peauts and pregnancy

[Jaysecond]

prob a daft question, but i just ate a snickers iceceam without thinking that it has peanuts in it, i am 9+4, it will be ok wont it!?

You'll be fine. You only need to avoid peanuts in pregnacy if you have a family history of nut allergies

No family history....told you it was a daft question!

Not a daft question at all!! I had about a jar of peanut butter a week for a couple of weeks mid-pregnancy, couldn't get enough of the stuff!!

I didnt think it was just nut allergies thought was also if parents have excema, asthma or other allergies..or thats what I was told.

Interesting, I was just told it was nut allergies, too

i was told about the nut relation and skin problems

it is not just family history of nut allergy that is taken into account but also includes things like asthma, aczema, hayfever and other food allergies.

Peanuts in pregnancy

that will be eczema, of course

You shouldn't eat peanuts in pregnancy regardless of family history. I'm sure that one snickers will be fne though

I was told by my Doc peanuts very good to eat during pregnancy very good source of protein. And you shouldnt avoid them as there is more chance that baby would end up with allergies towards them.

If your GP told you that then he is going against Department of Health official guidelines. Most GPs don't know an awful lot about pregnancy, sorry but its true.

There does need to be more research done on this subject, but in the mean time offical advice is to avoid them.

Actually binkacat, there was an article in New Scientist a few months ago (sorry can't remember date as I found it in a big pile in my parents' house) saying that latest research is showing just what redz's gp is implying - that the official guidelines may be doing more harm than good. Whatever, probably best not to stress.

Glad to hear it's ok. Have been craving peanut butter on bananas!

I think you are highly likely to be fine, but as a precaution, try to avoid them in the future.

I have no allergies, nor does DH. We both come from countries were nut allergies are unheard off. Mind you, pregnant mothers are even advised to eat nuts. So... when I was pregnant I thought... "I have a different genetical background, its going to be OK" so I had one or two Snickers.

It is impossible to know what was it, if the Snickers I had while pregnant, if it was the nipple cream I used while breastfeeding (it used to be peanut(arachis) oil based) or that DS had a single peanut when he was aprox 24m old, but I now have a nut allergic child and have to carry an epipen everywhere he goes.

The article in New Scientist I don't believe did say that that the latest research shows that offical advice is doing more harm than good.

It is a hypothesis currently been investigated at King's College, London. No results available as yet.

Like I said earlier, more research is needed. So for now I'd stick with the offical advice

You're right, binkacat - just found a summary online and it's a hypothesis rather than results. However, it shows how flimsy the evidence is behind the official advice!

Problem with allergies is that there are soooooo many factors involved that is impossible to know for sure(family history, child's own characteristics, local diet, local products, foods or other things kid may have been exposed to in the past, etc)

The only problem I have with statistics is that DS has always developed the thing he was most unlikely to develop. At the moment I'm even worried of someone mentioning he has a 0.0000000000001% possibilities of being struck by lightening because... he will!

[knocks on wood just in case...]

On the other hand, Chandra, he could also win the lottery

Say it again please

The official advice in all the books I've got says that peanuts are fine unless you/DH have history of allergies etc. I've eaten jars of the stuff!!!

Last 3 months are most vital apparently. Probably you would have done this by accident at some point - nutella has tons of peanut oil in and nobody realises. Nappy rash cream has peanut oil in, so you can be vigilant for 9 months and then smear peanut on your babies bot from a jar prescribed by a Doctor.

My dad's a senior pediatrician and has read all the research - he told me it really only applies to mothers who have medium to severe allergies (inc asthma or eczema)in the family and the research is not v.strong. Still, he said it wouldn't do me any harm not to eat peanuts (I have mild asthma, DP had some ezxcema as a child) to be on the safe side. Other nuts such as brazils and almonds are just as good for you & lower in cholesterol. Having said that, I have eaten peanut butter a few times both with ds1 & pg now with ds2.