Baby can’t sit unassisted

So my Bub is 6months next week & still has trouble sitting with assistance (head & neck control are very good, When I’m assisting, he just can’t kept his back straight in a sitting position, always curls his spine or hunches over & slides out of position). My understanding is that baby needs to be able to sit up straight & unassisted prior to starting solids which makes sense if they’re going to be safe in a high chair & be able to swallow foods properly, they need to be able to sit up straight to balance on their own. Are there any ways I can help him build strength in his muscles for sitting? I saw a paediatrician for another unrelated matter & when I mentioned my baby had pretty good head/neck control from about 3.5/4months, he said I’ve waited too long & I should’ve already started practising sitting assisted & other exercises to help with sitting around 4 months, so now they’ve made me guilty for not starting until now with practising sitting :(. I also see other babies being able to sit unassisted at 4/5months so again I feel guilty like I’ve held him back somehow. But then I also hear such different advice like some people & other health professionals have told me not to get them to sitting until they can crawl so as a first time mum this is very confusing & overwhelming to know which advice to follow as I obviously want to do the right thing by my baby & I don’t want to make them do something they may not be ready for. Any tips are appreciated!

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My baby is 6 months today and he still can’t sit without support, my toddler son started sitting probably at 7.5 months. I still fed them solids just used one of those bathing chairs for support. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, every child develops differently/ sitting is normal from 5 months to 9 months….

Mine is almost 6 months and can't sit unassisted but he can sit in a high chair (with the cushion insert) so I've just started him on some purees. I don't think there's any rush though. I won't be assisting my child to try and sit up but waiting until he naturally does it

Every child is so different. Idk why they try to rush babies so much - it can be normal to sit by themselves at 14 months for the first time. Kids will eventually get there in their own time. You can still start food - just be supervising carefully. You're doing great 🫶🏻

Listen.. drs will go by average and not think about your feelings either.. you are not too late. It will take a few weeks of some dedicated time and Ur bub will be sitting in no time. Use cushions for support, do laying to sitting pull ups (if you know what I mean? Holdi g hands and pull up to sitting slowly to engage core) Sit in a tripod position... legs open and hands in the middle for support .. just do these for 10 20 mins a few times a day but don't worry. Bub will get there at some point and when ready xx give yourself a break sweetheart xx

You haven't done anything wrong. Some babies sit first, some babies crawl first. Neither is right or wrong. My two kids didn't sit unassisted until 8 and 9 months respectively, they crawled first. They can start solids if they can sit up while assisted. You can always just feed them on your lap and help hold them up.

Whoever said wait until they are crawling is an idiot, to put it nicely. Developmentally, a baby starts sitting before they start crawling, and some skip the crawling al together. I wouldn't risk starting solids if he slumps over while sitting. Waiting a bit longer to start won't hurt. Food at his age is for development, not nutrition, so offer chew toys and teething rusks. You could put thick puree in a food teather for him to chew on, give him spoons to play with and suck on, offer him different kinds of bottles (straw is best) to encourage the sucking motion etc In regards to his sitting, I would recommend seeing a physiotherapist. My son was delayed in crawling and walking, and physiotherapy helped tremendously.

In the meantime, try propping toys at his level when he is sitting so he doesn't have to look down. Think hanging from a bar or an activity cube. Prop pillows around him for support. Having your leg outstretched and encouraging him to climb over you will support his crawling. As will having different levels for him to explore, eg, a gymnastics mat type thing, or pillows, folded blankets, etc You could sit him between your legs so he is flush against you and slowly move back so he is sitting independently, but you are there for support. Good Luck!

@Erinda, I have 17+ years in childcare. It is not normal to be sitting independently for the first time at 14 months. That is a huge flag that something needs to be addressed.