Lo w/ egg allergy, now preggo

[~Kiki]

So, my lo has an egg allergy. Nothing severe, only a light rash and easily monitored with avoiding and medication if a rash occurs (which seems to be more and more rare these days).

We're currently pregnant with our 2nd and our lo's allergist said to avoid egg, nuts and peanut for the rest of my pregnancy. Has anyone ever done this? Or not done this? We go in for an appointment next month so I'll ask more when we go in, but I'd love to hear personal stories/advice.

Now that I'm over my morning sickness, I'm of course craving scrambled eggs, peanuts and ranch dressing. All big no, nos.

Don't know if this matters, but we have no other allergies in our family on either side.

[Spectra]

We have no real history of allergies either and I lived on peanut butter with both pregnancies.  My dd has no allergies and my son has allergies, though has not yet been tested for nuts.

I have heard of this, but I really don't know if it has been proven.  Interesting.

[Mashi]

I did a load of research when I got preg on this.  Not egg, specifically, but there are loads of allergies in my family and I am a very allergic person. Here in the UK the general info is that if there are allergies in your fam you should avoid nuts - although I have never ever heard eggs.  I live in peanut butter, NEED my toast and PB in the mornings and often before bed as well, and rely on it for lots of my protein and fibre. 

I basically read anything I could, putting more weight on good medical documents than on the random handouts from my midwife who didn't seem to know anything other than the script she was told to rattle off.  The general medical population is TOTALLY split down the middle. One side says to avoid, the other says to eat it, in order to begin exposing your baby to the food while in utero, in hopes that it desensitizes. 

I chose the latter.  I believe in desensitization of allergies, and as I said, I struggled to live without peanuts.  I stood FIRMLY by my decision amongst some well meaning (but catty and b*tchy) friends who were also pregnant and knew nothing other than the handout their midwife had rattled off at them, and criticized me for it constantly. When  I told them I had researched, they stared at me blankly at the concept of reading books. I still to this day stand by my decision, despite DS having a milk/soy allergy.  No one EVER have suggested that I avoid milk and soy while pregnant....

So, basically, I would say to do your reading, thinking, etc and make a decision and then stand by it!  Good luck!

[~Kiki]

It all seems somewhat like a crapshoot at times, doesn't it

I have read split research with almost everything I've ran into as a parent. This of course isn't any different, which is why I like to talk to others and see their experiences.

I've been eating peanuts/peanut butter sparingly up until I talked to my lo's allergist a week ago, since I had never really heard of it being a problem while pregnant. I'm not going to go over the top either way. I think if I continue to avoid it, my cravings will only get worse until I crash and eat a loaf of bread smeared in peanut butter with a side of scrambled eggs. However, I also don't think I'll eat pb&j sandwiches everyday.

[Mydreamcametrue]

Hi there.

If I was to have a 3rd child, I would personally avoid all dairy.  I only say this because both of my kids had a bad dairy intolerance until at least 1 years old. 

So, I would just want to "see" if it made a difference.

People sware by it, but how do you really know if avoiding it helps or not.  I think if your kid is going to have an allergy or intolerance, then they are.

Still makes you wonder though. 

I know in the UK, (i have a friend here from there), they don't say anything about caffiene, milk, etc.  They do say to avoid peanuts.

I did read at the allergist though, that new research is saying to introduce peanuts at an early age then they have been saying.

If it was me, I would avoid eggs (just because of the history), but nothing else.

Wendy

[Mashi]

I know in the UK, (i have a friend here from there), they don't say anything about caffiene

Yes everyone thought I was ABSURD for cutting caffeine out of my diet instantly.  Then when I was about 4 months it was in the news over here that women should cut down to no more than something like 4 cups of coffee or 6 cups of tea each day.  Everyone in my office was going nuts, as well as my friends, saying how stupid that was, there goes the gov't interfering in our lives again, etc etc.   Were dead shocked when I said that in Canada it's always been that way and that it was one of the things I started eliminating while we were TTCing even.

But that's not allergy wise, just health wise, so bit of a difference. 

I think with everything it is a personal choice. Like I said, I did all of the reading and research and made up my mind that I was going to go for the peanuts and hope that it worked in the desensitisation route. If my DS has a peanut allergy, I will NOT blame myself, as I feel that I accepted a long time ago to go for it and can't look back now. BUT that isn't for everyone!