Baby-Led Feeding (BLW) with Clara: a 10-month update

This update has been a long time in coming, but I think the reason is that our baby-led method for feeding Clara seems so natural I don’t think to write about it. She eats what we eat and it couldn’t be better.

Of course once I actually sat down to share our progress, I discovered I had quite a bit to say on the subject. Funny how that seems to happen with topics I am particularly enthusiastic about! Feeding babies nourishing, whole foods is certainly one of those passions.

If you’re not completely familiar with baby-led feeding (or Baby-Led Weaning, as it is actually called), I wrote about embracing this method for introducing solid foods to baby last September. Since then, Clara’s progressed quite a bit. I’ve had many great discussions on the subject and a few of my friends have even gotten on board with their little ones.

I frequently get asked about what exactly Clara eats, so today I’ll share about her diet at 10 months old.

Clara’s progressed so well with baby-led feeding, amazing us with her chewing skills, coordination and dexterity. She can chase down the smallest pea on her tray and help it find its way to her mouth. It’s pretty adorable.

She’s very adventurous, and if she sees me eating something, will always open her mouth to ask for a taste. I honestly can’t think of any food that she has turned down, and she’s only had a small reaction –red spots around her mouth, nothing more– to one food (pineapple).

Here’s a closer look at some of her current favourite foods:

BREAKFAST

  • Scrambled eggs, toast
  • French Toast
  • Whole Wheat Pancakes with Apple Butter
  • Yogurt, Applesauce
  • Fresh fruit
  • Oatmeal Fingers: Mix together 3 Tablespoons quick oats and 3 Tablespoons milk (I use goat’s milk) in a small microwaveable bowl. Press down with the back of a spoon. Microwave for 2 minutes. Cool, cut into fingers.

Lunch

  • Apple, Bacon & Cheddar Frittata
  • Whole Wheat Toast with mashed avocado or hummus
  • Boiled eggs
  • Chickpea Patties (recipe below)
  • Vegetable pastas with tomato sauce
  • Raw Vegetables: tomato slices (washed, skin on), celery sticks (strings peeled), cucumber (peeled), avocado wedge
  • Yogurt, Applesauce
  • Fresh fruit
  • Dinner leftovers
  • Breakfast leftovers

Dinner

Dinner is always variations on what we’re eating, plus one more vegetable such as broccoli, sweet potato, carrots, peas, turnip, or green beans (all favorites).

Recent loves:

Foods we avoid:

I’m careful to curb Clara’s salt intake, so she doesn’t have much brined foods, cured meats, or hard cheese. I’m also giving no sugar; it’s just not necessary. Honey is another one to avoid in the first year, and I am being very cautious with nuts.

Clara eats an unprocessed diet, so I don’t have to worry about hidden additives, sugars, trans-fatty acids, or empty calories. She’s a tall girl for her age who is extremely active, and I must equip her with the best foods that I can provide to keep up with that steep growth curve.

What about the mess?

I get asked this a lot. Kids make a mess when they eat. It’s just a fact. How do I deal with the mess of baby-led feeding? I clean it up!

Spoon feeding your baby may buy you a few more months of clean floors, but then, you know, your toddler is going to have a heyday. And I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but my boys still drop all sorts of food on the floor.

Clara has breakfast before she gets dressed for the day, so then I can toss her sleeper straight in the wash when she’s finished coating it in oatmeal! She wears an extra large bib at lunch, and after dinner, it’s straight to the bath. This system seems to work really well for us.

Oh, and I’ve found the perfect bibs that she can’t rip off (velcro just doesn’t do the job); a local Montreal girl makes these durable and adorable Kiokko baby bibs. They are soft, generously sized, and stay beautiful despite very frequent washings. Clara’s wearing the Pink Starling Birds Bib in these photos. {Psst. Use the coupon code LAURA10 for 10% off any purchase of Kiokko Bebe Couture.}

What’s next for Clara?

Spoon feeding is on our radar next. I’m going to begin to introduce utensils and see if Clara is interested. Just as she let me know when she was ready to try solids, I’m confident she’ll communicate that she is interested and capable of using a fork and spoon.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow, as I’ll be giving away copies of both Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods and The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook: 130 Recipes That Will Help Your Baby Learn to Eat Solid Foods!

Chickpea & Parsley Patties

Easy to hold and soft to eat, these chickpea patties are a nutritious meal for your little one. Adapted from the Baby-Lead Weaning Cookbook
3.54 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dishes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 patties
Calories: 15kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 1 15-oz can chickpeas
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 small onion peeled and chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil for frying

Instructions

  • Rinse the chickpeas and drain them. Prepare garlic, onion and parsley.
  • In a food processor (or in a bowl with a potato masher) combine chickpeas, garlic, spices, onions and lemon juice and pulse a few times to chop and combine.
  • Add flour and parsley and mix well. It's okay if there are still chunks of chickpeas.
  • Using a spoon and your hands, shape the mixture into 12 patties and place them on a tray or baking sheet. Chill for 20 minutes to firm them up a little.
  • Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet until very hot and place 6 patties in the pan. Fry over medium low heat for about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown.
  • Serve warm as they are, or in a pita pocket. Clara loves hers with mashed avocado.

Nutrition

Calories: 15kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 17mg | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Questions? Comments?  Feel free to share them below

I’m sharing these menu suggestions over on Menu Plan Monday.

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70 Comments

  1. My baby loved these, but I agree with others that they fell apart, especially after refrigerating and reheating. I ended up basically crumbling them up with a dollop of sour cream (didn’t have any Greek yogurt or I would have used that) and giving him little balls off a spoon. He inhaled it that way. If I make these again I’ll try adding an egg to the mixture.

  2. My baby loved these. I used an extra tbs of flour and rolled them in bread crumbs after they came out of the fridge and they held together well.

  3. 1 star
    Fell apart, please update recipe so other ppl don’t waste their time. I wish I would have looked at the reviews before wasting my time doing this.

  4. 4 stars
    I’m so glad I read the reviews before I fried these up. I mixed in an extra tbsp of flour and an egg, left them in the fridge overnight (just ran out of time to cook them, I don’t know that that actually made a difference), and they held together perfectly and taste great.

  5. 1 star
    Like others said these fall apart.
    Disappointing as I was specifically looking for a recipe without egg but in the end had to add an egg and extra flour.