Peanut butter - yay or nay?

[AmIDoingThisRight]

I'm thinking about giving DS some peanut butter on toast as finger food, in spirit of baby led weaning, but wanted to check whether this was ok?

No allergies in the family as far as I know, and he has no reaction to the coconut oil I sometimes rub into his skin.

Just wanted to double check really.

what age is he? My ds had peanut butter from 9 months but in theory it is supposed to be ok from 6 months if there is no family history of allergic diseases.

My DS had peanut butter on toast from about 8 or 9 months aswell - but I was stood there with the car keys ready for a dash to hospital in case of a reaction

It is now one of his fave foods (and mine!)

He's 8.5 months at the moment - I have been thinking about it for a while but am still a little wary.

There is only one way to find out and that is to try it tbh.

I know - I should just bite the bullet and go for it. Think I will and hold my breath. How long would a reaction take to happen - would it be immediate or over the course of the evening would you say?

Can you tell he's my first baby?

I wouldn't - I did. As soon as my dd was one (as there was no history of allergies in out family)I gave her peanut butter and she was fine. She had it lots of times and then when she was four and a half she developed a peanut allergy.

Nobody really knows why some people are allergic and others are not. One in seventy children are allergic to peanuts. Our consultant told us that the most recent studies show that the more you are exposed to something the more likely you are to develop an allergy to it. We are not giving our dd2, who is two any peanuts.

Crikey - thank you savoycabbage - I might rethink this. I hadn't heard about the exposure thing - that's a worrying thought.

I think I'll hold off for a little while longer just to be on the safe side.

Hmmm there is also the theory that exposure to something protects from allergies ie being brought up with household pets.

The latest theory is that avoiding peanuts actually increases intollerance- especially in pregnant women. In countries where they are a staple food, peanut allergies hardly exist.

This article is quite interesting and goes into the avoiding in pregnancy/ increase in allergies issue about halfway down.

I ate peanut butter throughout both my pregnancies and my dd has been eating peanut butter since she was about 8 months old. All is well so far with both of them.

2cats' theory is just a theory though, no-one has reported on it yet. i think the LEAP study will be interesting on it, but at this stage it's still being investigated.

That's the thing. There are so many studies and different research projects that nobody knows what to do for the best.

I know all children are different but my experience with my DS was quite scary - I waited until he was 13 months (and there is no history of allergy in our families) to give him peanut butter on toast,which he loved, only to have his lips turn blue about 30 minutes later

Ended up taking him to hospital and he was checked and was fine, but is now being referred for allergy testing at the hospital, so needless to say I'm completely avoiding peanuts for him now until the testing has been carried out.