Eating Peanuts during Pregancy - the concerned daddy

[bekyboo44]

I think the only person who can answer your question is a Doctor. We are just a bunch of sleep deprived mothers, what do we know?

What we do know is based on our own experiences- I ate peanuts throughout both my pregnancies and so far no evidence of nut allergies in my kids. However I come from a family with a history of no allergies whatsoever.
I don't think any of us assume to know everything about everything- what we assume to know is based on what we have experienced with our babies and children.

Only a Doctor, or an allergy specialist can tell you what risk is posed to your child by your wife eating peanuts. I'm guessing also that your wife, won't listen to you, but may listen to a Doctor.
Personally I think you are looking in the wrong place for the info. you want.

Personally, also, I've found your posts slightly patronising (but then again I am another sleep deprived Mother).
Yes you have a right to be concerned but your wife is an adult, what she puts into her body is ultimately her choice....if she has the info. and knows she may or may not be putting your child at risk, I'm not sure what you can do about it. Forcefully stop her eating peanuts????

I think when it comes to posts concerning medical info. most Mothers would seek an opinion from a doctor- the post is just a discussion point.

I also think your labeling of posts as 'bitchy,' to be out of order. But I guess we all respond to that label differently.

 

[nicolejoy]

The question remains, is there any truth in those links?

I think things like that are so subjective... there MAY be truth in it, there MAY not...

I do think that husbands and wives need to work together and listen to each others concerns and all that... I'm currently 31 weeks pregnant and my husband is a bit more "cautious" than me - and so we've talked about things that he would prefer me to not do when I'm pregnant and I try to respect that, even though I would feel find doing it myself. He asked me not to climb on ladders for example - and while I think I could do so safely, I figure it won't hurt me NOT to do that - and it would be hard for me to forgive myself if I didn't agree and then the unthinkable DID happen...

There are always risks with pregnancy - and you can't listen to EVERY "maybe" and "possibly" - because even those things vary so widely... For westerners, sharks fin might be bad but mango is ok - but for Chinese, it's probably the other way around. You and your wife need to TOGETHER try to make educated decisions on those issues - look around on the internet, talk to your doctor, talk about the possibility of maybe avoiding something for the first trimester but then "allowing" it for the second and third or something like that...

For me, sushi was one of those things that I didn't want to give up. I researched the reasons why it's "not allowed" in Western countries, the risks against the benefits... and in the case of sushi, the main risk is about contamination through improper handling and storage... so my husband and I talked about it and I agreed to not eat ANY in the first trimester - but then in the second and third trimester, I have been eating it occasionally - but only in places where I know it's good quality and so I'm minimising the possible risks.

 

[Neha]

Hi Charlatan

I am a father too and I agree with u being concerned about your child's health. Cannot help u with the allergy but would suggest u to get your wife do an allergy test to find out what she is allergic to and talk to her Dr before and explain to him your doubts and then your doctor can speak to your wife. If u speak to the DR infront of your Wife that will lead to some more fights.

Best of luck

Mahesh

 

[carang]

if pregnant women listened to every single "do not eat" when pregnant, there would be VERY little out there that we COULD eat!

sushi in japan is not "bad" but elsewhere it is...just as an example.

i do think that you are somewhat over-reacting.

you can find information to support ANY argument you want to make on the internet.

 

[mumto2]

its hard isn't it....for every argument against, there is one for in pregnancy...i was told by my doctors that it was fine for me to eat peanuts during pregnancy because i didn't have an allergy to them. allergies are more often than not hereditary. if you first establish what your wife's allergy is, maybe then you are half-way there. pregnancy hormones are harsh for some women - they can really rattle you and can really make you react in ways you may otherwise not. i suggest with every "suggestion" you make to your wife, you perhaps interject with "sweetheart i know you know what you're doing but can you tell me about a,b or c, so that i know too. i just really want to be involved"...or some other way that you know your wife will respond to.

i too ate sushi through my pregnancies, every so often, i also ate prawns, oysters as well. i read every risk that was associated with it first, weighed it all up and made decision carefully about where i bought products from. that was my decision. i know women who won't exit their vehicle at gas stations for fear the fumes will affect their unborn child. i know women who won't get the hair dyed. i know women who think having one or two drinks through pregnancy is ok. i know women who think having a low-tar cigarette every now and again is ok. its really hard not to judge every little thing. even though you are trying to get pregnant, having everything thrust upon you with that one little positive test is overwhelming. at the end of the day you know your wife wants a healthy baby at the end of this journey as well and i'm sure she has done as much, if not more, research and you will come out of this together, if you work together. wait til the baby comes and both of you are really really tired....lol...good luck...

