7 month old not showing signs of readiness

[BarberBabyBubbles]

DD2 is 7 months old and can’t quite sit and only in the last day or two has she started putting objects in her mouth.

I did BLW with DD1 who was ready to start at 6 months and all went swimmingly. So this is all a bit new to me. So basically DD2 hadn’t eaten anything other than breast milk (she’s EBF). I’ve started sitting her in the high chair at mealtimes and she’ll hold a piece of food but won’t put it to her mouth.

So I guess she’s just not ready. Anyone else have similar?

I’m not worried about her development otherwise.

There is no magical change that happens on their 6m birthday, it's a myth (encouraged by baby food manufacturers funnily enough) that babies suddenly start needing more just because they're over 6m. As far as I'm aware at around 6 months they start to run out of the iron they had stockpiled from being in their mother's body, but they're still getting enough from breast or formula milk. There really is nourgent need to get them on solids.
However, evidence for a 'window of opportunity' for the introduction of tastes is largely based on the observation that babies of 6 months and older tend to refuse new flavours.
Make sure that you give her a bit of time before offering solids after a full feed—an hour or so--to develop a bit of an appetite. On the other hand, you want to make sure that she isn’t too hungry when she comes to the table—it may actually deter her from trying new foods.
Teething can cause discomfort so it is normal that they don’t feel like eating during this period.
Sometimes a lack of appetite may just mean your child is too tired to eat.
Try having someone else feed her. Try feeding her at different times during the day. Try feeding her in different settings — she may refuse to eat in the highchair but will eat just fine while sitting on your lap! It could be that a small change like this prompts her to get interested in eating. Also make sure she’s not too distracted.
If all else fails, don’t be afraid to give up for a few weeks. This isn’t a battle to be won, after all, and if she senses your frustration (or desperation!) she may be even less inclined to eat. Instead, take a break and try again later. You might be surprised at the difference a few weeks makes!

Thanks very much for replying. She isn’t putting anything in her mouth yet is the problem. However I’ve gone back to my Gill Rapley book which says some babies won’t be ready till 8 months so I guess I’ll try her again in a couple of weeks.

What I mean is she isn’t at the developmental stage of putting things in her mouth. So she doesn’t put rattles in her mouth or toys etc or anything you’d give a baby to hold. So it’s nothing to do with hunger (she won’t even equate food with hunger anyway).

I wasn’t worried at all at 6 months but I thought she would be ready by 7 months. I was hoping people would have similar experiences....

If I was spoon feeding I guess it would be less obvious but I don’t want to spoon feed and probably shouldn’t as she clearly isn’t ready for food.

But I’m not sure at what age I should worry. Hopefully by 8 months she’ll be showing all the NHS signs of readiness.

Just popping by to say ds2 had no interest in food until 8 months and even then tiny amounts. Slightly bigger amounts not until 10 months. Guess my boob milk was very nutritious! Big strapping boy too, so wasn’t worried

As far as I'm aware at around 6 months they start to run out of the iron they had stockpiled from being in their mother's body, but they're still getting enough from breast or formula milk. There really is nourgent need to get them on solids.

No, they can't get enough iron from breastmilk. Once their iron stores and blood iron levels are running low, they need to start getting iron from food (or supplements).
scienceofmom.com/2011/10/12/why-is-breast-milk-so-low-in-iron/

It's generally recommended that parents should not be waiting much longer than 26 weeks (6 calendar months)--partly because of things like the need for iron and zinc, but also because waiting too long increases the risk of food allergies.

Why not just hold soft pieces of food for her, or offer food on a spoon? She doesn't have to feed herself 100% right from the start.

She will want to eat eventually. They all do. My daughter wasnt interested till past 7 months either

Hen big strapping girl here. We both must have great breastmilk.

I don’t want to hold the food for her or spoon feed as I’m also looking after a toddler and trying to eat myself! Plus my point is that according to the NHS she is not ready - not showing the signs of readiness. That’s what concerns me iyswim - I’m not concern that she’s not yet ingesting a tiny bit of peach etc i’m Concerned that at 8 months she’s not ready

I tried pretty much everything to get DD to eat solids after 6 months, and very little of it worked. She didn't choose to put food in her mouth until gone one, and violently objected to a spoon going near her. You sound a lot more chilled than I was, which can only be good! She was on formula by a year, and I was advised to make sure it was age appropriate so it had iron in it. Otherwise, breast milk is fine.

Oh gosh I don’t think I’ll be chilled out if it goes on till she’s one!!! Dd1 was fine on hardly any milk by 11 months - I was hoping for the same

I guess if it goes on much longer I’ll make sure I actually give her vitamin drops and just go with it....she’s doing well on just the breast milk so I’ll keep telling myself she’ll eat when it’s ready. At least there’ll be less mess for a while longer!