New guidelines about giving peanut products to babies -- Thoughts?

jdupree15 · January 2017

This article: "National Institute of Health (NIH)-sponsored expert panel issues clinical guidelines to prevent peanut allergy"
Is very interesting to me... For years the guidelines has been no peanut products for kids under 2 but now "they" are reversing that stance. Personally I do think it makes sense to introduce kids early to peanut products since it's when they are developing all their other immunities but it seems like such a dramatic switch from what I've heard for years that I'm not quite sure what to believe. Just wondering if anyone else had seen this article today and what others might think about it.

Beckyf321 · January 2017

I haven't read this article, but I'm a dietitian and we talked about this when I was working on my undergrad. I agree with introducing it early, unless a family is prone to peanut/tree nut allergies.

chelle087 · January 2017

I saw the article today, but my sons pediatrician made this recommendation when he was young. He is now 3. I don't remember exactly when we introduced peanut butter and other nuts, but I am fairly certain that it was before he was one.

mrsstuessy · January 2017

My DH is allergic to peanuts. Our doctor was pretty hands off and chill. She said it was up to us, but recommended waiting for after a year. I think she was about 18 months when we did it. Just today I see that they are recommending peanuts at 6 months old for babies who are at a higher risk. I think we will be sticking to at least a year and crossing our fingers. I'm sure they will change this whole thing in 2 years. They go back and forth so much.

andrea0418 · January 2017

My pedi told us with ds that the only thing we should avoid before he's 1 is unpasteurized honey unless someone in the family has an allergy to nuts/strawberries/eggs or whatever else...

catem07 · January 2017

Yeah I've heard doctors' recommendations have been to feed babies peanuts at a younger age. No peanut allergies in my family so I'll probably go with 6-9 mos.

Blueberry85 · January 2017

andrea0418 said:

My pedi told us with ds that the only thing we should avoid before he's 1 is unpasteurized honey unless someone in the family has an allergy to nuts/strawberries/eggs or whatever else...

Yeah, no honey before age one is a bacteria issue (honey can potentially have spores that lead to infant botulism as a child's intestines are not mature enough to process the spores without getting sick), not an allergy issue, so that's definitely a rule to follow.

We were the same with introducing all the other stuff to DD, though. We don't have any history of food allergies in our families, so DD tried it all before she was one, and thankfully she doesn't seem to have any allergy issues, either.

lovelongdog06 · January 2017

We introduced peanut products at 6 months (along with everything else except honey) and have no family allergy history. I might be more scared to introduce that early if we did. Still, it feels like a step in the right direction if it really does help curb peanut allergies.

catem07 · January 2017

If we had a history of allergies in my family I'd introduce the foods at the doctor's office

SnarkasaurusRex · January 2017

I can't remember if/when we gave DS peanut butter...he eats things cooked in peanut oil all of the time, though. I'm pretty sure DH tried to give him peanut butter banana at some point (because DS hates banana), but I can't remember when that was. Our ped gave us the OK to introduce peanut products at 6 months though.

I have a friend who has a family history of peanut allergies, and she gave her DD her first taste of peanut butter in the hospital parking lot (but she was fine and has no allergies!).

Magheeta · January 2017

We took DS for allergy testing (cats) and the allergist made this suggestion while we were there. We introduced peanut butter around 8 months I think, which was about the time we heard about this. Neither one of our families have a history of food allergies, so we were okay with it.

Also, I've heard about the suggestion that pregnant women avoid peanut products, too. There have been points in this pregnancy where I've craved PB for weeks, and have eaten it. I just wonder where they came up with that suggestion.

KirstinH88 · January 2017

Wouldn't it make sense for pregnant women TO EAT peanuts? When I was pregnant with DS, I ate a PB&J almost every single day for lunch. Wouldn't it help to BUILD your child's "immunity" to peanuts?

schef070911 · January 2017

@Magheeta @KirstinH88 I know we talked about this but it was several months ago so I don't quite remember. I also eat peanut butter nearly every day - no history of peanut allergies in my family but DH's sister's kid (our niece) was mildly allergic (had a rash) for a few years. She's grown out of it and I don't think their family has a history of allergies either.

jdupree15 · January 2017

Peanut butter was definitely a major protein point of my first trimester.

