Not sitting up but otherwise ready?

[birdybirdbird]

My just turned 5 month old has been very interested in food for a while and now watches us avidly as we eat whilst making open mouthed chewing actions. He’s taken a few swipes at our food and puts everything in his mouth. I was thinking of starting to wean him in a couple of weeks but I’m worried about the sitting up thing. He has good head and neck control but can’t sit up independently (on the floor) at all. He slumps over at the middle or lists to the side. I guess he can sit ok with support but I’m never really sure what this means! If I put his bouncy chair into its most upright mode he doesn’t slump or he’ll sit still on my lap with light touch hands on his sides without wobbling around too much. Does that sound ok or do I need to hold off? I’m planning to do a traditional mixed approach if it makes a difference. Thanks!

If he can sit in a high chair then he will be fine. He doesn’t need to be able to sit completely unaided on the floor.

Advice is to hold off until 6 months for weaning though.

Thanks for the reply. He goes a bit to one side in his high chair, but is largely fine, and as he’s only just 5 months he’s got some time to strengthen up a bit before we start. I know the NHS guidance is 6 months but I feel if he’s showing signs of readiness, a week or two won’t really make a difference.

So he was four months until very recently? I wouldn’t. Showing interest in food isn’t the same as being physically ready to stomach it.

A week or 2 might make s difference in terms of sitting up though. I’d wait for another 3 weeks until he’s 6 months.

I'd wait. The sitting up is about muscle development which signifies preparedness for digestion, if I'm remembering child development correctly, so even if he's already curious, he's not physically ready.

I'd be happy at 5.5 months if he can sit up, but I'd hold out until he can do that.

I'd just give it a couple of weeks, you will be surprised the difference they make. The signs are sitting with support, able to pick up food, put it in mouth, chew and swallow. Sounds like he's nearly there but not quite.

Watching you means nothing. He will watch you drive, use a knife etc. He finds you fascinating and wants to mimic (they mimic from birth) but it doesn't mean he is ready to eat solids.

At that age babies become more interested in life generally.

I would wait until 6 months when the gut is ready.

As someone who thought their baby was ready for weaning at 5 months, I'm so glad I waited another 3 weeks and that was with her being able to sit on her own at 5 months anyway (she's just gone 7months now) I definitely wouldn't risk it is baby slouches when sitting aided.

The difference between just gone 5 months and 6 months is huge.

Watching you eat is just interesting in its own right, not because baby wants to eat it themselves.

I’m not planning to start now. I’m just trying to get prepared as it’s something I don’t really know a lot about. I was asking from the point of view of what I’d do if he still wasn’t sitting up as I’d interpreted it as needing to sit up on the floor.

I had always understood the advice was that baby should be able to sit independently (e.g. on the floor). What's the rush?

You shouldn’t wait longer than 6 months to wean. So even if he’s not sitting up completely unaided at 6 months you should still start. The latest research shows that weaning from 4 months is not only ok, but is beneficial as it reduces the risk of food allergy. 6months is a guideline from the WHO which makes sense for developing countries where ebf for the longest time possible will protect infants from foodbourne and other illness. It’s not necessary to wait so long here. Many other developed countries now advise to wean at 4 months in an attempt to curb the ‘allergy epidemic’, which don’t forget can kill.

At 5 months we put our baby in a high chair just out of interest and she slumped down to the side too, maybe 3 weeks later she was happily sitting up in it so I'd second (or third) that you might be amazed how much changes in a small time!

As your baby can neither sit independently nor his he six months then no I wouldn’t start yet.

I did start before DD could sit independently but she was six months and had been crawling for over a month and had strong enough muscles but she was never still enough to develop her sense of balance.

I used a Mamas and Papas baby snug seat, with a tray, rather than a high chair initially. Some high chairs are massive and baby is bound to slouch or slump unless they have more support.

My baby didn’t sit up unaided until 7 months, btw.

I'd wean him now but I'd use purées until his sitting is better.

Waiting till 6 months is now out dated advice, research now shows earlier is better (from 4 months). I think the nhs are due to change their advice soon.

I always refer to this article. Whole thing is great but for you particularly point 1 and point 6
www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2013/09/13-baby-led-weaning-myths.html?m=1

@Jenala I love that article! So true! Would love to send it round my NCT group of BLW fanatics that didn't feed their child until it was 183 days old 😂😂😂

Starting solids is a massive faff and a lot of work (unless you are just feeding loads of processed stuff from packets). It’s a lot of mess and becomes really hard to get out during the day (unless you have money for sit down restaurant meals every day) as there’s nowhere to feed them without the warm weather for a picnic. It really isn’t anything worth rushing into. A few weeks will make a huge difference in terms of how well he sits, so I’d wait as long as you can.

Most people I know started at 5 months or so. Do some research and use your judgement

If he isn't sitting properly yet I'd wait until six months.

The advice is that the baby should be able to sit with support surely. You say he's five months and you plan to start in a couple of weeks, I would just give him something then and see how he gets on.

Also is there a weaning class offered in your area? I went to one another and it was pretty good

I would wait simply because weaning is a pain in the ass in my opinion , enjoy the next few weeks of less mess and poo's that are easy to clean up

@Tinyteatime I'm so glad you've said that! Everyone jumps on the "can't wean until 6months"
A lot of health professionals actually advise from 4months if baby can't wait until 6months as you've pointed out it reduces risks of allergies.
They also recommend weaning early if babies aren't putting weight on.

I see it all over the baby groups how mothers ask for advice about weaning and they get shot down at the mention of it if their baby isn't 6months old.
Back in the 2000's weaning started at 3months.

The advice I was given from baby health nurse was to start with a couple of spoons of baby rice and progress from there.

At end of the day, it's your baby and you know what's best.