I feel like i hear conflicting advice and recommendations on this. Are we supposed to start solids when babies can sit WITH support or WITHOUT support? L is 6 months old (in a few days) and can only sit when propped up on his arms for support (and is therefore leaning forward - tripod position).
Should I keep waiting to start solids just for this reason?
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
I would probably be ok with purées before baby can sit unassisted but nothing else.
cantaloupe / 6630 posts
I think as long as they can sit with support they're okay, but I admit, we waited until she could fit fairly well without support for my peace of mind although, as you have seen, she does still topple over sometimes 
pomelo / 5093 posts
I think that's a terrible reason to wait, personally. My late on physical milestones daughter was ready for food long before she could sit unsupported. The two things have nothing to do with each other.
coconut / 8305 posts
We waited until P was sitting fully unassisted. We're in the camp of delaying solids until all signs of readiness are there & don't worry if its after 6 months though.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
Assisted. DD could not sit unassisted until she was pretty old. 8 months maybe? But she could crawl and cruise by 6 months so we started. She was fine sitting assisted by 4 months.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
UNassisted. How can she swallow her solids properly if she can not keep her back straight? That sounds like a choking hazard to me....
I personally feel this one is more important than 4 vs 6 months rule!
persimmon / 1233 posts
My 7.5-month-old can't sit unassisted but we've been doing purees for a month now. The doctor didn't say anything about needing to sit unassisted and it hasn't been an issue.
grapefruit / 4819 posts
I think it depends on the type of assistance your LO needs to sit upright. LO only needed a bit of assistance at her base (around her hips) to maintain a completely upright sitting position from about 5 months onwards; we started her on solids at 5.5 months. If she had needed assistance to hold her upper body upright, we probably would have waited. LO didn't sit completely unassisted until 7.5 months and she was ready for food long, long before then. Like someone else said though, she only had purees in the initial months and we've only just started finger foods in the past few weeks (LO is nearly 11 months now).
I think it's very much a judgment call. Our LO never leaned forward whilst sitting up (never did the tripod sit) so I was comfortable with putting her in a high chair, knowing she'd be able to hold her upper body upright, but I think you know your baby best. I'd go with your instinct, rather than following a rule (start solids by 6 moths, or don't give solids until sitting completely unassisted, etc).
persimmon / 1035 posts
@sarac: I think they are definitely related, but i was wondering to what extent. I have heard and read in many places that sitting up helps their food along and therefore assist digestion.
@travelgirl1: i hope you have fun today!! Can't wait to hear about A's first solids experience
@runsyellowlites: how long did you end up waiting before introducing solid foods (including purees?). I am sort of in this camp too now because I don't see any signs of readiness, so I would feel weird just starting because he hit the 6 month mark. Babies develop at different paces for everything else, so why not starting solids, you know?
@Mrs Green Grass: I did research too before writing this post and saw a lot that says assisted. But i wonder if it outdated advice - similar to advice that says we have to start with rice cereal and can't introduce certain foods (like meats) until later.
@regberadaisy: and this is why i am confused! the responses in this thread vary!!
@Ree723: for sure we are going to go with our instince and what we feel is best for L and what he is ready for. I actually talked about it some more with DH last night after starting this post and seeing the responses and we decided to wait a bit longer.
coconut / 8305 posts
@PurpleUnicorn: We tried occasionally after P was 7 months but only because we got a LOT of flack from our pedi & it really stressed me out (won't be doing that next time around). So other than that we waited until 9.5 month.
Kellymom has a post "Why Delay Solids" that has some great info on it! Really I just love her stuff on bfing & solids and toddler nutrition in general.. I wish pedi's where more versed on this information!
pear / 1599 posts
Our Dr said its ok for purees when they have full head control and can sit assisted. She explained it was so that the esophagus and everything lines up so they wont choke and can swallow correctly. I think it is all what you are comfortable with, you know your LO the best.
honeydew / 7687 posts
I've been pondering the same thing - asked the lactation consultant I saw and she says LLL recommends unassisted.
persimmon / 1035 posts
@runsyellowlites: i actually read that article yesterday! I was planning to start solids this week simply because L is six months old as of today and i thought i was pushing to the end of when i should start, but now i am questioning it. Also, i've always sort of questioned since i learned that the health recommendations are to exclusively breastfeed for "at least" six months. The term "at least" means a minimum of and probably more, so i wondered why if that was how the recommendation is worded, do people start solids "no later than" six months - or so it seems that way. From reading the kellymom article, i realized that the previous recommendation was to start by 4 - 6 months.
@scg00387: have you decided if you are going to follow that recommendation?
persimmon / 1081 posts
We did blw so we waited until DD could sit unassisted - it's one of the major tenets of blw. You are supposed to wait bc otherwise it's a choking hazard.
honeydew / 7687 posts
@PurpleUnicorn: I'm not sure. He is sitting unassisted but not for a super long time... and shows all other signs of readiness. I told DH we'd evaluate next weekend and come to a decision together. Sorry, that is not helpful
persimmon / 1035 posts
@mrsmate: thank you! i think this is why i was so confused. I read up on BLW a while ago and thought it sounded really interesting and i wanted to try it. But since then i must have forgot that is where i first read why it is so important to have the baby sitting unassisted and you just reminded me! And i ordered my BLW book from amazon and it arrived today, so since i am no longer stressing about starting on the 6 month mark exactly, i have time to read the book!
GOLD / pomelo / 5737 posts
@PurpleUnicorn: Mine was sitting supported and for some periods unsupported but sort of wobbly, but she was six months and we didn't do blw.
bananas / 9357 posts
My baby-led weaning book says with little to no support. Other signs they list are reaching out to grab things and take them to their mouth accurately and gnawing on toys and making chewing movements.
persimmon / 1035 posts
@mrskc: hmmm, i will have to pay attention for that. L is definitely reaching out, but now sure about the chewing motion as opposed to just getting his mouth on anything he can. But he definitely can't sit unassisted yet, not even a little bit - only tripod position.
bananas / 9357 posts
@PurpleUnicorn: The other thing the books said was waiting until 6 months for their digestion system to mature. How old is your LO? My son was still kinda sitting tripod when we started. But he could lift his arms up for a bit and still hold himself up. It was amazing to watch him within a week go from tripod to sitting up almost on his own. For my son, it seemed obvious. He would grab everything and bring it to his mouth and gnaw on it. I think just use your best judgement. There really is no rush to start solids. Good luck! It's so fun to watch them discover food for the first time.
honeydew / 7589 posts
Another vote for Kellymom's "Why Delay Solids" article.
We'll be waiting until she can sit unassisted.
persimmon / 1035 posts
@mrskc: he turned 6 months yesterday. still no where near sitting other than tripod, but he did learn that pretty quick, so i am confident that when he is ready, he will sit up on his own and it will be a quick transition. I put him the bumbo chair yesterday and he seemed to like it more than usual.
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