Attention breastfeeding mummas. You can have your nuts. And give them to your little one too! Â
In fact, it may just be the winning combination when it comes to warding off allergies in your infant.
A study has confirmed that eating nuts while breastfeeding can DRAMATICALLY reduce your little one’s risk of developing a peanut allergy. Children are five times less likely to develop an allergy if their mothers consume nuts while breastfeeding.
The new study out of Canada followed 342 children from birth to age seven and looked at peanut consumption in both mums and bubs. When mum ate peanuts during breastfeeding and introduced nuts before 12 months, just 1.7 per cent of children developed allergies. This compares to the overall peanut allergy incidence of 9.4 per cent.
That’s quite a remarkable difference!
“Maternal peanut consumption while breastfeeding paired with direct introduction of peanuts in the first year of life was associated with the lowest risk of peanut sensitisation,” the study concludes.
Pass the peanut butter
These new findings add even more fuel to the theory that it’s okay to give babies nuts. This is despite what past research says (because confusing parents is pretty much the main goal of all studies these days).
According to the current ASCIA Guidelines, “all infants should be given allergenic solid foods including peanut butter, cooked egg, dairy and wheat products in the first year of life. This includes infants at high risk of allergy”.
Up to three in every 100 Aussie kids are allergic to peanuts, with peanut allergy one of the most common causes of death from food-related anaphylaxis. Perhaps adding nuts to all breastfeeding mums’ menus, will make this number ºcontinue to fall.
So, go nuts breastfeeding mums! Your taste buds and your baby will thank you. And while you’re munching on some nuts, get up to date on the latest peanut allergy news.