I think it's good guidance to be cautious if you have a history of allergies in the family. Thankful to have only environmental allergies and no food allergies. The other thing to keep in mind is that many reactions don't happen on the first exposure... it's often the second time you try something that you could have a reaction.

pammasu0909 · January 2017

I don't think it's a super drastic change. With my 3 year old we were told to wait until a year. With my 2 year old we were told to wait 6 months. The only things we waited on were seafood and honey. We also have no food allergies in the family so I had no issues not waiting. PB&J for everyone!!

pammasu0909 · January 2017

Side note, I don't know if even being at a Dr's office when introducing for the first time is the best, because not all reactions pop up immediately, or the first time. Some allergies require a build up before symptoms start showing. This is part of the reason they suggest offering infants the same food for a few days before introducing a new one.

Magheeta · January 2017

@KirstinH88 - right?? That's what I would think, too. I remember the media making a fuss about Princess Kate refusing some type of peanut product and they speculated she was pregnant - which she was! That was the first I had heard of it, so I figured I was just out of the loop. Maybe it's totally bogus?

shaunessa · January 2017

When i was pregnant with DS I ate PB&J all the time! I had one for dessert last night too!

We introduced PB to DS when he was closer to 1. We put some on his finger, let him lick it off and watched. We had the car keys ready just in case. Luckily, no allergy!

smoochie041719 · January 2017

@KirstinH88 I have been thinking the same thing! It seems to make sense to me, and I LOVE PB&J so I've been going with that theory all pregnancy haha

catem07 · January 2017

@magheeta it's crazy how different countries (that aren't all that different) have such varied advice for pregnant women. I had a cold last week and the pharmacy desk was closed so I couldn't get sudafed. Phenylephrine spray is considered fine for pregnant women in Australia but is class C in the US.

chelle087 · January 2017

I definitely ate peanut butter when I was pregnant with DS and have been eating it this time too. I feel like no one truly knows, so there is just all sorts of speculation as to what's best.

WkoutMomtoBe · January 2017

I'd have to dig it up but I believe in 2008 this was new guideline but drs just weren't enforcing it...last couple years they've been pushing it.

I think my baby will be moderate risk since I developed anaphylactic tree nut allergy in my 20s (per allergy testing bc I got lightheaded when eating things with nuts). I seem to be fine now and was retested, negative and now they think it's oral allergy syndrome. I ate a handful of honey roasted peanuts last week and 2 hours later my fave was full of red bumps..ugh.

I'll ask pedatrician...prob do Bamba puffs in office (peanut puffs from Israel).

MWoodside · January 2017

So my DD2 has a confirmed tree but allergy (except she isn't allergic to almonds). She is anaphylactic, we have epi pens.

i was talking to her allergist about this topic at her scratch test in august. I'm not seeing the study document this article is based on, but there was s huge study done in 2012 (if I recall correctly) that resulted in the recommendation to give pb early and often EXCEPT in cases of eczema and egg allergies (DD2 has both). He commented that she wouldn't have qualified for the study bc of this and wouldn't have been recommended to eat pb early in bc if this.

im not sure what he will recommend for this next baby. We have lots of family hx of allergies. My mom and bro are both confirmed celiac. My bro has a ton more allergies confirmed by blood test. DD2 has the tree but allergy. DD1 is sensitive to dairy (gastro-wise) so we don't give her dairy.

I had a shit ton of food restrictions with DD2 while nursing bc she had SO MANY eczema triggers. But she outgrew most.

thr allergist absolutely recommends broad consumption of foods during pregnancy, including and especially nuts. Interestingly, I are nuts tons while pg and nursing with no reaction from DD2.

jennielynn+ · January 2017

Our pedi and OB both have no issues with peanuts early. I'm not so into meat so its a great way for me to get my protein throughout the day.

My daughter has one cousin with peanut and shellfish allergy so, I will say this. I agree with everyone that being near the Dr. when you introduce a new food can be pointless. My nephew had a range of reactions until he finally had the scary, not breathing kind. We gave my daughter peanut butter early because I would thicken homemade purees with it. I always tried to single out the more common allergen linked foods so, that I could pinpoint a reaction faster.

Also, did anyone do home skin tests with foods? I experimented with putting some foods on band aids and leaving them on her back. She has no known food allergies so, I have no idea if that works. :P

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