https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:59:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259118 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 14:02:04 +0000 charlotte 2259118@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: really good point. I remember my sons allergist mentioned that repeated exposure through the skin rather than the gut could be a big factor. I'll at least know this time not to eat a PB sandwich and then grab the baby. (Can't anyway because I need to be very careful with my son around. We don't keep any nut products in the house now...)</p> <p>@MrsH: glad you are getting some good support here! I would/do feel exactly the same in your case. Part of the reason I stopped BFing #1 pretty early was because I couldn't pinpoint his eczema causes and couldn't figure out all of the possible dietary triggers and whether it was worth it to try to care for a newborn, work, pump etc while carrying out my own elimination diet. I know there are other causes for eczema sometimes but I tend to put a lot of pressure and blame on myself (to a fault probably). </p> <p>Cheese is also pretty much my fav thing and number one protein source so cutting it out in the early days would've meant I was pretty much living on dry raisin bran. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259117 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 14:01:35 +0000 lamariniere 2259117@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: that's really interesting. Where I live, people don't really eat peanuts and I assume there aren't many peanut products/biproducts on the market. I don't know a single kid/family with a peanut allergy and I feel like I know a lot of families with kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259103 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 13:23:38 +0000 Mae 2259103@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: I'm sorry :( Dairy allergy blows. Fiona had MSPI so I was off dairy and soy and it suckeeddddd. Especially in the early days when you're just getting by (and you have 2!). I only lasted maybe 6 weeks on the diet before I gave up and we did nutramigen (we were supplementing anyways and I felt very meh about it). If you need any ideas/support feel free to pm me (or fb me, I think we are fb friends!). But if you quit--- your little will be just fine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259100 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 13:20:21 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2259100@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: I love BFing but cutting out dairy would have probably been my tipping point too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259097 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 13:16:27 +0000 Mae 2259097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I'm only as educated as google and my pediatrician have informed me... and obviously no one has sorted out this peanut allergy thing fully or we'd all know what to do. But the most recent studies I've read that make sense to me claim that at least part of cause for increased peanut allergies in the US is because of passive exposure to kids. Apparently in areas where peanut consumption is very low by everyone, there are few peanut allergies. And in areas where people eat a lot of peanuts and feed them to babies early, there are few peanut allergies. In America we eat a lot of peanuts (while breastfeeding but also kids get exposed through their skin when we eat things and there is residue and we kiss them or touch them) but we won't feed them to kids early. So their bodies make antibodies but don't learn to tolerate them because they aren't ingesting them (I'm maybe explaining that wrong... I"m not a science person but that was my basic understanding). </p> <p>Point is-- I ate peanuts while pregnant, while nursing, and gave them to my daughter relatively early (at 10 months). Same with tree nuts and all other allergens. She has no allergies except to avocado-- which is just random and not something I eat a lot of. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259082 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 13:03:18 +0000 MrsH 2259082@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: validated! I'm three days in and it just makes me sad. i blame PP hormones - cry when I think about stopping BFing and cry when I think about not eating ice cream, cheese and butter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259060 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 12:03:00 +0000 blackbird 2259060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: if it makes you feel better (or validated, perhaps), a dairy free diet was on my "nope" list for breastfeeding. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259035 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 10:40:18 +0000 charlotte 2259035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsH: I hope she will outgrow it. It doesn't sound silly to me... I've had friends who cut dairy out and I know it can be so much work, depending on what your usual diet is. I know it would be a big change for me. And it's very hard to weigh the "breastfeeding can protect against allergies" with the "this special formula has no allergens and would guarantee no reactions" type decision. </p> <p>I just hope by the time our little ones are grown up there will be more answers on when to feed allergens, when to use special formula, what to eat when pregnant or BFing instead of all of the flip flopping recommendations to avoid or definitely eat it or maybe eat it etc etc!