What do you think? Peanuts.

Amanda - posted on 07/07/2011

I ate nuts through both my pregnancies and both my kids have eaten peanut from from a young age. Neither of them have an allergy

Jodi - posted on 07/07/2011

I know what you meant :P

Sherri - posted on 07/07/2011

I didn't mean that Jodi just meant different countries vs. different states etc. things can be different with certain recommendations.

Jodi - posted on 07/07/2011

LOL @ where I live. you make it sound like I live in the backwoods.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/co...

As I was saying, the thinking is starting to shift. If you don't have a history of allergies in the family, it is believed you are better off exposing them earlier. I could find more articles and post more links if you want me to.

Stifler's - posted on 07/07/2011

Yeah it's not recommended until 3 here and my son has been eating peanut butter sandwiches since 1 (my MIL gave it to him while I wasn't around and since he was fine I kept giving it to him because he liked it). If you're allergic oyu're allergic I say.

Sherri - posted on 07/07/2011

@ Jodi Sherri, the whole "when should I give my kids nuts" debate has shifted hugely over the years because of new research. From memory, some of the latest reports suggest that exposing your children EARLIER, if there is no history of nut allergies, is more likely to decrease the risk of allergies. I did see a report on this research at some stage, but can't recall where it was conducted, etc.

I bet that would be where you live too, what certain dtrs are saying because here parents are still being told 3yrs old. before you should introduce p'nut butter. I never did it was around a yr I know I did with all of mine. However, my friends kids she is a stickler about following exactly to the letter what her dtr's told her and she didn't until her daughter was older. Her oldest is only 3 1/2 now.

Stifler's - posted on 07/07/2011

I was never advised to not eat peanuts.

Melissa - posted on 07/07/2011

Honestly I used to think it was ridiculous until my daughter was diagnosed with childhood asthma at the age of 2. It makes me wonder if I "gave" it to her because I ate peanut butter like a mad woman throughout my pregnancy. She has infection-induced asthma so everytime she gets a cold, the asthma kicks in. I hate that she has to do a nebulizer every day along with a pill...coincidence? Maybe...but I'm more cautious about it now that I'm pregnant with our second. There's no way to know I suppose so I try not to get upset about it but it's something to maybe take seriously I think now.

Jodi - posted on 02/06/2011

Sherri, the whole "when should I give my kids nuts" debate has shifted hugely over the years because of new research. From memory, some of the latest reports suggest that exposing your children EARLIER, if there is no history of nut allergies, is more likely to decrease the risk of allergies. I did see a report on this research at some stage, but can't recall where it was conducted, etc.

Amy - posted on 02/06/2011

I eat nuts all the time. Some things are hereditary, but peanuts are the least clean nuts and I think it's probably an allergic reaction to the cruddy chemicals people put on peanuts more than the nut. Although, peanuts really are the trash of nuts. sorry.,, they just are. But, my kids ate all kinds of nuts as soon as they had teeth. they've had honey before the guidelined year of age, they've eaten seafood. They ate whatever we ate. Nuts are great. We eat them often. Even cashews - which are actually a stem. lol. My daughter loves telling people that. She's 4. Also an avid nut fan!

Mabel - posted on 02/06/2011

as soon as my son had his teeth I would give him crunchy peanut butter and He has had the mixed nuts from about the time he was 1 yr old.I ate lots of peanut butter and jelly when I was pregnant too.

Fiona - posted on 02/06/2011

@Sherri - this is current guidance in the UK

from http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/agesand...

At what age can I give my child peanut butter?
If your child hasn’t been diagnosed with any allergies, and there isn’t a history of allergy in their immediate family, you can choose to give your child peanut butter after they are six months old (but remember you should never give whole peanuts or nuts to children under five years old because of the risk of choking).

When you give your child peanut butter for the first time, give a small amount only and look out for any allergic reaction. Advice about common symptoms of an allergic reaction can be found at the link below. If you think your child is having an allergic reaction, you should get urgent medical advice.

Babies and children under five need a diet that is higher in fat and lower in fibre than that for older children and adults. Babies and children under two years have small stomachs and can’t eat large amounts of food all in one go, so they need small meals with healthier snacks in between.

Peanut butter is high in energy and is also high in fat. Peanut butter can form part of your child’s diet but, like all of us, babies and young children need to eat a variety of foods to give them all the vitamins and minerals they need to be healthy and to help avoid them being fussy about what they eat later on in life.

It’s important for babies and young children to eat different types of food. Try other healthier sandwich fillings, such as egg and cress, tuna or salmon (always check for bones) and cucumber, and chicken and salad.

If your child has been diagnosed with an allergy, such as a food allergy or eczema, or if there is a history of allergy in the immediate family (if either parent, a brother or a sister has an allergy such as a food allergy, asthma, eczema, hay fever, or other types of allergy) then your baby has a higher risk of developing peanut allergy. So in these instances we advise that you should talk to your GP, health visitor or medical allergy specialist before you give peanuts or foods containing peanuts to your baby for the first time.

