Pregnacy and Peanuts

<p>Hi Chris ~</p>
<p>I have two children ages 12 and 4; only the 4 year old has a problem with an airborne allergy to nuts. I ate peanut butter and nuts with both pregnancies. I only nursed the 12 year old for 2 weeks but I nursed my 4 year old for 18 months. During the nursing 18 month period, I remember eating peanut butter very often. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a link between what I ate and nursing. </p>
<p>Maybe we should all include a bit of history here on this post for records - I'm sure that there are many of us out there!</p>
<p>Please keep us posted on this issue Chris. Thanks</p>
<p>Nicole</p>

<p>Hi,<br />
I too ate tons of peanut butter before pregnancy, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding (which I did for 6 weeks). My three year old son is off the allergy scale (he's been tested twice in the last 1 and a half years, in two different countries). Although the experts claim there is no proven link to eating peanuts while pregnant and having children with fatal allergies, it sure doesn't hurt to collect this information, as Nicole suggested.</p>
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<p>I had a mild peanut allergy when I was young, which I thankfully outgrew. I've been vegetarian for over 10 years so peanut butter was my way of increasing my protein intake during my pregnancy. I waited until 10 months to introduce peanuts to my son (that was four years ago--didn't know to wait until 3) and he had a near- anaphylactic reaction. I breastfed for 2-1/2 years afterward by didn't eat peanut products again while I was nursing him. His second reaction at 3 was not nearly as bad as the first. That's my personal story.</p>
<p>Noreen</p>

<p>Our son had his first known exposure to peanuts at 8 months old when Grandma gave him a bite of her PB & J sandwich. His reaction was so severe (hives, swelling, his ears even swelled and his eyes were almost shut) the Dr. determined that could not have been his first exposure. Therefore, all the peanut butter I ate while pregnant and nursing (for 9 months) must have been his first exposures. What I was told that he was genetically predispositioned to the peanut allergy, but it might not have been so severe had he not gotten into his system at such an early age. He had the RAST blood test at almost 3 years of age and was almost into the 6 category (the highest). We were also told that if he didn't have any exposures for say, 20 years, his sensitivity level might decrease. Of course we will not be able to find this out because he had another exposure at 5 years of age, even being as careful as we are. That time he went into severe anaphylactic shock even with the shot of Epinephrine.</p>
<p>With the evidence that we have, I would say that if parents have known allergies of any type (eczema, hayfever, food, etc) don't expose your child to peanuts until 3 or after. Especially during pregnancy or breast feeding.</p>
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Mary Kay</p>

<p>I believe my son also was exposed to peanut during pregnancy and/or while nursing. His very first bite of pb&j at age 10 mos caused an immediate rash on his forehead, itchy watery eyes and nose. Now that I know that you don't react the *FIRST* time you are exposed, I am sure that he was exposed through either breast milk or before he was born. I remember eating pb&j before bed many nights while pregnant and nursing thinking it was good protein. And although no one warned me about peanuts as a possible allergen, I don't know if I would have listened as neither my husband nor myself had allergies at the time (I have since become allergic to penicillan). The warnings I've read say only to avoid peanut if there is family history of allergy - maybe I'm an exception, but I would love to see this warning become commonplace. Just as the pediatrician warns against eggs and honey in the first year, I wish the OB and Peds would warn against peanut.</p>

<p>My son who is 14 months old has a peanut allergy. During pregnancy and nursing I ate alot of peanut butter. My son is my third child and the only one I nursed of them and he is the one with the sevre food allergies. I wish I had known then to stay away from peanuts and peanut butter during pregnacy and nursing. Its very scary.</p>

<p>I only occasionaly ate peanut butter during my pregnancy, but I ate more of it while nursing. The only allergy I have myself is to amoxicillin and my husband has no allergies. My daughter had her first (and only so far) reaction at 12 months old which was a mild reaction. It was probably her "first" exposure, but one never knows that for sure!<br />
From what I understand from the literture and doctors, there have been no studies performed proving there is a correlation between eating pb during pregnancy/breastfeeding and pb allergies!</p>

<p>I also breastfed my son until 16 mos. He had his first reaction at 12 months after having a small amount of peanut butter and jelly sandwich. As far as we could tell he only had hives. He was fussy after, but of course he couldn't verbalize if anything else was bothering him. I have no allergies and my husband is allergic to latex and has an occasional problem with hay fever. I knew you shouldn't give peanut butter for a year due to it being thick and a choking hazard but had never heard of avoiding it in pregnancy, breastfeeding and until the child is 3. (I only learned this after doing my own research). And I am an OB nurse and Lactation consultant! I now provide this info to all my patients.</p>
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Valerie</p>

<p>Hi</p>
<p>I have two sons aged 4 & 2. The eldest is allergic to peanuts, almonds, sesame, milk and eggs. The youngest only to milk. I ate a moderate amount of peanut butter when I was pregant the first time and when I was breastfeeding. </p>
<p>The eldest tested positive for peanuts and almonds when he was a year old. He had never consumed either.</p>
<p>The second time round we no longer had any nut products in our house. I had been told by my eldest son's pediatrician that the best way to avoid my next child having dairy and egg allergies was to stop eating these six weeks before he was due. This was because I was mildly allergic to milk and eggs as a child and the doctor believed that I probably had a continuing immune system response to these proteins which had affected my first child's immune system. He did not suggest I avoid nuts as I had never had a problem with these, so when we had an occaisional meal at a restaurant without our eldest I did eat nuts. (This I deeply regret but thankfully it didn't affect him)</p>
<p>In the end despite stopping dairy 8 weeks before he arrived and avoiding dairy while I was breastfeeding, Daniel was still allergic to dairy when I put a single drop on his cheek at 1 year old.</p>
<p>He has since had wide ranging allergy testing and fortunately seems to be allergic to nothing else.</p>
<p>I have given this long story to illustrate the fact that if avoiding peanuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding is important it has to be done really early on. If I had avoided dairy throughout my second pregnancy maybe my youngest son would be allergy free.</p>
<p>I live in the UK and when the government made the announcement last year that pregnant and breastfeeding women with family histories of allergies should avoid nuts it was a big news items. There are now leaflets about this in family doctors' offices. And leaflets on not introducing nuts until 3 (or is it 4?)if a child has had any sign of atopia. Of course this will not have completely filtered through but at least it is what parents are supposed to be told.</p>
<p>Sorry for rambling on.</p>
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Holly</p>