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259029 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 10:33:17 +0000 MrsH 2259029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@charlotte: DD2 was just diagnosed with a dairy allergy (at two weeks old) I know it sounds silly but it almost makes me want to quit BFing completely :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259005 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 09:28:26 +0000 Applesandbananas 2259005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no food allergies and neither does my sibling or my LO. My mom ate a lot of peanut butter while pregnant with us and while nursing (especially while nursing me because my older sib loved pb&amp;pj). I ate quite a bit of mixed nuts while pregnant and nursing, because they were a quick and easy snack high in protein and I could keep them down in the first tri ;) </p> <p>There's nothing you could've done differently! Hang in there :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2259001 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 09:20:25 +0000 charlotte 2259001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rocker2014: that's the kind of thing that really makes me feel better. You guys are like your own little study. :) thanks for sharing that!</p> <p>Thanks everyone for the insight. I think I just am looking for reassurance that I'm doing the right thing by intending to BF again and that I'm not passing on problems to any more LOs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258984 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 08:16:59 +0000 Rocker2014 2258984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personal anecdote: my mother breastfed both my brother and I for over a year (no formula), and ate the same range of foods with both of us (including nuts). I have a ton of food allergies, including anaphylaxis to peanuts and tree nuts, and my brother has none. </p> <p>NOT your fault!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258950 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 07:47:35 +0000 charlotte 2258950@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yin: people blame me too and it really hurts my feelings. Someone said recently "so you're eating nuts this time to prevent allergies in number 2 right?" Ummmmm I ate them DAILY when pregnant with #1! And still....</p> <p>It makes sense that it's not my fault. I mean there's like 6 or 8% of kids with allergies and it's not like all the others were fed in some special other way. I guess I just wish there was SOMETHING I could do but unfortunately science isn't sure yet. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258949 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 07:42:12 +0000 yin 2258949@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kids have a lot of food allergies, and I will not blame myself for their allergies. If I did, I would go crazy! LO1 is allergic to dairy, eggs, and peanuts (anaphylaxis). LO2 is allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, most seeds, some fish, and more that we discover as we go. Both were given breastmilk (EP with LO1 and breastfed LO2) for over a year. I suspected food allergies early with both and eliminated foods in my diet, which helped a lot. </p> <p>It's a challenge, but I try my best to keep my children safe. I don't emphasize on why too often and try to educate others. People blame me regularly and tell me what I could have done or shouldn't have done. I took it personally for a while, but I know that it's not my fault. Try not to be so hard on yourself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258927 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 06:38:20 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2258927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No allergies here and I ate whatever I wanted while BFing. Nothing you did caused the allergies mama. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258905 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 04:46:07 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2258905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@charlotte: I ate a bunch of peanuts and almonds while nursing with no allergies. </p> <p>New recommendations say to actually introduce peanuts earlier. So if anything maybe BF helped ward off other allergies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258901 Sun, 09 Aug 2015 03:16:27 +0000 blackbird 2258901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Likely coincidental. I would not try to actively avoid these foods </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258867 Sat, 08 Aug 2015 22:59:50 +0000 charlotte 2258867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@matador84: he's almost 2.5 now, also has eczema, and his bloodwork makes his allergist believe he will not outgrow the peanut allergy. :(</p> <p>The fact that he's been tested for all of the nuts separately and only allergic to those I ate is weird to me. Buttttttt then again I ate shellfish, wheat, milk, egg etc as well and he isn't allergic to those. Maybe just coincidence? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258860 Sat, 08 Aug 2015 22:38:28 +0000 matador84 2258860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How old is your LO? I ate tons and tons of peanut butter and almond butter and no allergies with my kids. My DS does have pretty severe eczema, but when I cut back on his dairy his eczema is not as bad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thoughts-on-breastfeeding-amp-food-allergies#post-2258859 Sat, 08 Aug 2015 22:25:37 +0000 charlotte 2258859@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Anyone have any advice from allergists/ peds or personal anecdotes regarding breastfeeding and food allergies?</p> <p>LO1 received breastmilk for a few months and then switched to regular formula. He's allergic to peanuts and almonds, the only two nuts I ate regularly while I was still nursing. I often wonder if I contributed to his allergies although doctors have told me not to blame myself and there are mixed studies on this issue. I just can't help but wonder if he'd never been exposed to those nut proteins if it would have made a difference. </p> <p>With LO2 coming I want to do my best to help her avoid allergies. I don't know if that means try to BF exclusively longer, don't BF at all, or if I should try avoiding the top allergens! It's so frustrating that there are no clear cut answers on these issues.</p> <p>Any thoughts or personal experience??? </p>