Do you have to wean at 6 months exactly? Is slightly later ok?

[SparklingSapphire]

My dd will be 6 months in a few weeks and is showing no interest at all in food.

She can't sit up by herself, for some reason I thought it was better if they could sit up before weaning? Maybe I dreamt this though!

Would it be ok to delay another few weeks?

Yes it's better if they can sit up. No need to start if she isn't showing signs of readiness.

Can she hold her head up by herself?

Mine didn't really start showing interest until closer to 7 months, maybe offer and let her touch/play with food or a spoon loaded with puree (whichever route you're taking) and see if she puts any in her mouth. If not, no big deal. I have heard a phrase "food is for fun until they are one" as all their nutrients come from milk still at this stage.

About the sitting up thing, they don't have to be sitting up independently - just able to sit in a high chair without landing face-first in dinner, apparently! I worked about that too, as DS was nowhere near sitting up properly at 6 months.

I agree with the others - don't worry if she's not ready. You could try the odd spoonful of mashed potato or something if you're eating it and she's sitting there, but if she's not interested then it's OK to leave it a bit.

We did baby-led weaning with DS, and at first he took next to nothing. It was around the 9 month mark that he started eating any decent amount of anything. He's absolutely fine and well-nourished!

I think my boy was closer to 9 months before he could sit on his own and this is about normal (there is a difference between putting the baby to sit and they stay sitting and the baby sitting by themselves, you shouldn't actually let them sit until they do it themselves)

So I woukd say no they don't have to be sitting we fed our little boy in his bouncy chair at that age.

I personally would start at 6 months to get them used to the new textures before they start to realise they can reject things and then makes it harder.

But thus is your child, you know what is best so leave it a few weeks if you want. It will make the laundry easier for a few more weeks too ;-)

My DS didn't really show much interest until 10 months.

The guideline is around 6 months so totally fine to wait. Maybe sit her on your lap while you eat (suitable) food and see if she grabs it and eats it? This worked quite well with my DD, not counting the time I was eating a Greggs steak bake - not really an ideal first food and very messy but she was thrilled!

Thanks for the advice here.

She shows no interest in food at all! She's just still loving her milk.

Sleeps 7-7 so not wakening up for more milk.

Don't really know what to do!

I come from a culture where babies are breast fed until they are 1 year old before their mums can be bothered to wean them and none of my cousins have ever had any problems in taking to food. A bit weird for me as I live here in the UK where the guidelines state from 6 months onwards but elsewhere around the world people don't always have a choice to give babies solids. Baby will let you know when she's ready!

Mine only had one spoonful of food daily at 6 months. They started to be interested in food at 10 months but still ate little amounts. We weaned them onto everything we eat and they are the least fussy kids we know.

This is a most reassuring thread.

My DD is 8 months. She started solids at 6 months but just a few bites as she is petite. She still can't eat an "average" 8 month old portion but has no allergies and will try most foods. So glad it sounds like she will grow into eating more ... when people tell you about their 7 month old on 3 full meals plus snacks and allude to problems if that's not the case it can be worrying.

Ahhhh Squizita, chances are the less you worry the more she'll thrive. I had to add butter and /or cream to most of my DDs food to bump up the calories and even people still comment that she is a little small but she is healthy and strong and that is what counts! If your DD loves her milk just give it to her and carry on with offering her solids - one day she'll surprise you by having a bigger than usual portion. She's a petite baby and that is ok. Just like grown up babies come in all shapes and sizes (I stopped getting my DD weighed as I was never pleased with the outcome - I now look at her and think she looks well and that is enough for me).

Zarina lol mine is on the butter diet too! She's the least fussy child. Will nibble on anything - just not "hungry" for solids yet iyswim.

You say you've got a 'few weeks' till 6 months op. Lots changes in those weeks with such a small baby.

There's no rush at all. You don't need to introduce certain textures at a certain time or be following a strict schedule.

The best thing to do is wait until they can sit up with support (never feed reclined on a bean bag or in a bouncy chair or similar as it's a choking hazard), wait until the tongue thrust reflex is gone and when they can pick up the food, put it in their mouths, chew and swallow, then they're ready.

My dd wasn't interested until 28 or 29 weeks. DS was 24 weeks when he had all the developmental signs but he also had pneumonia at the same age so wasn't interested in anything bar sleeping and breast milk. He was 27 weeks once he was well again and he took to food with gusto.

Milk will remain the main source of nutrition for a while yet so try not to worry.