Peanut butter in pregnancy - do you or don't you?

[mrsbabookaloo]

So I gave up peanut butter when pg and bfing dd. The research is a bit contradictory and my instinct says that it should be better to actually expose them to potential allergens, but I thought I'd better be on the safe side.

When I asked the doctor, she clearly hadn't a clue, but said, "well, it's not that big a sacrifice is it?" and made me feel like I was being greedy and selfish wanting to eat peanut butter during pgy.

In fact, it was a massive sacrifice. I love peanut butter and eat it everyday. I get massive energy dips and get grumpy, so I need proteiny snacks. During pregnancy last time I was horribly sick and needed to be able to eat anything I could face that would give me energy.

I know other people who happily ate peanut butter throughout because they didn't know. I read too much!

Pg again now and not sick yet, but want to be prepared and don't want to give up my precious peanut butter for another 18 months!

I don't have any allergies but dh has hayfever and cat allergy. DD doesn't seem to have any so far (she is 2). We're not a very allergy prone household, I don't think.

Any experts out there? Sorry for long post TIA

I ate loads of peanut butter while pg (partly because I loved it and partly because, as a veggie, I thought it was an easy way of getting some good fat and protein into me). Anyway, DD doesn't (now 12mo) doesn't seem to have any allergies at all and she's now eating nut butters (I've started her off on cashew butter but I think she's had the odd little bit of peanut butter too) and loves it.

If you're after more scientific info, I remember hearing a really detailed discussion about it on Radio 4 a while back (maybe about 6months ago). Sorry I don't have a link and that's a bit vague but, if you're interested, it might be worth doing a search on the radio 4 website.

I started this thread on Friday and have not looked back at mn all weekend...come back on Monday to find 4 pages of replies and I've made it onto the home page!!

Thanks to everyone for all your replies. Will read properly and respond later in the day, but for now...I'm munching on some peanut butter on toast!

Merry, I was momentarily cheered by the idea that bagged salads are bad for you as well but disappointed to find out that it's because they're unhygenic, not because of all the pesky vitamins in them. Bummer. As Victoria Wood said, I'm hoping if I hang around long enough someone'll put in a good word for wine gums.

A friend of mine developed a massive and alarming nut allergy after going on a total detox diet a few years ago - when she reintroduced nuts she went into anaphylactic shock. Her son, born this year, shows no sign of any allergies. I developed a penicillin allergy for no reason about 13 years ago - just took penicillin and reacted badly to it - but my child, due v soon, may well be okay. I think the media in particular is far too keen to blame mums and mums-to-be for anything that happens to their kids without any (or with only minimal) scientific basis for their pronouncements. [gasps for breath as long rant derails].

Right, I'm off for a Snickers.

mmmm... it was recommended to eat nuts and peanuts during my pregnancy as a source of protein to complement my carb intake and regulate blood sugar (I had gestational diabetes). DD has so far not come up with allergies to either but to milk and egg (she was tested due to bad eczema) but we've been advised to not introduce them until she is three years old. Still BF'ing - miss my snacks!