eating peanuts during pregnancy

Florr18 · September 2011

I can't believe nobody told me to avoid peanuts during pregnancy. I just read an article that states : "babies with evidence of food allergies whose mothers ate peanuts during pregnancy may have an increased risk for potentially life-threatening peanut allergies". And I was so naive and thought is a good thing to expose the baby in the womb to a large variety of foods in order to prevent him/her to have food allergies. And yes , I don't like peanuts but I ate them just thinking I am doing something good for the baby. I feel so dumb. I am so upset and now worrying about this possible allergies...Anybody else eating peanuts while pregnant?

ColindaP · September 2011

Makes you wonder about the nonexistence of peanut anaphylaxis in Thailand...

Hotzie · September 2011

Florr18:
I can't believe nobody told me to avoid peanuts during pregnancy. I just read an article that states : "babies with evidence of food allergies whose mothers ate peanuts during pregnancy may have an increased risk for potentially life-threatening peanut allergies". And I was so naive and thought is a good thing to expose the baby in the womb to a large variety of foods in order to prevent him/her to have food allergies. And yes , I don't like peanuts but I ate them just thinking I am doing something good for the baby. I feel so dumb. I am so upset and now worrying about this possible allergies...Anybody else eating peanuts while pregnant?

For real? Confused

frf1537 · September 2011

My favorite food while pregnant was indonesian peanut saute. I ate peanut foods constantly and my daughter had no nut allergies.

JessieJH · September 2011

It sounds like a fear tactic to me- are there a number of credible studies that back this up?

I'm eating my share of PB&J and am planning to continue.

BitsKD13 · September 2011

JessieJH:
I'm eating my share of PB&J and am planning to continue.

lol Me too. It was very tasty. I love all the crazy "OMG don't eat ::insert food::!" posts. They amuse me.

dnhosking · September 2011

Never heard of this... where did you hear this? Thinking its not true. I eat waffles with peanut butter almost everyday. Id just relax and eat peanuts if you want to.I like peanut butter because it keeps me full and I get protein from it.

lizzymo19 · September 2011

I feel dumber just by having read this post.

gisa886 · September 2011

Should I quit eating eggs, wheat and dairy as well?

kthappy76 · September 2011

I've read that you shouldn't eat them every day, but unless you are eating a heavy peanut diet, you/baby should be fine. Eat a balanced, healthy diet and relax.

treble_clef · September 2011

Actually, when I was on this board back in 2005, there were some ladies avoiding and telling people to avoid peanuts and peanut butter for the reason OP said.

Back then, some people were against temping and actively TTC...they said it has to happen naturally without counting days and without knowing when you ovulate. "TCOYF" was the "it" book among us with infertility... Ah...I feel old...

mben1119 · September 2011

You should feel dumb. For believing that you shouldn't eat peanuts during pregnancy. I just ate a PB&J and it was fuckingdelicious. And my son loved it hahhaha.

Florr18 · September 2011

lizzymo19:
I feel dumber just by having read this post.

Then be a smart a** and pick what you read on this board better. You don't need to read everything nor to reply if you don't have anything to say. Your state of mind and your feelings were not in my question.

ravs420 · September 2011

I ate peanuts and peanut butter with my first pregnancy - and he loves PB & J and has NO allergy to it.

Eating it again this time around too...

mben1119 · September 2011

Florr18:
lizzymo19:
I feel dumber just by having read this post.
Then be a smart a** and pick what you read on this board better. You don't need to read everything nor to reply if you don't have anything to say. Your state of mind and your feelings were not in my question.

Following up a ridiculous question with insults is no way to get the answers you want.

knottie3c0525a8a3c64eaa · September 2011

So does that mean I should sue my doctor for asking me add some healthy fats like nuts, peanut butter and more to my diet? HAHA You know, some of the basic factors on a baby's chances of being smart include genetics and diet (both in the womb and first years). Fingers crossed for external factors in this case...

