Nursing moms who eat peanut butter might worry about the possibility of causing a peanut butter allergy in their babies. If the baby develops eczema or fussiness after you eat peanut butter, you might wonder if the baby already has an allergy to peanuts. Indeed, ifants can have allergic reactions to substances in breast milk.
Risk Factors
Peanut allergies have doubled in the last 10 years, affecting 1 percent of all children, according to the March of Dimes. Peanut allergies usually show up before age 2 but can develop at any age. Peanuts are one of the top eight allergenic foods, the Kids With Allergies Foundation reports. Food allergies develop most often in children who come from families with a history of allergies.
Common Reactions
If your baby develops a reaction to peanut butter in your diet, she might develop a rough, scaly rash called eczema. Peanut reactions in allergic infants can develop within a few seconds to a few hours after exposure. Other signs of allergies in infants include wheezing, reddened eyes, facial swelling, hives, difficulty breathing, vomiting or diarrhea. Allergies also can cause unusual fussiness and irritability, itching in the mouth or anywhere on the skin, or severe reactions, such as losing consciousness.
Peanut Allergy Later in Life
At one time, it was thought that not exposing a child to peanuts in breast milk or in his regular diet before age 3 would help reduce the number of people with peanut allergies. This has not proved true; studies have not shown any benefit to removing peanut butter from your or your baby's diet until a certain age in reducing the risk of peanut allergy, lactation consultant Kelly Bonyata reports on her website, KellyMom.
Treatment
If your nursing baby shows signs of allergy whenever you eat peanut butter, talk with your doctor about precautions to take both in your diet and in your baby's diet once he starts eating solid foods. Many foods contain hidden peanuts, so learn to read labels carefully. You may also need to keep an inhaler or injectable epinephrine on hand in case your baby has a severe allergic reaction. Unlike some allergies, only about 20 percent of children outgrow peanut allergies, notes BabyCenter.
References
- Parents: Peanut Allergies Safety for Babies and Toddlers; Dr. Michael Young
- Kids With Allergies Foundation: Food Allergy Trends Among U.S. Children; March 2009
- March of Dimes: Peanut Allergies, Children and Pregnancy; January 2009
- KidsHealth: Breastfeeding FAQs -- Your Eating and Drinking Health Habits; Dr. Larissa Hirsch; May 2008
- KellyMom: Can a Nursing Mother Eat this Food? FAQs; June 2011
- BabyCenter: Food Allergies; April 2011
Member Comments