My 15month old eats whole nuts including peanuts - so does my four year old.

Holly - posted on 02/02/2011

No peanut butter until 3 years old? Huh... My daughter's not even 2 yet (2 more weeks!) and she LOVES peanut butter... She also loves coffee... maybe she's just a weird kid... :D

Stifler's - posted on 02/02/2011

I don't think i ever heard you weren't meant to eat nuts when you're pregnant when I was pregnant with Logan. I eat peanut butter and other nuts with this pregnancy. Just not to give it to your kid until 3.

Sherri - posted on 02/02/2011

What Mandy? That is hogwash. They say NOT to give peanut butter until 3yrs now. When I was a kid there was no recommendation on peanut butter and as soon as kids could chew a sandwich they were given peanut butter and I am almost 40yrs old. So how are we now supposed to give peanut butter earlier now then in the past??

Melissa - posted on 02/02/2011

with regard sto the allergies the reason people start earlier now is due to the new information your supposed to feed your kids peanut butter from an early age to prevent allergys

Nadia - posted on 02/02/2011

I ate nuts through both my pregnancy's, and my oldest started eating peanut butter at a year... i didn't know the reccomendation was to wait til age 3. I thought that they could pretty much eat anything by the time they were 1. my youngest is only 5 months, so she only eats what she gets from my milk lol. my oldest has no allergies, though.

I think that part of the problem might be the overprocessed everything. 50 years ago, it was unheard of to have so many allergies... but moms back then also stayed home, baked fresh bread everyday, and there were no mmicrowave dinners or snacks. Kids also played outside from sunup to sundown, rain or shine, and didn't spend every waking day in front of a computer or playing video games. Also, i think genes play a big role in allergies.

Elizabeth - posted on 02/02/2011

Perhaps I should ad to my post...I too have 2 children ..I ate nuts and anything else I wanted during both pregnancies...my children have had nuts from an early age and do NOT have any allergies

Amanda - posted on 02/02/2011

Both my kids 16 months and 34 months have both had peanut butter and nuts from a young age, and I ate nuts throughout both my pregnancies and neither of my kids have had a reaction to them. They have also had honey and shellfish before the age of one and no reactions.

Sherri - posted on 02/02/2011

I wasn't told I couldn't eat nuts while pregnant?? Actually I started giving peanut butter and shellfish to my kids at a year old too. The only one I didn't was honey.

Melissa - posted on 02/02/2011

I dont like peanuts peanut butter anything like that my daughter had peanut butter from 3 months had to go buy the stuff

Isobel - posted on 02/02/2011

My theory is that peanuts are one of the first genetically modified food to be widely used in our diet. Problems with Gluten are also more prevalent as wheat is THE most widely used genetically modified product. Same with sesame and eggs.

Mothers would never have been told not to eat those things if the allergies were not already on the increase.

Jocelyn - posted on 02/02/2011

I ate nuts throughout both pregnancies and both my kids had peanut butter before their 1st birthday.
I'm not sure what causes allergies, but I'm leaning towards it being hereditary .

Bonnie - posted on 02/02/2011

I was told that if a nut allergy runs in the family it is best to avoid nuts while pregnant and nursing because it can increase the chances of your child having the allergy. Otherwise, I don't think it matters.

Fiona - posted on 02/02/2011

My kids both had peanuts from very early on - current guidance in the UK is from 6 months

Brittany - posted on 02/02/2011

I was told by my pediatrician that since the results of so many of the studies are inconclusive that as long as she can't choke on it, it shouldn't be a problem.

I ate peanuts and other nuts through out my pregnancy. There isn't any family history of any nut allergy. My daughter has had peanut butter, almond butter, almond slivers, crushed mixed nuts. I'm really not worried.

I really think that there are a lot of factors when it comes to allergies, some if not most being hereditary. Most people get sensitivities to foods from over exposure but that takes years and a very limited diet.

Sophie - posted on 02/02/2011

I ate nuts and peanut butter while pregnant and breastfeeding. My daughter is not yet the age to eat nuts, I will wait until the she is 3 as recommended. I don't believe that not exposing your child to nuts actually increases the risk for allergies and do believe that giving a child the time they need for their immune system to mature enough to cope with potential allergens is the way to go.

Alison - posted on 02/02/2011

I think noone really knows, which is why I continued to eat nuts when I was pg.

Heather - posted on 02/02/2011

I was not told not to eat nuts or nut butters while expecting my twins. Nor was I told not to eat them while breastfeeding. I ate tons of nuts and peanut butter while pregnant and nursing and my kids never had a problem. However, I have read that if there is a family history of nut allergies on either side of the family it is a good idea for the expectant mom to not over do it or steer clear of them.

I think I am going to have to disagree on the never been exposed to something can make you allergic. I believe in the theory allergies are hereditary.