Peanut Butter - Riverhead,NY

Hi T.,

My little one also got very picky and basically didn't eat anything resembling protein so I decided to give peanut butter a try at around 18 months. Also no allergies in my family (except seasonal), so I cautiously gave her some early in the day just in case there was a reaction I could get her to the doctor/hospital if needed. Thankfully no problems. But she doesn't like peanut butter! Only almond butter.

A lot of moms I know thought I was insane - but my doctor said, "great, now she has something to eat!" I don't know if she would have said that if I asked first before trying the nuts.

Good luck.

Sunflower seed butter is great! It is a seed not a nut. My daughter is 14 mo. and loves it. You can get it at Trader Joes. It has the same amount of protein as pb.

Peace,
G.

I was suggested a book "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron by one of my friends. It has such wonderful information. What to give, how to watch for allergies. How to balance. It is a really Handy and very Useful book. Look it up in any BookStore and if you feel worth it, go ahead get it, you will not go wrong with this.

I would NOT feed your 18 month old Peanut Butter.
I don't have any allergies myself, but my husband has a selfish allergy. We were told that that has to do with it. When my daughter was two, she had half of a peanut and we ended up in the ER with her. So she has a peanut allergie and my two year old son a tree nut. I gave him 'Nutella' a Hazelnut spread, cause I was running out of things to feed him... I would wait.

Definitely wait until 2. My sister in law and her son's father had no allergies and she completely ignored this advice. Her son is now has a "stage 4" allergy to peanuts (I believe 5 is the worst) and multiple other allergies, eczema, and allergy induced asthma. She did not feed her second son peanut butter until he was 2 and has none of these issues with him.

My hubby and I have no allergies, but hubby's sister was allergic to lots of things as a child. We didn't think much of it and gave our son PB when he was over a year. He had a severe reaction and we now have to carry an epi pen everywhere we go. After teh fact, I was told to steer clear of PB until age 3, and if allergies run int he fmaily, age 5.
Everyone will tell you a differnt age, but I sure wish we had waited.

Good luck.

Hi T.,
Funny you bring this up.My son is almost 20 months and we saw his doc yesterday and asked this same question. She said to wait until 2. My husband and his brother both have seasonal allergies and his brother's daughter tried peanut butter at 2yo and had a bad reaction. No one in either of our families has food allergies but I'm going to wait a bit longer. I know it's hard to figure out what to feed a picky toddler, we are going through the same thing. Hope this helps.

Hi T.,

I would wait until your daughter is at least two years old and then test her skin with the peanut butter first by just putting a little bit on the underside of her arm and seeing what happens after a few minutes. If nothing happens, then you can let her take it by mouth. My middle daughter is extremely allergic to peanut butter and when I first gave her a quarter of a peanut when she was about two, within about 60 seconds she started projectile vomiting and had red welts all over her jaw line and chest just from this tiny amount - it can be pretty scary so try her skin first. Neither of my other two kids have peanut allergy nor do my husband or I, but it's better to be safe the first time.

As the parent of a nut allergic 8 year old, and with all the research I have done during that time, I would highly advise you wait until 3 years old to try peanut products. There are many good soynut butters on the market (health food stores or aisles in supermarket) that kids love, especially with jam.
Our family also had no history of food allergies, but my husband had the same seasonal ones you mentioned.
If I can prevent anyone going through what my child has, and it has been a very hard road, these are the recommendations I would make. My last suggestion is to find some good child friendly recipes to liven up your baby's diet. The last thing anyone wants is a picky eater, that situation will only hold you hostage in the long run.

Hi T.. My daughter didn't have any history of allergies, so with our pediatrician's okay, we gave her peanut butter after she turned 1. Peanut butter sandwiches are now here favorite. I would check with my doctor about what he thinks.

Good luck.

My son is almost 16 months and we are the same way. Allergic to everything under the sun, lol, except peanut butter. He has had it and loves it. SOme docs say 12 months and some say 2 years. If you are comfortable and ready to handle the concesquenses then try it.

