is peanut butter ok for under ones?

[HeadFairy]

DS is 9 months and I was thinking that peanut butter would be nice for him, it's very nutritious and it might encourage him to eat toast and chew a bit more. Is there anything that says he shouldn't have it? Should I stick to smooth varieties?

I don't know what the current guidance is with regard to peanuts. Hopefully someone else will be along soon who knows. I avoided nuts with my dd until she was 3.

mine both had it.As long as no nut allergy (obviously ) I think its OK.Tried both types.

when I had ds (now almost 7) there was something saying to avoid nuts for the first two years if I recall correctly. ds had peanut butter at just over two-and required an ambulance as a result (he is allergic-unbeknown to us!)
The guidelines re eating nuts/not eating nuts seem to change a lot-so don't know what the current thinking is.

isn't the current guidance no peanuts until one?

I wouldn't risk it not only because of the increased risk of nut allergies if it;s introduced too early, but also because there's a pretty high risk of choking on it for such a young child.

If you don't have any allergies in the family then it is okay, though you would want to look out for a reaction in the same way that you would for other things. My DS had it from about 8 months with no ill effects.

A word of warning though - do use smooth, and do get a sugar and salt free version from a health food shop. Most of the ones you buy in the supermarket are packed with sugar, salt and palm oil.

I always thought the no nuts thing was because of the choking risk.

Oh dear,reading these makes me feel like I was a terribly lax mother!!I also gave Marmite,a thin scraping.Probably not the done thing.I DID avoid honey though,until 1.

The new thinking is that early exposure is good, unless there is a reason not to. In countries where peanuts are eaten every day there are virtually no peanut allergies apparently.

I gave peanut butter (and ground up tree nuts and seeds)to my DD from 9mo, and she's been absolutely fine. We have no allergies or asthma and such like in the family though, but then the latest advice seems to be against excluding nuts and suchlike from the diet as it is now thought the very exclusion leads to allergies and not the other way round.

no, i don't think that's right PL. it's something they're looking into, but there has been no such pronouncement.

i don't get the choking risk thing, though, i'd have to say. it's not like you'd be spooning it into their mouths.

No one in our family has a nut allergy, just a few hayfever/asthma/excema sufferers, but nothing serious. Does that mean he'd be ok? Perhaps I can try teeeny scrapes at first.

Aitch, I thought the choking risk referred to whole nuts because they can get stuck in their windpipes.

Peanut butter sticks like almost no other food, it's very thick and drinking water to flush it down is of little use, I wouldn't want to risk a food that, even I as an adult, can sometimes struggle to swallow, with a 9 month old.

Gosh I'm slow at typing.

We lived in Asia when I was small and nuts were a very big part of our diet from a very early age. Also, where I live now never followed UK guidelines on nut avoidance and nut allergies are much much rarer than in the UK.

we have no family history of nut allergy/asthma or eczema yet DS is nut allergic totally out of the blue.

My DD managed never to choke on her peanut butter sandwich. And she had no teeth at the time.

from the govt doh website
"Peanut allergy
Peanut allergy seems to be increasing among children, although it is not yet known why. Children from families with a history of allergy are most at risk. If your baby's immediate family has any allergies, asthma or eczema (if they are what is known as 'atopic') the following may help reduce the risk of your baby developing this life-threatening allergy:

• you might want to avoid eating peanuts or peanut products while you are breastfeeding
• wait until your child is at least three years old before you give any peanuts, or foods containing peanuts, peanut (groundnut) oil or peanut butter
• read ingredients lists carefully and, if youre in doubt, avoid the products"

it's a bit woolly, isn't it... doesn't give an age if you're not allergy-prone, but there is no suggestion that there has been a decision as to earlier rather than later introduction.

Your child may never have choked on her peanut butter sandwich but many do.

Besides if you feed your ds peanut butter that means there's less in the jar for you, that'd be reason enough to discourage me.

i'd have thought that was one of the reasons, yes, headfairy. falcon, i think you're a bit greedy with your peanut butter... in a closed sandwich and unless you were excessive, i can't see a problem. but then i think that the choking risk in a child allowed to self-feed is massively overstated in most cases.

Headfairy,it seems the general consensus is to avoid at the moment,unless you have a supply of epinephrine handy in case of allergic reaction .Am now feeling was very bad mother,(esp as no 2 has hypotonia that affects her muscle tone) (she ADORES peanut butter)!!I did not realise about the none for under one advice,so maybe best to ignore my wittering,and wait til a bit older to be on safe side.Sorry if have misinformed by saying its OK unless history of allergies.

does anyone know if peanut allergy is always there?
i ate loads of peanut butter when pregnant with DS2 after managing to avoid it when pregnant with DS1. But this time it's all i could stomach.
He's now 1 and likes peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
No signs of any allergies.
But could it develop later????

It never occurred to me that smooth peanut butter would be a choking risk What do you lot do, trowel it on?! [Skinflint]

Well I might consider sharing a little of my peanut butter, enough for a sandwich or two, but my cashewnut butter.. Never!

Sounds like I'd better avoid it. that's a shame cos it's so good for you (unless you have an allergy of course )