Guidance during pregnancy?

[gingerwench]

I'm just over 8 weeks pregnant and I'm confused about what to avoid or try during pregnancy to decrease chances of food allergies. I am severely allergic to nuts (not peanuts but hazlenuts, brazils, walnuts) - proper anaphylaxis and I carry an epipen. I can eat peanut butter ok but haven't since I found out I was pregnant. I'm also slightly asthmatic, get eczema and I have oral allergy syndrome for most raw fruits and some raw veg, which although not lifethreatening does cause some problems. Plus I'm highly allergic to dust mites, cats and dogs. I'd do anything to avoid inflicting that on my baby. Advice is conflicting - some say avoid the allergy causing foods, others say if you do that you'll make it potentially worse for your child. What do you think?

It's not clear cut but I think they're about to withdraw the advice about avoiding these foods during pregnancy. I sympathise I suffer with severe allergies and excema, allergic to all painkillers, penicillin etc too, gluten, dairy too. My advice would be to breast feed for as long as you can, be very careful with weaning and test foods first and avoid foods at first that could potentially develop a reaction. There's a good chance that your baby may have pre-disposition to allergies but you have the awareness to identify symptoms and minimise the risk. Listen to your instincts. If it helps in alternative circles it is easier in little ones to correct an imbalance earlier on in life. I have had great success in treating my allergies with chinese medicine and at the first sign that my dd had allergic symptoms I took her for accupressure which has been very effective. Good luck, the best thing you can do is be informed and trust your insticnts.

Yes, the advice is conflicting. I saw my ds's allergy consultant recently, and asked him what I should do in any subsequent pregnancy - he said I should have a normal diet. He thinks that there is an increase in peanut allergies because so many women are avoiding them in pregnancy. I've not got allergies, but dh has. So far ds has dairy & egg allergies, and is anaphalactic to chickpeas. I don't remember eating a large amount of hummous during pregnancy!

So I've no idea what you should do. Obviously you can't eat what you yourself are allergic to, so I'd leave it at that and not worry about everything else you eat.

The most important thing you can do to prevent allergies in your child is breastfeed - I hope you are planning to do that.

yes I'm definitely planning to breast feed. THanks for your advice

I'm one of those people who try to not let my allergies rule my life but I feel much more nervous about taking risks when it's not just me!

The institute of optimum nutrition have good advice on weaning and foods to avoid early on. They have a book of recipes and food advice for babies and toddlers. Also I contacted Allergy uk for advice
www.allergyuk.org/
Definitely breast feed as long as you can my dd's allergy problems all started as soon as I stopped breast-feeding

I can't recommend chinese medicine enough btw You may find that your allergies get worse after having a baby. I went to a chinese doc when I had finished breast-feeding and I haven't looked back. I haven't had an allergic reaction since and can tolerate dairy and gluten moderately. Accupressure is an effective and non-evasive method for babies. I think it's important to be informed and be in control of your own health.

brilliant thanks - I'll investigate those links further

just one more:-
wdtty.com always worth a look

doh www.wddty.com