Hello,

I gave my daughter a small amount of peanut butter at 18 months and she had a reaction. If you give it to him make sure you are equipped with Benedryl and a telephone in case he is allergic. Since then my daughter has been diagnosed with a peanut allergy and we carry an Epi-pen with us everywhere we go. They say the first reaction is the mildest so we are prepared for full blown attack next time. (her lip swelled up and she had hives around the lower part of her face and it was taken care of by Benedryl but some kids have to go to the hospital!) I think the pediatricians normally say to wait at least until age 3 now but each Dr. feels differently I guess. Neither one of us have any allergies nor do our families.

Instead of peanut butter I buy her "soy nut butter". It's more expensive but it is healthy for her. It is located at a regular grocery store in the organic section by the natural peanut butters. It has protein and little salt or sugar. She loves it. I put a little jelly on it also. Your child could possibly be allergic to soy so you would still have to careful until you know for sure, but luckily mine wasn't! (I am under the impression (not sure if it's fact) that a peanut allergy is much more dangerous than the other food allergies such as soy, milk, or wheat.)

Good luck!

Hi T., My husband and I don't have any food allergies but my son does. When he was a baby he was allergic to milk,eggs,peanuts,tree nuts,fish and sesame seeds. He's now 5 1/2 yrs. old and his allergies have gotten better. He still can't have milk,fish and peanuts. I also have a 7 yr. old and 4 yr. old(both girls) who have no allergies at all. I would double check with your doctor but I think you have to wait until 2 before they can have peanut butter. If you want why don't you try soybean butter. My kids love it. I get it at Trader Joe's.
Good luck.

My kids are 3 and 21 months,

I still haven't offered it to them,

BUT and easy way to try slowly is chicken cutlets
ALL breadcrumbs have the exposure to nuts,

and some cookies, and Breads

try those first and then, a candy with peanut butter.

M

my husband and i broke the rules and gave our son pb&j when he was 10 months old. i have no allergies and my husband is allergic to cats, but we decided to risk it. apparently parental allergies are a factor, but you never know until you give it to the child (unfortunately). our son has had no problems. if you are very nervous you could probably get your son tested for allergies first, but i don't know if one has to be exposed to the allergen first before it shows up in a test. good luck!
~L.

Please don't feed your toddler peanut butter until he is 3 years old. I made the mistake of thinking my son would be fine, all my friends are feeding their kids it. Of course two licks later and we were rushing to CVS for Benedryl and now have an Allergist and an Epipen. Now, having done the research, I realise that families with a history of Asthma, Hayfever, Eczema etc have a higher likelyhood of having nut allergies. Cream cheese sandwiches are always a good substitute. By the age of 3 children will either have grown out of the allergy or they will have it for life so please just wait it is just too scary.

Hey there. Neither my ex nor I have peanut allergy, but I do have seasonal allergies. Both of my boys were born with peanut allergy. One has since outgrown it (bout 20% of people do). I ate a lot of peanut butter when i was pregnant with and nursing my first (the one who hasn't outgrown it). Your and your husband's allergy history play a huge part in the development of peanut or tree-nut allergies in your children. The general feeling these days is to keep kids away from peanut and tree nut products until age three (check this with your pediatrician, of course). A product that I have been using for the past few years is called Sunbutter. It is made from sunflower seeds, in a completely peanut and tree nut-free facility, is kosher (if that is important to you) and tastes DELICIOUS!! Seriously. I work in a nut-free nursery school and I just turned the director onto this product. The staff are over the moon about it. And, it is available in different varieties, such as Organic, or Natural Crunch in addition to the regular Creamy kind. When I first bought it, I had to buy it online, but it is now available in my health food store and even in my supermarket (A&P)!
Good luck, and it's always better to err on the side of caution.
-J.

My pediatrician told us to wait till my son was 3. I have his 3 year appointment today and was planning on asking that exact question to see if I can give it to him now. I have several friends who's children have severe allergies and they found out the hard way. They give their kids sunbutter. I guess it's made from sunflower seeds or something like that. You could try that until your child gets older.

Hi T.:

I gave my son peanut-butter at 18 months. He loved it on toast, bread or crackers. He (Connor) is now 4 years old and loves Ritz bits peanut butter crackers. At least I feel like it is a healthy snack. He is a very fussy eater.

Check with your Pediatrician, they may want you to wait until he is 2 years old.

Good Luck!

D. Mc
SI, NY

hi T., i started my 2 year old(he just turned 2 last month) on peanutbutter at 18 months. my doctor said that was fine just start with small portions, wait a couple days try again and wait a couple days. my doctor said alot of times if their going to have a reaction its on the 2nd or third try. B. h

As a mother of a child with peanut and other food allergies, I would not do a thing before discussing it with your pediatrician.