 

[mel_g20]

Peanut allergy

Hi Charlatan,

This forum I believe is for both mums AND dads to ask questions about their children and new to be babies, plus everything that goes with it. I think it was fair to ask your question, and very honest of you to tell us about the sensitive discussion you are having with your wife.

I have a child just diagnosed with a peanut allergy, and no history of allergies in my family. However I ate alot of peanuts in my first pregnancy. I have read that this could have been caused by me consuming peanuts whilst pregnant. If I could go back I would probably not have eaten them, now i know, and I would have definitely have checked with my doctor. Just my opinion, and I know other mums will feel quite different.

Food is a very touchy subject when pregnant, a doctor is best advised to help you. Good luck with the new baby.

 

[LeahH]

Wow, you really like to make life hard for yourself..

Simply find out from a medial professional specialising in allergies IF peanuts are an issue in your wife's specific situation.

As many have said in the above threads, there are a huge number of cultural and nation specific 'must not' eat foods, some based on medical evidence and others simply on tradition.

In most cases where there is a degree of known risk (let's say blue cheese and listeria) most women make a judgement call based on the medical evidence. You don't have a 'known' risk - just a possible or perceived risk that could effect some people, nor do you have investigation into your wife's existing allergies. 'Smoking, drinking and chomping on blue cheese' are well documented, medically proven risks that pertain to everyone who is pregnant so your reference is not logical.

Internet research is all well and good, but not a replacement for a medical degree - especially in sensitive situations such as this -e.g. involving the woman you love going through one of the most highly charged, hormonal, emotional, physically and mentally demanding phases in her life.

Frankly, you are entitled to ask questions and be concerned for your unborn child, but if my husband posted something similar to this I would be horrified.

 

[nicolejoy]

If MY husband posted something like this, I would probably stop and think "He really is VERY concerned about this. Is it worth it for me to put him through all that?? Is it really THAT big of a sacrifice for me to make??"

Our husbands are the fathers of our children just as much as we are the mothers - and while we're the ones who carry the children, why SHOULDN'T the husband's fears and concerns be addressed just as much as our own?? He can't control what we do when we're pregnant, but surely he should have SOME say in it too!!

There are soooooo many grey areas - but really, is it THAT much of a sacrifice to make those choices TOGETHER, respecting each others fears and concerns?? I don't think it's "fair" for the mother to get to make all the choices herself without caring about her husband's feelings.

If my husband posted something like this, I might be a bit annoyed - but it really would make me stop and think that I really haven't respected HIS feelings, and HIS fears about his own child...

Just another perspective...


(and I'm not "shouting" when I use all caps - I'm just too lazy to make them all italics for emphasis...)

 

[capital]

The nutritionists where I work (they make recommendations for pregnant women and infants/ preschool children) say that a woman should avoid a food if she herself has the allergy to that specific food. there is a family disposition to allergies, but not necesarily the same allergen. so if mom was allergic to peanuts, then baby does have an increased risk of allergies in general, but it may or may not be peanuts that the child is allergic to, it may possibly be peanuts, but it could be milk, or fish, or nothing, or something entirely different. So for your case if mom is allergic to dust pollen, etc, your child may have a higher risk of allergy, but you can't possibly predict what it will be, and because getting good nutirion is important in pregnancy, it would be hard to cut out every single possible allergy causing food and maintain good nutrition, hence the recommendation to avoid what mom herself is allergic to only. Hope this makes sense, if I find a good link I'll post it.

 

[capital]

I found the link,

These are the Canada National guidleines for nutrition in pregnancy and they base their recommendations on the current liturature. If you look under the part on medical conditions there is a seciton about fetal sensitiation that discusses this allergy issue. They also have all their sources listed if you want to search those as well, hopes this helps.

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrit...s_tc-lignes_directrices_nationales_tm-eng.php