When is my son going to sit by himself?

Question

My son is 6 months today and he isn't sitting by himself yet, I'm getting a little worried because the pediatrician doesn't want me to introduce solids to him until he can do this. Is it normal for babies to take longer than normal? What is normal?

Answer 1

I've never heard that a baby should be sitting before being introduced to solids - I've seen numerous health visitors (you see this instead of pediatricians in England) and they've never mentioned anything like that. You'll find a lot of advice will conflict and I would go with your instincts on this one. My son is 8 months old and STILL not sitting, he was an early roller, early crawler, pulled himself up at 7 months and now can walk along holding the egdes of stuff, so he isn't behind in anything else really except that, and yet I introduced him to solids at 6 months under the health visitors advice and there's been absolutely no problems. Loads of people's baby's don't sit until 7 months or so, I think that's pretty normal, though I would say mine is quite late, but their nutrition should come before this so I would say go ahead with the solids. Oh and, there's no such thing as normal! All babies are different. I wouldn't say not sitting by six months is late at all. My friends baby who is 7 months can sit very sturdily and has been doing so for over a month, but when you put him on the floor he just cries, doesnt even attempt to roll either direction let alone crawl or shuffle - whereas mine is completely the opposite. It's all part and parcel of the fun, not knowing when to expect stuff, that makes it an extra nice surprise when it eventually happens! Unless there are severe developmental problems, our babies will all be healthy little kids running around in the playground together when they start school and the speed at which they did things in their early days will be neither here nor there. Don't worry! :-)

Answer 2

wait a few more weeks.  i felt the same way at 6 months, but then, a few weeks after her 6th month birthday, she started getting more stable.

Answer 3

I would go ahead and introduce solids now, If you do it too late your baby may develop texture aversion. Just make sure baby is strapped into a high chair. My son is 6.5 months old and can sit unassisted for about 5-10 mins, just make sure to give him lots of floor time. I use the nursing pillow behind him so if he falls he doesn't bang his head on the floor. (Did that once, he did not like it lol)

Answer 4

my daughter didn't start walking until she was about 13 months, my son about 15 months.  Just depends, don't sweat it.  good luck

Answer 5

My daughter sat on her own at 7 months.  I started feeding her solids at 6 months, and her pediatrician never mentioned anything about her needing to sit up unassisted.