BitsKD13 · September 2011

gsteph88:
BitsKD13:
JessieJH:
I'm eating my share of PB&J and am planning to continue.
lol Me too. It was very tasty. I love all the crazy "OMG don't eat ::insert food::!" posts. They amuse me.
As soon as I saw your SN pop up I thought, "oh good, some ol' fashioned snark is about to happen!" and ya'know...I'm slightly disappointed.

Sorry to let you down gsteph! lol I haven't met my idiot/stupid people limit yet so I'm relatively snark free. Maybe next time. ; )

Granted I did have a bit of temptation to point out that many Asian diets are peanut heavy and yet I have never heard of an over abundance of peanut allergies among Asian people. And the same when it comes to outbreaks of Listeria in countries where they don't pasteurize 90% of their dairy products.

And part of me really hoped the OP was just posting it as a joke.

Florr18 · September 2011

A more reliable source says that this recommendation is based on very limited clinical research....

https://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20101101/eating-peanuts-while-pregnant-may-up-allergy-risk

BitsKD13 · September 2011

Florr18:
A more reliable source says that this recommendation is based on very limited clinical research....
https://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20101101/eating-peanuts-while-pregnant-may-up-allergy-risk

OK I can't pull up the full journal article that they reference but from what I can tell from the webpage you linked to, the abstract and the two pages from the paper I can find online, all the babies included in the study already had milk and/or egg allergies. It also infers that the test is not completely conclusive since it showed an elevated response to peanuts in around half the babies which is not a for gone conclusion that the child with have or develop an allergy. Yes it did say that 140 did show a completely positive allergy response.

But that was one study. If I could find multiple studies with the same/similar conclusion- and a revisit of those with elevated test results to see if they did in fact develop an allergy I would put more faith in the study. I think this is going to be one of those to each his/her own kind of things.

shouldbworkin · September 2011

Florr18:
"babies with evidence of food allergies whose mothers ate peanuts during pregnancy may have an increased risk for potentially life-threatening peanut allergies".

This is a really silly statement and does not prove causality at all.

lawright · September 2011

I eat everything, including peanuts. And I'm really not worried that I'm giving the kid a life threatening allergic reaction.

DrBeepersWife · September 2011

ColindaP:
Makes you wonder about the nonexistence of peanut anaphylaxis in Thailand...

Yes

tartaruga · September 2011

there is evidence at eating peanuts during pregnancy actually makes your baby LESS likely to have a peanut allergy.

Kriz_b · September 2011

tartaruga:
there is evidence at eating peanuts during pregnancy actually makes your baby LESS likely to have a peanut allergy.

That's what I thought as well. My DH has a very mild peanut allergy (just gets uncomfortable after eating them) and I made sure to eat peanut proucts during my pregnancy. DS is not allergic.

Haley.Beth · September 2011

Florr18:
A more reliable source says that this recommendation is based on very limited clinical research....
https://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20101101/eating-peanuts-while-pregnant-may-up-allergy-risk

That study used 503 babies. I found one that says otherwise that used 13,971 children.

Everyone in my family LOVES peanuts. Me and my cousins are just fine, not a single peanut allergy among us. Also, as another poster said, what about dairy and wheat? Those are common allergies as well, are we supposed to forgo those foods? It doesn't make any sense...If you're worried, just don't eat a pound of peanuts every day.

robma1215 · January 2014

I've eaten my share of a variety of peanuts and I have a PB&J sandwich before I go to bed. I've heard of people of have completely stayed away from peanuts. The only my doc told me to stay away from or be conscience of is cold cuts and a variety of seafood.

Luna C · January 2014

I read that article too -- but a quick search online afterward shows that for every study showing eating nuts during pregnancy makes allergies more common, there's another study that shows the opposite.

The science is still out on this one, I'm afraid.

