Readiness to wean - define "sitting unsupported"

[sallyforth]

I think this may have been asked before but maybe in a slightly different way.....

This sitting unsupported as sign of readiness to wean - well DS (5 and a half months) can sit up if you plonk him on the floor quite carefully and prop him up with his arms.

But then after a few seconds he usually sees something he wants, leans for it and falls over.

Does this count as sitting unsupported? If not, what does?

what about in a high chair or in your lap?. Does he slump down or does he sit straight with his hands on the tray?

I took sitting usupported as being able to sit without needing anything to hold them up - whether that's a chair back, cushions or their own arms...that way they are free to self feed with their hands and without the added complication/risk of them slumping and food falling back towards the airway, increasing the risk of choking.

terramum is spot on

Ah, thanks. In a high chair he does slump alarmingly, although partly that's because he's skinny compared to other babies his age. So obv NOT ready for weaning atm.

I wondered if there were different types of slumping: Presumably it's ok if they slump forwards bending at the hips (so the food would fall forwards out of their mouth, but the neck position would remain the same relative to the head and the trunk) but not if they slump / slip down so their bottom goes forwards and chin to chest? does that make sense?

also depends on type of highchair - padded recliney type ones with 5-pt harnesses seem to cause a lot more slumping than the lowbacked tripptrapp or antilop type

I think there has to be no slumping tbh.
Does your DS have the other signs? Would he be able to physically grab a piece of food, put it in his mouth, chew and swallow?
Has he lost the tongue reflex (though not an indicator in itself, DS2 is 14 weeks and happily takes his calpol with no tongue reflex)

No tongue reflex (I think). He grabs everything within sight. And he keeps ramming my finger into his mouth and chewing on it vigorously (using the back of his gums as well as the very front bit).

But:
No pincer grip yet. And I gave him a bit of lettuce the other day after he'd been reaching to grab my plate, and he waved it around for a while, looked distinctly unimpressed and dropped it - it went nowhere nearhis mouth!