In years past, it was almost unheard of for a baby to be allergic to milk, eggs, or peanuts. But food allergies are becoming increasingly common. No one knows why for certain, but there are precautions you can take to make it less likely for your child to develop a food allergy.

Before Birth

• Allergies tend to run in families. So if you or your spouse has any type of allergy, you need to take special precautions.
• During pregnancy, avoid eating any specific foods that cause allergy symptoms in your family. If you are avoiding any major food group, consult with your obstetrician about getting the proper nutrients for your growing baby.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and chocolate throughout your pregnancy.

After Birth

• Breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first six months of life. Consider breastfeeding for the entire first year, if possible. Breastfed babies tend to develop fewer allergies. However, you may need to avoid foods that your family is allergic to while breastfeeding.
• If you cannot breastfeed, feed your baby hypoallergenic formula.
• Wait until at your baby is at least six months before introducing solids. Start by introducing low-allergenic foods like rice cereal.
• If a food causes a reaction, wait at least two weeks before trying again. If a reaction occurs again, wait six months to reintroduce that food.
• Wait until your baby is one year to introduce dairy or cow’s milk, two years to introduce eggs, and three years to introduce peanut butter and other nuts.

Allergy Symptoms

• Colic, fussiness, irritability, interrupted sleep.
• Diarrhea, vomiting, blood in the stools.
• Skin rashes, hives, eczema (dry, itchy skin.)
• Nasal congestion, sneezing, nighttime snoring
• Chronic ear infections or bronchitis.

If your child seems to have food allergies, you should discuss it with your pediatrician and possibly see a pediatric allergist. She may want to perform allergy tests to verify which foods your baby is allergic to. Avoiding the specific allergens completely gives your child the best chance of outgrowing the food allergy.