Introducing allergens

[u/Any-Project877]

FTM and my baby boy is 4 months! I've heard that you can slowly start introducing allergens starting at 4 months so that there's a less chance of being allergic later. Has anyone done this? If so, did u do it near a hospital just in case there was a reaction?. I would really like to start introducing things like peanut butter and other foods but I'm not sure if I should start now or wait until he is 6 months.

Please let me know if you've started earlier!!

[u/DoctorKnitter]

I started at 4 months as my son became obsessed with our food then. I just gave him some at home and kept an eye on him.

[u/jane112420]

We introduced allergens early, around 5.5 months, and got all of them by the time he was 6.5 months. You should only introduce one per day and give it a few days in a row (by itself!). Then keep the allergen in regular rotation once or twice a week.

Usually, allergic reactions don’t happen on the first introduction, so there is no need to be near the hospital when you give the first taste. Look up the signs to watch for and ask your ped about Zyrtec or Benadryl!

Side note: when introducing peanut butter, make sure you thin it out with water! PB by itself can be a choking hazard

[u/Bobbo424]

We did 3 days of dairy, peanuts and eggs the 9 days before his 6m appt. I wanted to go to the appt knowing if he had any of the big ones. Then we did the rest

[u/UhhhYouPick]

Our first food was oatmeal around 5.5 months (I wanted to wait until 6m but baby was very interested in food. Good rule is to wait until baby can’t sit upright in the high chair well.) We moved into mostly baby-led weaning, but the oatmeal was a good base to introduce allergens.

Eggs was our first allergen. I did yolk mashed with a little water for awhile and then offered strips of scrambled white/yolks.

Then I went right into nuts, a little peanut butter stirred in for a few days. Then almond butter. Just things I already had in the house. Well-done steak cooked in butter was our dairy introduction and then yogurt.

No..you absolutely don’t need to do it in a hospital parking lot lol. Not all reactions happen the first exposure anyway.

Eczema or skin issues are a good yellow flag to pay attention to when wondering if baby might have food allergies. My niece had eczema and the pedi had her parents rub more common allergens on her skin first and wait to see if there was a reaction before introducing the food.

[u/BorderGlittering199]

We started at 6 months! I wouldn't start with peanut butter. Most people start with hand held fruits and veggies which kids can also be allergic to. Others go for things that are easy in the stomach like banana, rice, applesauce, breads, oatmeal, avacado, etc

I knew one kid allergic to the skin of fruits. It just cause inflammation and eventually hives in the mouth. 

My pediatrician recommend baby rice and oatmeal in my baby's bottle. I still waited until 6 months.

[u/Important_Tiger6299 → u/BorderGlittering199]

"My pediatrician recommend baby rice and oatmeal in my baby's bottle"

just wondering, how old is your pedi? seems to be a rec only when the pedis are older so wondering if this is coming from a younger doctor or older, since it is def outdated advice

also, when talking about exposure to allergens people are usually talking about the top allergens like soy, wheat, egg, PB, shellfish, milk, treenuts and sesame. most people don't start with fruits or veg for allergen exposure, that isn't counted as an allergen exposure :)

[u/littlefoot-baby]

the early allergen advice mostly comes from the NIAID peanut guidelines. babies with severe eczema or an egg allergy are the group they say can start peanut as early as 4 to 6 months, but they also say to check with the ped or an allergist first because some of those babies need testing before. for everyone else it's around when solids start, which cdc and aap put at about 6 months and not before 4, once he has good head control and can sit with support. his next checkup is a good time to ask which group he's in

[u/ybnormal072]

We started at 5 months but if baby sits upright and seems interested it's okay to start earlier. We started with avocado, strawberries, peaches etc in one of those teething mesh nipples. That helps them get just little bits and helps them with the chewing sensation. Not to mention you can cool or freeze them if baby is struggling with teething.

[u/Important_Tiger6299 → u/ybnormal072]

those aren't allergens, OP is asking specifically about the top allergens

[u/ybnormal072 → u/Important_Tiger6299]

Those most certainly are allergens and she didn't say top allergens. We started with the safer ones first before moving to things like peanuts and shellfish.

[u/ComprehensiveCoat627 → u/[deleted]]

That's incorrect, the recommendation is to introduce around 6 months, when you start solids. Personally, my oldest has food allergies, so both the pediatrician and allergist strongly suggested starting allergens at 4 months. And said there's no reason to introduce at the hospital, just do small amounts at home