If your DC1 had allergies, when you were pregnant with DC2 did you do anything different and do you think it made a difference?

[trixymalixy]

I drank tons of milk, ate loads of eggs, houmous and lentil soup and DS is allergic to all these things. He's not allergic to peanuts and I didn't eat any of these when I was pregnant.

We're thinking about DC2 and I'm thinking of avoiding all these things. Is it worth it or am I just clutchig at straws?

I followed the recommended advice both times - one is seriously allergic and one no serious allergies. The thing I didn't know about either time and wish I had is that probiotics taken in late pregnancy and when breastfeeding reduce the risk of eczema. They may reduce the risk of allergy.

I don't think there is any evidence that diet changes (except probiotics) in pregnancy help. Eat a healthy diet and make sure you get your fatty acids.

With ds1 I avoided peanuts but ate everything else (inc. other nuts) - he was allergic to dairy and peanuts, diagnosed at 10 mo.

With ds2 I am avoiding all nuts (on the advice of allergy clinic) and introducing certain other foods late (even though I'm not convinced it makes any difference). He has a little eczema (or possibly ringworm, no-one is sure ). He has a mild soya allergy (to the yogurts, custard but not the flour) and has yet to try the big allergens (dairy, egg, fish, nuts, citrus) so we'll see. Strange thing is he strikes me as a more likely candidate for allergies (v. sensitive skin, wheezing after colds - like me as a child, whilst ds1 is the most unallergic allergic child imaginable).

Have no idea if the above will help but at least this way I feel like I've done everything I can.

Tatt, do you take the probiotics or give them to the baby?

Anyone have a link to information about the probiotics?
Our consultant at the allergy clinic said she didn't personally believe that avoiding foods during pregnancy or even early weaning nmakes a difference to likelihood of allergies, even if I was to have a second child (dc1 has allergies). She said breastfeeding was the best thing to do though so was basically saying I'd done the right thing and should do the same if I had a second one.
It seems to me that there just isn't a good understanding of cause and effect for this, and it sounds like the current advice on avoidance may even change in the next couple of years when a few more evidence studies are complete.
I gave up peanuts but my son is allergic to milk, eggs and white fish - to avoid all possible allergies you'd have to do a pretty extreme diet which would be crazy in pregancy.

Do you want research studies or websites which are less technical? The best source for finding research is this www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

If you google probiotics pregnancy allergy you'll find less technical discussion.

Forgot to say that there does seem to be a bit of research linking diet in pregnancy and asthma. However that suggests eating a healthy balanced diet.

wb you can do both.

Thanks, lots of interesting stuff out there on the probiotics. So maybe if we didn't all give up mouldy cheese etc in pregnancy that would help with the immune system developing rather than having to take supplements!
Some of the articles have confused me but it seems as though the probiotics might enhance the protective effect of breastfeeding?
Hopefully they will figure it out soon as the allergy epidemic is getting crazy. It must be worth a lot of government funding as the cost of treating all these eczema and allergy cases, prescription formula and food challenges at £1200 a go must be a massive drain on the health service.

dc1 is allergic to peanuts and has mild asthma when he gets a cold.

dc2 isn't allergic to anything

I'm currently pg with dc3

With my first 2 pregnancies I avoided all nuts completely. I didn't even use shower gel with almond fragrance. I breastfed dc1 for 2 months and dc2 for 5 months which may have made a difference. I am taking this probiotic because it contains Lactobacillus rhamnosus which I had read about preventing eczema. I was on antibiotics within a week of dc1s birth and I wonder if that had an impact on his gut. I am not avoiding nuts this time as there is no evidence that it is beneficial and it may even be harmful. There is some ongoing research as to whether introducing peanut protein before 17 wks can prevent an allergy.

I also read somewhere that delaying the 2,3 and 4 month jabs leads to a reduction in asthma so I may do that for dc3. Apparently they have them so early so they could be completed before mat leave ends.