Another BLW ?

giraffe54

As my LO is approaching 6 months, it has just occurred to be that I don't really think I understand what is meant by sitting unassisted (yes, I am probably just a dummy). Is it that LO must be able to actively sit up (as in the motion) and lean forward without assistance or be able to sit (as in the passive action) without toppling over? From my understanding, most babies cannot typically sit in the 2nd sense until 7 - 8 months, yet the BLW starting age is typically around 6 months. I don't have a high chair yet so I don't know how well LO will sit in it. I strongly feel she is near ready for food and can lean forward from a semi-reclined position (e.g., bouncer, car seat) quite easily, but is nowhere near actually sitting. 

TIA and sorry for the dumb question...! 

boogerbearoriginal

I've always understood sitting unassisted to mean being able to sit on their butt without falling over for a stretch of time, I'd say at least a minute or two, and not use anything to prop them up, like a pillow.

FWIW my LO was able to sit for a few minutes without anything holding him in position at 5m and play with a toy, but if say his ball rolled away, he would topple over when reaching for it. By 7m he could sit as long as he desired without toppling and was actually crawling on hands/knees at 8m. IIRC the books say 6m is when most babies can sit unassisted, meaning for some time but not necessarily indefinitely.

ncbelle

Sit without toppling - they don't have to be able to get themselves seated.  I think the idea is that if they aren't able to remain seated without assistance (a sign of good trunk strength), they aren't really ready for solids.

danienross

Like PPs I say sitting without toppling.  Of course E was an early bird and started crawling the day before she was 6mos so I wasn't worried about her.

Angela814

I assume it means that once you put baby in a sitting position, they can hold themselves in that position for a few minutes without falling over. DD1 started sitting unassisted at 6 months; DD2 was 5 months.

Alliebooberz

We didn't start Blw until 7 to 8 months because that's when he could sit up and not slump over in his chair.