ready.

RandallPinkFloyd · 14/04/2013 12:08

DS didn't sit unaided until 9 months. He was strong enough but simply refused to bend in the middle. He would rigidly plank every time anyone tried to sit him down. I used to have to hold his feet in one hand, his shoulders in the other and fold him to put him in any sort of chair!

Kids are weird. Fact.

RandallPinkFloyd · 14/04/2013 12:10

Sorry, with regards to weaning, just do whatever you think is right. It certainly won't do any harm to wait a bit but I also doubt it would do any harm to try a few bits as long as he is sitting safely.

There's no rush at all. Remember FOOD IS FUN UNTIL THEY'RE ONE!

Original poster

Badgerina · 14/04/2013 12:55

Hmmm... The jury's still out then. I afraid there is no way I'll be introducing purées/spoon feeding. I'm convinced that BLW is the way for us - it was great with DS1.

OP posts:

blushingmare · 14/04/2013 14:20

DD wasn't sitting unaided at 6mo either, but I started BLW then, basically because I bowed to peer pressure! I wish I'd waited. I hated the first 6 weeks of weaning - dd found it really hard work and so did I - tears on both sides! It became a real pleasure once she was more stable and had more established hand skills. Mind you, I don't know whether it was the BLW that helped improve her motor skills, so maybe it's a bit of a chicken or egg situation.

In your position I'd prop him up well in the highchair or just sit him on your knee and put some food down and see how he goes. If he doesn't take to it then wait, but he might surprise you and manage pretty well.

MajaBiene · 14/04/2013 14:24

Can he sit upright on your lap? If so I would sit at the table with him.

You just don't want to have to have him in a reclined position when eating. Most babies aren't sitting completely unaided by 6 months.

gardenpixie32 · 14/04/2013 15:45

My twins were born at 34 weeks so are a bit behind developmentally. I really wanted to do BLW with them but they just weren't ready. Their pediatrician advised that we start them on purees until they have the co-ordination to feed themselves. I offer finger foods at every meal and they are getting better and better each week. Both of them can drink from their sippy cups unaided and are now managing to chomp away on different foods. They are still very wobbly and FAR away from sitting (even aided) so unfortunately the purees continue. I had to do what was best for them in the end.

prettybird · 14/04/2013 15:47

We used to use ski socks to wedge ds into his high chair!

MsJupiterJones · 14/04/2013 16:52

Hi, DS is 5.5 months (24 wks) and he is wobbly in his high chair so we have been putting a rolled up towel round him for support since we started sitting him at the table with us. He is very strong in his neck and loves being upright but he does 'list' and I think he will for a while yet. He has all the other weaning signs in place though.

We're doing BLW and I have been putting a couple of bits on his tray yesterday and today just to include him, today he grabbed a stick of cucumber and kind of nommed all the bits off it! So I think it's ok to give them a bit of help, after all lots of babies don't sit up completely unaided for a while after 6mo.

shushpenfold · 14/04/2013 16:58

Randall - 'kids are weird - fact'

Original poster

Badgerina · 14/04/2013 17:43

I guess what I'm wondering is this: if being able to sit unaided is a pre skill for self-feeding, and an indicator that a baby is developmentally ready for food, then if he can't sit unaided, doesn't this mean he's not ready yet?

Also which is the more important sign of readiness? Being the right age, or being physically able?

OP posts:

Original poster

Badgerina · 14/04/2013 17:44

Also (not that I'm over thinking this ) is there any harm in waiting?

OP posts:

RandallPinkFloyd · 14/04/2013 18:16

I don't think there's any harm in waiting at all.

If you really don't think he's ready then chances are he isn't, you know him best.

All I would say is think about it logically rather than emotionally iyswim. It's very difficult for me to be objective when it's your own child. Are you nervous about weaning at all? Could that possibly be making you a bit more hesitant than you need to be? Or do you genuinely think he isn't ready?

A few weeks certainly isn't going to make an ounce of difference in the long run so if you really do think it's too soon then leave it for now and look at it again in 3/4 weeks. A lot will have changed in that time.

If it was me, I'd sit him on my knee, hand him something, and see what happens. Then take it for there.

MajaBiene · 14/04/2013 20:47

Babies are physically able before they can sit unaided though.

It probably won't do any harm to wait until you/he feel ready. Give him vitamins if he is breastfed though.

difficultpickle · 14/04/2013 20:50

Ds was weaned at 4 months (9 weeks corrected - he was 7 weeks prem) but couldn't sit unaided until 10 months. Baby rice and pear puree to start with rather than finger foods.

MrsPear · 14/04/2013 21:02

Both my children were born early (10 and 9 weeks) and so neither were / are sitting at 6 months. I agree that BLW is the way to go however with both children their peds (consultant level) said that we must start weaning for iron in particular. My eldest (now 3 1/2) was not even holding his head well so we sat him in a bouncer with a neck pillow. However as soon as he could hold himself we put him the ikea high chair (this was when he was 9 months actual or 6 1/2 corrected) and started the BLW and never looked back - he is now a human dustbin and eats everything. DS 2 is only just 6 months (4 months corrected) has just started in the bouncer minus the head pillow. So far we have tried Turkish yogurt and some cream (i know but we thought the scone maybe too much!) I am thinking banana tomorrow.

Anyway OP i would ask a doctor about waiting. And you can always pick up BLW when your little one is ready. You can move from one to the other with success. Good luck.

Original poster

Badgerina · 14/04/2013 23:39

Randall - thanks for that post, it has really got me thinking. He's probably going to be my last baby, and I feel very sad about that because I would love another I wonder if that is influencing me.

On the other hand, since DS1 was born 8 years ago, my sister and my DH have both be dx with inflammatory bowel diseases (she has Crohns, he has Ulcerative Colitis), so that too, makes me nervous about introducing food.

He had absolutely nothing but my milk for 6 months. No medicines, nothing (virgin gut and all that)

Gosh I'm beginning to sound a bit nuts! Right. I'm going to wait another couple of weeks then see what happens

OP posts:

CornishYarg · 15/04/2013 08:53

The NHS weaning leaflet I have lists one of the signs of readiness to wean as "being able to sit upright but not necessarily without support". I've also had a look at what the blw book and it says "able to sit upright with little or no support".

So if he can sit upright with the help of his high chair or whatever without flopping to the side, then this is the developmental stage that indicates he's ready. As others have said, babies can be 9 months or more till they sit completely unsupported.

RandallPinkFloyd · 15/04/2013 09:28

Doesn't sound nuts at all. My DS will be an only child sadly so I understand completely.
(I had his cot in my room til he was 15mo )

A couple of weeks will make no difference whatsoever. Maybe use the time to get your head around it iyswim. Then just start very slowly, it's hard I know but he'll pick up on it if you're anxious.

You've done BLW before so you'll soon fall back into it once you start. You'll remember how much fun it is and it'll feel completely natural again.

Voodika · 15/04/2013 14:33

Dd2 took ages to sit up and like you I wasn't sure about the food. In the end I introduced purees then quickly moved on to BLW. In fact at 11 months she now eats anything so I don't think it makes a difference.

Have you tried a baby bouncer that hangs in a door. ( Not for feeding just playing!) Dd loved it and I think it strengthened her and got her used to being upright for sitting.
Packs of nappies and wet wipes were great for wedging in highchair because they are wipe able!

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