Frannavaldez9399 · January 2014

In the state of Mississippi the WIC program makes a pregnant woman take two jars of peanut butter a month. If it wasn't good for pregnant women, I think they wouldn't allow it.

chevronseven · January 2014

I've never heard that and I doubt there is any credibility to it. Also, fun fact : peanuts aren't actually in the nut family, they are a legume like green beans.

jenb_99 · January 2014

I'm eating peanuts and peanut butter like my life depends on it. I can't imagine a diet that didn't include peanut butter. I ate it all throughout my first pregnancy and while I was nursing/pumping. Same plan this time around.

kalette · January 2014

I ate nuts like crazy with DD, all kinds, everyday because they were a craving. DD has been fine with all nuts so far.

jmknox · January 2014

I have eaten peanut butter almost every day it seems like forever. Found the article I read in December: https://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/12/24/children-at-lower-risk-for-nut-allergies-if-moms-ate-nuts-during-pregnancy/

buganne · January 2014

Eat peanuts. The data from that study is weak and extrapolated--the worst kind. But please don't give your babies peanuts/nut butters right away :-). That's a totally different thread.

I'm also a pediatrician w/ an interest in allergy/imm.

AngelKT · January 2014

A very recent study just came out saying that it is actually better to eat all these allergenic foods in pregnancy and even introducing them to a baby earlier rather than later and that perhaps all the previous recommendations to stay away from these allergenic foods could be a cause why allergies seem to be on a rise.

My son has allergies to 3 tree nuts. I'm pretty sure I didn't eat much nuts during my pregnancy except for walnuts (because of the omega-3 in them). And he's not allergic to walnuts which I ate a handful every single day.

Don't believe everything you hear. Allergies just happen. I never thought I'd have a child who has allergies because there is no one in the family with allergies. Besides, having a child with a nut allergy is not the end of the world.

dragonfly711 · January 2014

tartaruga said:

there is evidence at eating peanuts during pregnancy actually makes your baby LESS likely to have a peanut allergy.

@tartaruga

This is what I have read as well. I have been eating PB&J sandwichs all the time, had one yesterday and today and will continue!!!!! My favorite!!!!

Tassie06 · January 2014

Yeeaahhhhhh.... I suggest not visiting that website again for advice.

cnchavez69 · January 2014

I think it just depends on what life throws at you really. I ate peanut butter during pregnancy along with peanuts out of the shell, unfortunately my son is highly allergic to them now. I asked my doctor if he got the allergy because of this as no one on either side of the family had this particular allergy. There is no definitive answer as of yet just because its a tricky allergy. I wouldn't worry too much, just eat what you want to. While I'm nervous for this next baby to be allergic as well I've still had snacks with peanut butter in them.

BeesKnees181 · January 2014

I eat peanuts and lunchmeat. I also agree with PP about the scare tactic theory...there are so many things out on the inetrnet meant to freak us out (i.e.saying raw fruit juice is bad for you when pregnant is like saying raw vegetables and fruit are bad for you...such BS). You know your body. Do what feels right and trust yourself. That is what I am going with, at least.

brooklynesque · January 2014

tartaruga said:
there is evidence at eating peanuts during pregnancy actually makes your baby LESS likely to have a peanut allergy.

I've read this as well. It's a new study debunking the previous advice. I've been eating peanuts precisely to help spare my kid the allergy!

iqwedding3 · January 2014

There's all kinds of allergy preventing/causing fads going on out there. The conflicting data about it is a strong indicator of this. No reputable medical source has shown a proper scientific study linking diet while pregnant/breastfeeding to child allergies except for moms not eating foods their child is allergic to while breastfeeding. It's a scary time, good luck!

Rosebean · January 2014

I ate peanut butter every day I was pregnant with DS. And we introduced it to him early... At 9 months. Exactly what PP said about Thailand's lack of peanut allergies is what my pediatrician expressed to me. We have not been shy in introducing all allergens early to DS with the exception of honey. Therefore, in pregnancy, why would it be any different.

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