Could your baby sit unaided when you started weaning?

[beccajoh]

My daughter was very sturdy - good head control at 8 weeks and so on, and was sitting very confidently at six months. She was a contrary madam though and didn't want anything but milk until 14 months, although did deign to eat a few bits of food occasionally.

DS, on the other hand, is five months now and I'd say has only just got good head control in the last 2-3 weeks. I can't see that he'll be sitting unaided in a month's time, although I might be wrong. He's not ready for weaning yet in any case as he's still got the poky tongue thing. He can bring objects to his mouth but does tend to poke himself in the eye en-route to his mouth!

Is the sitting thing important? What about if they can sit up well but with support?

He'll have to go in the Bumbo to start with because DD still needs the highchair (she's not 2 yet) and I'm not buying a second one...

DD wasn't quite sitting at 6 months and we weaned her in a bumbo plus tray, it worked very well

mine is 6.5 months and still needs a bit of support especially when tired! She is quite small so I think it is easy for her to slump backwards in a large highchair. We have the cheap Ikea highchair and I put a small cushion behind her - works well but I'm hoping we won't need it for much longer as it is flithy!! In hindsight an old towel would have worked better!

When we are out I roll up a coat or jumper and put it behind her.

Couldn't sit up totally unaided, but I don't think they have to be - as long as they can sit in a chair or on your lap and hold their heads steady it's fine. The risk if when people feed babies who are in reclining bouncers/cradles or even lying down eg. 3 or 4 month olds.

Get an Antilop high chair from Ikea. They cost about a tenner and you can also buy an inflatable back cushion that fits inside that supports the baby. My DS couldn't but he has muscular issues

Would it be more convenient to get a booster seat for DD so the baby could have the high chair?

My dd only sat up at 12 months at which point she was diagnosed with a genetic disorder. She has ongoing health problems still.

You should be getting a referral to a paediatrician to ensure there is no underlying health problem or genetic disorder. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear and I wish you well.

A 5 month old who's not sitting unaided is pretty normal unreal.

Astonishingmouse yes we probably will get a booster as we can't use the Bumbo for very long. Not sure how long children typically carry on using a highchair?

DD couldn't but she was weaned at 4 months as the recommendation was 4-6 months then and the HV bullied me into doing it.

DS1, DS2 and DS3 all could, I think DS2 was only just though. He could sit up nicely in the Tripp Trapp but not for long on the floor. They were weaned at 7 months, 6.5 months and 8 months respectively.

I think they should be able to sit up well and not need their heads supporting. With DD I had feed her in a bouncy chair, she was very reclined and her head was fully supported. The purée was so runny I was virtually pouring it into her. It felt plain wrong.

With my boys I didn't purée anything. They had lots of finger foods from day one and other food was just chopped up into small pieces. They were chewing as opposed to just swallowing.

OP what you describe is hypotonia and it will help to get some therapy to help kick start his muscles. It's not about strengthening them, it's got to do with getting the brain to connect which is why you probably need advice from a paediatrician or therapist.

We had a basic kind of booster something like this (less ugly than the more complicated types to my eyes) www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9077364.htm
I think they probably used a booster till they were about 3. Both to keep them at the right height at the table and so I could strap them in. Drives me nuts when they try and get down from the table all the time, but 2 year olds often have more entertaining things to do than eat.

Dd1 no, started on purees.
Dd2 yes, blw
Ds (5.5 months old) no, on purees, in bumbo, but good head control and can bring objects to mouth and doesn't do sticky out tongue thing. Will be starting moving towards more blw soon.