I'm in the minority here but I started to give my son Bamba snacks which are peanut butter flavored corn puffs at 9 months to help him with teething. At 1 year old I tried peanut butter which he loved and now at 2 it still remains one of his favorite things to eat. Neither I or my husband had any history of food allergies but we both have seasonal allergies. I also have asthma. The effects of an allergy would be immediate so you can ask your pediatrician if it would be ok to come by and try some peaut butter there in case something happens if you are worried.

FYI - Starting peanut butter early will not cause an allergy. Your child either has one or he doesn't.

try almond butter instead. worked with my son and it doesn't present the potential allergy problems that peanut butter does. the american academy of pediatrics says to wait until 3 to give peanut butter.

Hi T.,
I fed my daughter PB around 13 or 14 months. (My husband has a ton of indoor allergies and I all the outdoor ones.) We add a little PB to toast so that it's not too sticky. She's doing fine with it. Make sure to watch your son after he eats it (watch for breathing difficulties, hives, etc) and if all seems fine maybe you can to add another food to his list! :-) Hope this helps.

I started giving both of my girls peanut butter at about 18 months. They did fine. My husband has every allergy from pollen and cats to shellfish, excluding peanut. I am allerigic to pollen and have asthma. I think it is recommended not to start foods that typically cause allergies until after two years. Most allergies increase in intensity with repeated exposure. It is also important to let toddlers experience a range of tastes. When my 17 year old neice was a baby, the recommendation was nothing but breastmilk or formula for the first year. Her mother stuck to that. Now my niece eats only from the "white food group" (Bread, potatoes, white rice, american cheese, pasta...) She has never tasted a piece of meat or a green veggie. If you try the peanut butter, add it once and observe for a day. Even if you only notice a rash, speak with your docotr before trying it again. Maybe you could try some other foods instead. My toddler loves steamed broccoli, and carrots,a nd frozen peas beacause she can handle these food on her own.

I think the standard advice these days is to hold off until your child is 3, but you might double-check with your pediatrician. We have the same allergies in our family as you, plus I have a nut allergy, and we let our son try peanut butter earlier than that (maybe age 2 or so, but just a little) simply because we thought the rule of thumb was after 2. My sister, whose son has a serious peanut allergy, says to wait until 3 to be safe.

T.

Hi T.,

I'm also the mother of an 18 month old. We started giving him peanut butter this month, but I know other mothers who started a few months ago. You can try spreading the peanut butter on a piece of bagel, or on half of a slice of bread and fold it over. Regardless of which you try, I would start with just a very thin spreading to 1. make sure your little one isn't allergic and 2. make sure he doesn't choke on a big amount because peanut butter is very sticky.

Also, be careful because the mixture of bread/bagel and peanutbutter might stick to the roof of your little one's mouth. Not a bit deal, you may occasionally need to just stick your finger up there to help get it loose if it happens.

I have a severe allergy to Shelled seafood...Shrimp/lobster/clams/oysters, you know the good stuff....well All 3 of my kids can eat it without any problems. My Aunt Is very allergic to EVERYTHING, but her girls have no allergies at all. I would say ask your pediatrician and see what they say.

as for when to feed Peanut butter Just make sure if you make a pb sandwich spread the pb really really thin....

I waited till 18 months as my pediatrician recommended that age. I have no allergies but my husband is allergic to everything not food related(Pollen, dust, mold, grass, rain and all other precipitation(yes rain)). Our daughter took it fine, she is now 2 1/2 and one of her favorite snacks is peanuts( broken into small pieces of course). Every kid is different, you never know who will have the allergy and who won't, but soemone else had a good point in saying they wish they would have waited longer. I started at 18 months because I had no worries about the allergy, but if you do you may want to wait it out.

If I could do it all over again I would have waited until he was AT LEAST 3. We have ZERO allergies in our family. ZERO. So I didnt worry about it.
I gave my son peanut butter on toast when he was 14 months old. He threw up. After having him tested, he has a peanut allergy.
Drs debate over the issue all the time. From what I have read the longer you wait, the better chance you have to dodge the allergy.
Good Luck.

