Peanut Paste/Peanut Butter

Can anyone tell me if peanut butter is on the no go list???

I have heard that eating peanuts during pregnancy could increase the chances of your baby having a peanut allergy. Don't know how true that is. It's probably fine if you don't overdo it.

Yep, I think it's okay as long as you don't go overboard with it. I used to have a little on toast once in a while.

However, if there is a family history of allergies then I think it's best to avoid it.

Yep - dont go overboard with it. I think its especially wise to avoid in the last trimester.
Fi

Hi Jaspen

Any form of peanut product is on the no list during pregnancy and breastfeeding if you, your partner or any of your other children have any form of allergy.
Otherwise it should be safe in small amounts.

oops... I have been having quite a bit of peanut butter & jam on toast... might just have to have jam from now on

Alan - any form of any allergy or any form of peanut allergy??? Sorry if this seems strange it's just that none of us are allergic to peanuts (although my niece is and she was out of the blue) but I do have some minor allergies (mainly intolerance/sickness after continual consumption over a period)

Hi Jaspen

Any allergy. Not just peanut.

Allergic reactions are a little strange. Usually the first time you come into contact with the thing that causes the reaction (lets just say peanuts but it could be any food or drug or anything else). Normally you do not have a reaction but you do become sensitized. If you cone into contact with it a second time then you have the reaction. These reactions can vary from very mild, runny eyes, sneezing etc, to life threatening.
Small amounts of the peanut protein can cross the placenta and sensitizing the baby befor birth. If there is any allergy to anything in your family then your baby is at an increased risk of being allergic to peanuts.
And an allergic reaction to peanuts can often be very serious.

Hope this helps and that I did not ramble on too much.

I asked my OB and he said it was fine to have a small amount although as Alan has said if their is any family history in allergies not to have any form of peanuts.

Although I know a couple of people who had peanut butter, snickers etc... while they were pg and thier baby ended up getting an allergic reation to peanuts and also excema. (and they had no family history of allergies) Their doctor told them that peanuts can cause peanut allergies aswell as excema etc.. Sorry I don't mean to scare or worry anyone who has eaten it. 8-[

#-o I didnt know that! I ate so much peanut butter when I had MS!!! Oops!

Hi Tulip
I don't know what nuts are in nutella you would need to check the label. If it has any peanut product in it then yes. I think other nuts are OK but not 100% sure so I will check it out.

Hazlenuts in Nutella.
Deb

Thanks for that Deb
As you cen tell I don't eat nutella.
But good news for all you nutella fans >>>>>>
hazelnuts are OK to eat in pregnancy.

Although nutella has hazelnuts in it, would it be processed on the same machinery as peanuts?
You know how they also put the warning on many food packagings (ie chocolate) that it has been processed on equipment that processes peanuts... this wouldnt be a worry would it?

Not that I'm concered for myself.... we have no real history of allergies in my family, and I did eat peanut butter during my pg (although I didnt know any better at the time). Next time I think I will be more careful.

Good point Ambah
I never thought of that #-o

Surely it would be in such trace amounts in those products though that they wouldnt/couldnt possibly be crossing the placenta...?

Also regulations would require them to clean the equipment.
But not all companies abide by the regulations.

Thanks for all that Alan - and everyone else - you didn't ramble I now understand it a lot more

I heard about the peanut thing a while back on this forum (in a thread about Peanut Butter Kit Kats) so I am avoiding Peanut Butter and peanuts.

Just an aside. It is more than possible that Nutella is processed on the same equipment that processes peanuts. Howoever the amount would be negligible when we are talking about pregnant women avoiding allergens to protect the unborn baby from developing an allergy. I hope that isn't too confusing.
Avoiding peanuts is also important for pregnant women who have a history or who 's partner has a history of asthma, exzema etc.
Peanut is a bit of a loose canon, it can trigger things. Don't panic if you have had a bit of a peanut fix but I would, like Alan advise to steer clear until you have completed breastfeeding.
love and baby blessings,
Deb

HERE is the post about Peanut Butter Kit Kats

If there is a history of allergies......then be careful.

Otherwise.....eat it !! I had heaps of peanut butter throughout my pregnancy and my little guy who is now 3 has always loved it too...with no problems.....

Don't be scared off by everything you hear....do your own research.

I asked my doctor about it when i first became pregnant and she said it was fine to eat, so i eat peanuts and peanut butter on toast when i feel like it.. :D

I agree with runnermum, do your own research and use common sense... if there is a peanut allergy running in your family avoid it if not enjoy in moderation. I eat peanut butter/nuts almost daily, always have... during pregnancy, breastfeeding etc and my children are allergy free and very healthy kids.

I keep hearing from health professionals that more and more foods are being eliminated for pregnant women because people can't seem to exercise common sense and lack education. It's a worry... women seem to worry more about avoiding perfectly healthy foods like nuts/fish/dairy... I don't read many forums about women denying themselves junk like coke, chips and chocolate. Guess it's a way of excusing the consumption of that type of rubbish: "oh well, at least it's not on the 'forbidden' list".

Why don't you just ask your Ob? Everyone's advice seems to be conflicting. I'd say the advice of a doctor or ob would be the most reliable to go by. :-k

Nutella has both peanut oil (as the secon listed ingredient) and hydrogenated peanut oil, so I'd say it's a no-go as well.

Some products say "may contain traces of nuts" or "processed on machinery that processes nuts". I work in Food Service (we distribute foods to restaurants etc) and what I have been told by manufacturers is that the ones both of those descriptions mean the same thing - the product was made on a machine that also makes things with peanuts in them. There is the possibility of peanut oil still in parts of the machinery even though it has been cleaned.

There are also some other labels, something like "processed in a plant that processes nuts" something like that anyway. With these I wouldn't be concerned at all really. It just means that somewhere on the same site (might not even be the same building) peanuts are used, but not on the same machine.

Just FYI, I have a friend who has a very severe allergy to peanuts & he eats things that say may contain traces of nuts - afterall you would never be able to eat a chocolate bar if you worried about all the warnings. Anyways, he's fine with it, so it might not be such a big thing if there are traces......

Just about Nutella, I made a muffin recipe a few months back which included some Nutella in it, silly me didn`t even think of Nutella causing a reaction yet I`ve been so careful throughout my entire pregnancy with Matthew and his first few months then I go and make a recipe with Nutella and his ezcema came up 100 times worst, naughty, naughty Mummy :oops:

Hmm...peanut butter on toast is one of the few snacks that doesn't make me sick and is easy to make!
Perhaps I'll ask my midwife cos I REALLY don't want to give it up! :-k

Ive heard its ok as long as you dont have peanut allegies in your or partner's family history. Both my sister and friend ate it throughout their pregnancies of 4 kids in total and they were all fine. :-k

It's more of an issue if there are any allergies in the family. So for me it was a bit of a worry as my mum has a bee allergy & my dad has a lentil allergy. It doesn't necessarily mean you will get the same allergy as a family member, but you're prone to any allergy if that makes sense?!