Pregnant and Craving Crab Legs

Have at it! There's no reason not to eat them if YOU aren't allergic! I ate whatever I wanted when I was pregnant. Until the last 10-15 years, so did everyone else!

It can be passed from either side, or skip several generations, or never appear at all, or even be "new".

That said...

My suspicion is that you're actually craving

- iodine
- protein
- possibly fat (if you dip them in butter)

Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, and many others) was the sole source of iodine for many peoples for thousands of years. Noadays we have iodized salt. Since switching to kosher salt, I've notice that my shellfish cravings are 10x what they used to be.

Try french fries (for a super iodized salt binge) dipped in chocolate shake and some very red meat or nice clean fish to come at your crab craving sideways.

((BTW... you have officially passed on your crab leg craving to me. Start season, start start start!!)

According to my son's allergist it has not been proven that you will pass an allergy to the baby while pregnant b/c of eating things. He stated that allergies are from exposure. If family members have allergies then your child will be more likely to have allergies, but not necessarily.
Go ahead and have a few and have no worries!!

My children are allergic to milk. They inherited the allergy from their father.

allergies can be passed on but not all the times. you know genes go, they do what they want!

I say "Eat up!" Yes, I ate Sushi, Blue cheese, drank a glass of wine, and pretty much indulged in everything they said not to while pregnant (in great moderation and I never smoked) and pretty much ate the way a Mediterranio would eat. Healthy kid, no allergies - but she still has a limited palate ... oy vay. The other gals are right - allergies are so sporadic.

Allergies are so hit or miss. My mother's allergy to shellfish didn't start until her 40's. I have seasonal/environmental allergies, but never had a problem with shellfish. My guess is your body is craving the iodine, an important ingredient for the thyroid. If your husband is highly allergic, perhaps you should go out to lunch with a girlfriend. Go ahead and give into that craving! I was craving lobster the other day myself.

I think that the experts don't yet know how we get allergies. There is some indication that they are genetically related but not all allergies are passed down. My granddaughter has asthma as well as allergies to pollen, mold, dust, animal dander and peanuts. No one in her genetic family has had any allergy let alone several for as far back as anyone can remember. No one has had asthma or eczema. She has both.

My mother had 4 sisters and 1 brother. Of the 5, only 1 sister, and not my mother, had food allergies. Of numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, I'm the only one with food allergies. My mother's generation was the first to have a food allergy as far as anyone knows. My daughter is adopted. No genetic connection there.

I wouldn't worry about it. What will be will be anyway. I would be sure not to introduce shell fish to your baby during the first few years but that shouldn't be difficult to do.

I would try getting more iodine, protein, and salt as Riley J. suggests. It won't hurt you and perhaps would help.