My son was 1 when we gave him PB and J for the first time. He lives on it. We can get him to eat things that he wouldn't even consider if it's got PB on it.

I began with my daughter at 14 months and my son is just one and he loves peanut butter. Just give him a tiny but at a time. My daughter had very bad dairy allergies and was fine with peanut butter. Good luck.

hi T.; i gave both my kids peanut butter well before a year old; i eat it often and very early on i would eat it, then kiss them on the mouth! if they had no reaction i would give them a bit on my finger and encourage them to eat it and they both liked it a lot. my son is 2.5 and very picky, my daughter is 1 and not picky at all. who knows how long that will last.

if you think of any brilliant way to get a toddler to eat anything other than macaroni let me know!

j

Our pediatrician said age 2 for PB even with no family food allergies, so we've been using soy nut butter (brand is I.M. Healthy) and it's quite tasty-unless I did a blind taste test, I wouldn't know I'm not eating peanut butter. HTH.

Hello,
We started to introduce peanut, almond, and cashew butter (creamy organic w/ no additives) around 18 months to all three of our kids with no problems, but we don't have any allergies. Maybe check with his doctor and if you get the go ahead, then start with a small amount at first. Good Luck!

Although my doctor said to wait until she was 3 years old (!) I gave small amounts of peanut butter to my daughter around 20 months. I spoke to several of my friends and most of them started peanut butter earlier than the doctors said to. My husband and I also don't have any allergies and my daughter has not had any allergic reactions so I wasn't too worried about that.

I started with a very little bit on a morning that I knew I would be with her all day and could get to the doctor/hospital if she had a reaction. I slowly increased the amount and I now give it to her without concern (she's 22 months).

She's actually not a big fan of peanut butter, so it hasn't changed our lives drastically but it's one less thing to worry about.

Our physician told us not to give our sons shellfish until they are at least two and peanut butter until at least three years old. My boys age 2 and 4 1/2 are somewhat picky eaters too. However, like the doctor says when they are hungry they will eat; they won't starve. Both my boys love yogurt, try different flavors. Dananimals is yogurt they drink. My children also love cheese sticks and slices. Cut up pieces of fresh fruit too. At 18 months they tend to be very independent and don't want you to feed them anymore. They want to pick up their own foods.

I was told not before 2 years old, but my daughter is just 11 months so we haven't gotten there yet. I became allergic to tree nuts after I was pregnant, and my brother always has been. But the two are completely unrelated. So the ped said 2 years regardless of allergy for peanuts.

Also, just FYI if children are given potential allergens early, and they DO have a reaction, it can make their potential allergy MUCH MUCH worse than if they waited. If they wait they may only have a slight allergy, or none at all. This does make a difference when it is between an itchy throat, and the emergency room. I AM NOT A DOCTOR, but this is the information I have been given. Always check with the doctor in these situations.

I introduced it around 1 year. Just do not give too much at once because it is a choking hazard. I do not know if environmental allergies have to do with food allergies. Ask your doctor to be sure.

When my son was an infant (8.5 years ago) the rule was at one year you could feed them peanut butter. When my daughter was born they said not until she's 2, now I think they recommend not until they are 4. Both my children ate it at around a year or so without consequence. All of us have those same environmental allergies (dust, mold, trees, etc..) but no nut allergies any where in the family. In fact we are big nut eaters, we eat nuts nearly every day in some form or another.

L. K.

I have been giving my son peanutbutter since he was about a year old.. at first I made him a little sandwich with PB&J and cut it into super small squares.
Now, he is 17 months and grabs a quarter sandwich and eats it. He loves it.
I was worried about allergies, even though we don't have any you never know! The first taste I gave him was just that, a TASTE and I watched him for any reactions.
The only thing is make sure you are not using alot of peanutbutter, but pleanty of jelly to make it less sticky and easier for him to swallow. Don't forget the milk!

Wait! I gave my son peanut butter at 10.5 months because he had no signs of food allergy or eczema or anything and I thought the protein would be good for him because he didn't like meat. Because I have always had terrible allergies to pollen etc., I expected him to have hay fever but didn't think he would have a problem with food because he'd already eaten eggs successfully. This is rather long winded, but about 15 minutes after he ate the crackers covered with peanut butter he began to scratch and rub his eyes. I thought he simply had it in his eyes, but when I brought him into the bathroom he had welts all over his face where the peanut butter had come into contact with his skin. I gave him Benadryl right away, called the doctor and then drove the 20 minutes to the clinic. The nurse scolded me for giving it to him before age 3, which I guess is common knowledge. (!)I missed the page in "What to Expect..." that says a child born to parents with a history of ANY kind of allergy is likely to have allergies as well, but that the allergy might be of a different sort entirely. Afterward I did find the page. He's 4 now, and we had him tested at 2 and 3 and he still tests positive. I don't really feel that we caused it by giving him peanut butter, but in retrospect I wish we would have waited.

Our doctor had told us not before 2 years old and there are no allergies in our family at all. Hope this helps.

Hi T.
I started giving my twin boys peanut butter at 14 months. I spead it thin on rice cakes or whole wheat bread with jelly. At first I only gave them a little bit just to make sure they weren't allergic. One loved it right away and the other one didn't like it, but does now.
S.

If you and your husband have that many allergys' then my suggestion is that you have your child tested before you add anything new to his/her diet. It could be dangerous if you do give him/her anything and don't know how they are going to react. Mostly if you do give him/her anything make sure you are watching them for a couple of hours because the reaction does come pretty quick!

Childrens tastes change from month to month. So maybe something he tried before and didnt like he will like now. Give him a couple of choices and if he dosnt like those choices wait until his next snack. By changing food at every meal that he dosnt look too keen on you are causing yourself a lot of work and he will let you carry on. He needs to understand that the things he is given are to be eaten. If he has never had peanut butter then it could be a big hit, but not too much to start with.

Hi T.
I come fromm a family who barely has allergies. My daughter's father though had food and animal allergies like his family.
My daughter had dairy, wool, egg and peanut allergies as well as indoor and outdoor allergies.
(talk about being surprised)
I don't know which one's are linked and which aren't.
As a rule of thumb they say not to give your child peanut until he is 2 years old. This gives his immune system a chance to mature and be able to recognize correctly, what is poison and what is food.
So you have a little ways to go. I would suggest holding out - b/c once the peanut allergy is there - it's not one they are likely to grow out of and it is lethal most of the time.
I currently have an 18 month old as well - and I know how hard it can be to get protein into both my kids without peanut butter.
Wish you the best.
-H.

I was told by my pediatrician not to feed my son peanuts or peanut butter until he was 2. I would ask your pediatrician about the allergies and if they have any bearing on weather or not you can feed your son peanut butter.

hi T., i have allergies to nuts, but not peanuts, the same as my mom. i was told that my kids should not have nuts, peanuts, or berries until at least the age of 3, longer if possible. so that is what i have done. my son will be 5 next month and still hasnt had nuts or peanuts, for the most part. i dont think he is allergic, because there have been a few accidents. however, my doc explained that first of all, just because he had no reaction to nuts that are processed or cooked, like in cookies etc, doesnt mean he isnt allergic. cooking greatly reduces the allergens (i can eat processed coconut, but not raw).... also **** everytime a kid who has the tendency to be allergic is exposed to the allergen, it increases the chance of him developing the allergy**** i dont know how long for. i do know that at michaels 4 year exam, i asked again, doc told me to wait as long as i can. i dont even eat pb while preggo or nursing, which i have been for over 5 yrs! i miss it soooooo bad. but i know how it was growing up with nut allergies, it stinks. and thats not even a possibly life-threatening peanut allergy. its no joke. i would do whatever you can to avoid it. people will tell you different, a lot of people dont realize how serious it can be. imo, why take the chance? there are lots of other foods. take care, D.

Hi
Aside from the allergy factor, I was always told to stay away from pb for the choking factor. Little ones can't use their "gag reflex" like we can so when it sticks to the inside of their mouth, they wouldn't be able to get it out as easy as we may. Plus, I think "2" is the magic age for pb. Granted, my daughter fed my 15-month old a pb cracker yesterday and I alomst had a heart attack!! I wouldn't put him down for his nap 'til I knew he was ok!!
They go through stages and just when you buy his/her favorite item in bulk, they lose interest in it!! For me, it is yogurt! HE loves it, then spits it back at me.
Have you tried eggs-they are a favorite for my guy?
I hope that helps!!
Denise

11 months my doc said I can feed her whatever she will eat.