foods we eat vs. baby's allergies

I have been eating a ton of peanut butter since I found out that I was pregnant - it is one of the things that sits. PB&J Is my dinner most nights. So my Mom made a comment (she was only joking but it got me thinking) that the baby is either going to love peanut butter or be allergic. Is there any coorelation between the things that we eat and food allergies in our babies?

Thanks ladies!

Hi Liz--

This is one of the topics that some women have very strong views on. I know one woman who would NOT eat peanut butter during her entire pregnancy for fear of it increasing her baby's chances of being allergic to it. Then, there was my best friend, who literally took a spoon to a jar of creamy peanut butter each day of her pregnancy. The resulting children from both these women have no peanut allergies.

For me, I do eat peanut butter...I'd say I have a 1/2 serving (that's 1 tablespoon) about 3-4 times a week. Recently I listened to an episode of Pregtastic! that addressed the food allergy myths during pregnancy...I think it was this epidsode:

http://www.pregtastic.com/im-pregnant-now-what-do-i-eat/

--Paula

I've read articles on  both sides of this issue. Usually they agree if peanut allergies don't run in your family then don't worry about it.  

http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/251.html 

I've also read about allergies in kids and how our current reccommendations of not giving kids under 3 years of age peanuts, strawberries, etc does NOT seem to be making allergies better.  In fact food allergies are increasing. 

This is what the American Academy of Pedriatrics is saying now:

The long and short of the report: Avoiding certain food allergens from the get-go has been proven to help only those babies with a high risk of food allergies (that is, those with a parent or sibling with allergies). But for everyone else, avoiding known allergens — during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and when introducing foods in the infant and toddler years — hasn't been shown to have much effect on preventing allergies.


http://kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=familydoctor&articl e_set=60703&lic=44&cat_id=5

http://www.parents.com/recipes/cooking/food-safety/news-on-f ood-allergies/?page=7

So the long and short of it ?  It really is something you cannot seem to control.  If allergies run in your family then maybe it's best to avoid..... otherwise don't stress about it. 

Cindy 

You're totally screwed.  Now your baby is going to have a peanut growing on the side of his/her head.  It says so on the label.  ; ) 

You're fine to eat peanut butter.  They say that you should avoid peanut butter when you are breastfeeding.    I ate peanut butter on occasion when I was pregnant with the twins and they are happy bouncing babies.  

Also, I have terrible food allergies.  So we will see if they are allergic down the road to certain foods.  
Listen, it's just a little bit of common sense when it comes to eating certain foods while pregnant.  For ages we have been told you can eat this, don't eat that, wait now you can eat it again....sike, don't eat it.......see where I'm going with it?  They tell you not to eat deli meat.  How many women on this board ate deli while pregnant?  Probably at least 50%.   A soft serve ice cream cone or some Dairy Queen Blizzards, how many women do you think stay away from that while pregnant.  

If you think you are going to do damage to your kid by eating something, don't eat it.  You will stress yourself out for no reason. 

lol thanks! I was secretly worried about the peanut plant growing out of the baby's ear!

That's what I thought - no one in my family has ANY food allergies of any sort, and I would bet money that my Mom and Grandmother ate EVERYTHING on the no no list we have while pregnant - and well I am pretty normal! lol

Thanks ladies! I am going to research it some too -but I thought that PB was pretty healthy so I'll keep on eating it! I am staying away from teh high mercury fishes and un-pasturized milk products, but I'll admit, I've had a hoagie!

Thanks again!

Liz

I admit it..... I ate lunchmeat without warming it up several times during pregnancy. 

I also ate undercooked eggs once or twice and smoked salmon (before I realized smoked fish is a no-no). 

I hope my baby doesn't have a salmon growing out of his head..... 

Cindy

I ate pb all the time, it helped when I was having a sugar crash. No problems here with it but then again no nut allergies in our family. The only food I am allergic to is kiwis. What does your OB say?

I saw a really interesting seminar this past year regarding the major increase in food allergies in the last 20 years. He was talking about the natural flora in our digestive system and how they stimulate the immune system (as well as how much bacteria is allowable in the food we eat) but that's not important here. The point is that there are not convincing reputable studies linking mom's diet with specific food allergies in children. The increase in allergies (including eczema, food allergies and regular hayfever-type allergies) must be environmental, no doubt in my mind. We are exposed to so many more things than we even realize, especially in our food. You are safe to eat peanut butter but if you have the $ go for the organic stuff wherever you can. Less filler, sweetener, etc and you can find the creamy kind often now, where it doesn't separate. I am pretty broke but thorougly convinced that some things must be as natural and healthy as possible - namely the things we eat most frequently. I eat a lot of dairy so I buy it organic, but I don't worry about the things we eat in small quantities or rarely, like cereal, pasta, rice, dried goods, etc. I buy organic soft-fleshed produce but regular produce for everything else that can be washed well - I don't worry about produce nearly as much as animal products. I try to buy organic free range meet and eggs because I've read enough about animal conditions that its hard to eat anything else but sometimes its just not in the budget.  You eat a lot of peanut butter, consider buying organic :) Personally I think during your pregnancy this can be especially important.

This ended up being a long post, sorry :) I could go on and on sometimes. My point is, don't worry about your peanut butter.

Thanks! I too try to buy organic when we can fit it in the budget - a co-workers wife gave me a tip, if you eat the skin buy organic. If it is something that you peel don't worry about it. So I buy organic grapes, strawberries etc and regular potatoes, oranges apples (I always peel my apples).

I have also tried to switch over to all antibiotic / hormone free meats, this is a bit tougher though!

Thanks for all the great input!

Liz

I am the same way with produce - the USDA used to put out a list of which types of produce were most likely and least likely to contain pesticides but they recently killed that program. Peaches, nectarines, grapes, strawberries, spinach, small potatoes, and bell peppers I buy organic. Squash, russet potatoes (I peel them), onions, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, mango, broccoli, corn, asparagus I buy normal. Anything else, it depends on if I even have a choice, and the price.

The meat is expensive, I agree. And eggs too, but I always at least do the eggs because we eat more eggs than meat.

Its so annoying that we even have to consider these things but I told myself when I had RNY that if I wasn't going to eat quantity anymore I deserved to eat quality. You know?

I hope your morning sickness eases up soon! All the best :) Jenn