If your dc has an (unknown) nut allergy and you ate nuts then breastfed, how long would it take before there was a reaction?

[Caz10]

Sorry that is very poorly worded but I am tired!

Basically

• dd is 14mths and now mixed fed, with bf approx 3 times in 24hrs.
• I avoided peanuts in pregnancy and have continued to do so until now.
• No family history of nut allergies but DH and I both have bad hayfever, and when I was pregnant the advice was to avoid peanuts if you had asthma/excema/hayfever.
• dd is a good eater and I have not avoided anything with nut traces etc, so pretty sure she has actually been exposed by now

BUT - I am desparate for peanuts and peanut butter, really craving them, and reckon I should give it a try. I'm 90% sure she will not have a reaction to this, but I'm scared to try! Was wondering really

• what I should look for in terms of a reaction
• if I eat nuts, how long would it take for allergens to be transmitted via my bm to her? Trying to plan the best time to eat them!

I'm sure this is a pretty silly concern but just wanted to be on the safe side, thanks!

I'm afriad I don't know the answer to your question, but I don't know if you know that the advice about peanuts now seems to have changed. My understanding is that pregnant woman are being advised that it is safe to eat peanuts during pregnancy and so I assume (although I don't know for sure) this means it is also safe to eat while breastfeeding.

I think this change has come about because since the recommendation that peanuts be avoided, there has actually been an increase in peanut allergies. The current thinking is that if children have exposure to nuts early on might actually be helpful in preventing nut allergies. I'm not a medic by the way, just a newly pregnant person who has an interest in whether I can eat peanut butter.

Thank you neolara!

Yes, the advice changed when I was about 8.5mths, I was gutted! On both counts, I was also very interested in eating peanut butter lol, but also because I was then worried because I hadn't exposed her to them...can't win!

I know I just need to give it a go, can't avoid them forever. Will you be eating them in pregnancy

bump...anyone?!

i ate peanut butter every day for first six months of bf, then i found out he was dairy allergic and egg allergic when i started weaning him. nothing happended when i had eaten the peanut butter though.

btw isn't it that allergies will not show the first time, only the second?

Ds is egg allergic, but I can eat all forms of egg including raw and he has no reaction. That's anecdote and obviously nut allergy is more severe... but then you don't know that he has one.

I had avoided nuts too, and introduced them to ds and dd at the same time (I guess dd was about 9 months, so ds 3ish). First I ate each type twice (so they would get it through BM), then I gave them a small amount chopped up or in something. So far done pine nuts, cashews, almonds, hazelnuts and brazils. I'm still too chicken to try peanuts and I'm not keen on them anyway .

Next time I will not be avoiding in pregnancy. See here

Useful link, thank you for that!

DD eats museli for brekkie quite a lot, out of which I pick the whole hazelnuts - I think if she had a sever allergy that would be enough exposure to trigger it?

I didn't know that about the reaction coming the 2nd time kalo!

There's a packet of peanuts in my cupboard calling my name, but I have convinced myself that if I eat some, when I feed her tonight she'll have a reaction and I'll be back in bed asleep....[stupid PFB emocion]...

peanut reactions do not always occur the second time, they can happen on first known exposure.

Get a bottle of piriton. Keep it handy and at the first sign of a problem )rash, floppy) dose your child.

You are unlikely to have a problem but eat the nuts first thing then if any reaction occurs it will be daytime not night.

Good idea re the piriton thanks tatt, that will make me feel better!

Only feed dd 3x a day now at most, 1st thing in the morning 6ish, then bedtime 7.30ish, then once over night (anytime!). So unsure as when to eat my nuts!