Forum home Pregnancy Pregnancy

Peanuts - confused!

I always thought you had to stay totally away from peanut as they could cause a nut allergy in your unborn child, but have just read on another forum that the guidance is now that you SHOULD eat them when pregnant (unless there are peanut allergies in the family) as studies have shown allergies have gone up since people have stopped eating them, and they reeckon babies are born without exposure to them, so are becomin allergic. Is this true? Can I eat peanut butter?!
«1

Replies

  • This is only my personal opinion but I do think peanut allergies have risen in this country since we have been advised not to eat them in pregnancy.

    There are no peanut allergies in my family and yes I have eaten peanut butter and would not give up my peanut M&M's right now!

    I have spoken to my midwife about it and she has a similar opinion to me.

    If you dont feel comfortable eating them then dont but I have also eaten fried egg and the occasional pate on toast. I also did this in previous pregnancies and have 2 healthy sons!

    It is your personal choice.

    Take care,
    Love Lee
    xxxxx
  • I have a confession.............................I ate a handful of dry roasted peanuts today because I couldnt resist any longer................waaaahhhhhhhh!
    But they tasted delicious!

    I was told to avoid them because they could cause allergies later on in the childs life????
    So many conflicting views, I think you do what you feel is best.

    I ate those peanuts because my mother in her wisdom pointed out the other day that Alpen contains nuts which i have eaten since day 1 as does "fruit and nut" flapjack i had just scoffed (as atreat)
    I beleive that unless you are extremely careful what you eat you will at some point have eaten things you are not supposed to, I do avoid soft cheeses and i cant stand liver, pate or shellfish so I am safe there.
  • I've eaten tonnes of peanuts in my previous pregnancy - peanut butter, snickers bars, dry roasted nuts, salted nuts you name it I've eaten it!!

    Turns our my daughter (2 yrs old) LOVES peanuts just as much as I do. Think to yourself why is the UK the only country in the world with the highest number of nut allergy sufferers when peanuts are eaten all around the globe by pregnant women!!

    It doesn't make sense - the Brits are too cautious. Because the mothers don't eat them the baby can't build up a resistance to it - hence the allergy. Eat them if you fancy them, they are food, it's not like your smoking or drinking!! And don't feel guilty about it.
  • in my last pregnany i completely avoided them, i think because it was my first and was scared to do anything slightly wrong. this time i have eaten them, because i read that you only need to avoid them if there are peanaut allergies in your family. i agree with oldermum69, that there is a definite increase in peanut allergies,(or you hear of them more now anyway) and as long as you are not going mad eating them all the time, i think they are also good for you.(dont know about the salt part, but nuts are good for you).

    personally i love dry roasted and cant get enough of them!!!

    i have also eaten runny fried eggs (just couldnt resist)!

    [Modified by: lauragcam on February 05, 2008 06:25 PM]
  • Right-I'm off for peanut butter on toast then! Oldermum, are fried eggs not allowed either then?!
  • I think its meant to be "runny" eggs you are meant to avoid but unfortunately my willpower is crap. It is impossible for me to dish up bacon and egg on toast for my oh and son and not have it myself. I did try but in the end the temptation was tooo strong and I shut myself in the kitchen and it was bloody gorgeous - like I had just had a 5 star meal! Told my midwife and she laughed and said "at least you enjoyed it!" so have been enjoying it on a regular basis ever since!
  • Sorry - have got a bee in my bonnet now lol!!!

    Also, have these theories been proved by the government who are telling us what we can and cant eat? No! Would they be able to take 100 women, tell 50 to eat peanuts as normal and the other 50 not to touch them so they can see results, (same with coffee, liver, etc). No they wouldn't because there would be an ethical uproar! The list of what is good/bad changes on a regular basis - why?

    Have let steam off now, sorry if i've offended anyone but this is something that makes me wonder!!!!

    Love Lee
    xxxxx
  • Ive avoided peanuts whole of pregnancy i am now39 weeks and had a star bar lastweek! You are all right though you are only advised to avoid them if someone in family has allergy. I avoided everything else too such as rare beef undercooked eggs and cheese cake unless it was baked! cat811 you are supposed to avoid undercooked eggs so if youhave a fried egg you are supposed to turn it over and fry other side so it isnt runny but then you might as well have ahard boiled egg!!!!!!!!!!!! Thisis in case you get salmonella nnow in 34 years i have managed to avoid salmonella but i wasnt sure if your immunesystem is low when pregnant. At the end of the day i could not live with myself if anything i ate in any way harmed my baby. I gave up smoking and drinkingwhich was very easy too its not much of a sacrifice its only 9 months xxxxxxx
  • mmmm fried egg sandwiches....lol
  • My cousin has a bad nut allergy, he has to carry the injection round with him just incase. Does this mean I should avoid peanuts or is it just immediate family that counts???xxx
  • I think it would be best to check that one with your midwife as I am not sure if it is "immediate" family. Better to be safe than sorry in this case especially as he has it so bad he needs an injection with him at all times.
    Love Lee
    xxxxx
  • Ooohhhhh, I love peanut butter on toast! Have only had it a couple of times when I gave in to the craving, but I will check with midwife before having any more! Thankyou.xxx
  • Eat whatever you want whenever you want image I gave up smoking and drinking but I'm certainly not going to start fannying around with my food aswell lol Unless there is a medical reason why you can't something just go ahead and do it, my mum ate what she wanted when she was pregnant with me and my brother and I plan to do the same image

    Caz
  • I had king prawns yesterday, are these a no no then?
  • i think its better to eat peanuts in pregnancy,unless you have an allergy. things like prawns should be cooked before eating
  • I didnt know that I had to avoid them at first. I only found out at 16 weeks with my first MW appointment that I had to avoid them. Their are many allergies with my brother. But I grew up healthy. He hasn't got a nut allergy though..


    Oh my I do believe I feel sick..
  • I think a bit of what you fancy does you good every now and then. I've not eaten peanuts but that's only cos I don't like them, have eaten my fair share of cashew nuts, fried eggs and even had the odd glass of wine-shock, horror!
    The only things that I have really avoided are soft cheese and prawns cos I can't seem to get straight info as to whether they're safe to eat. MW said that prawns were safe as long as they're cooked but as I'm hardly likely to eat them raw I figured I could live without them for 9months-only 5 weeks to go now!!
  • hi,
    I have eaten them, and enjoyed them !!!! the only problem I found was I got a real thurst on afterwards due to the salt etc.
  • My hubby also has asthma (very mild but flares up with exposure to pet hair) so I thought I should avoid peanuts. Then I read about the increase in nut allergies and decided that if I eat them now and again it should be ok. I'm not a big peanut fan but I really missed my M&Ms!!

    Bugger didn't think about cheesecake though, I love it! Do I only have to avoid it if it has raw eggs or a certain soft cheese in it? xx
  • i was told that there is 2 pieces of study by the same chap ontradicting them selves so i['d go with instinct as long as you don't go OTT you'll be fine... i'm one who has a hell of a lot of allergies and after having a skin prick test recently it seems baby's got rid of several of them during the pregnancy. although it is likely i will get them back after baby image but isn't it funny how nut allergies went up after women stopped eating nuts lol well my opinion is give baby everything that you can to get them used to the stuff to hwelp prevent allergy... allergies appear and disappear through out life so don't worry over it too much image hugs
    Debz
    20+6
    oh and yes i munched my way through some nuts over xmas and thoroughly loved it lol
Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions