Peanut butter is delicious. It’s one of those amazing, wonderful foods that packs in a ton of flavor. That explains, in part, why many parents are excited to facilitate the early introduction of peanut butter to their babies. Most pediatricians recommend that you first introduce peanut butter to your baby between the ages of 4 months and 6 months.
The early introduction of peanut butter is important for three reasons. First and foremost, peanut butter can itself be quite nutritious (it’s got lots of good proteins and fats and calories for babies). And if your baby likes peanut butter, that’s great. Secondly, peanut butter can be a great way to introduce your baby to peanuts as an ingredient. Third, science has shown that the early introduction of peanut butter to babies with healthy skin reduces their risk of developing a future peanut allergy.
For parents, this can make peanut butter a very impactful (and significant) new food to introduce your baby to. Accomplishing this sooner with the early introduction of peanut butter can give parents a lot of useful information that can guide other food choices as your child ages.
Peanut Butter and Peanut Allergies
It will not shock anyone to discover that there are peanuts in, well, peanut butter. Because food allergies (and peanut allergies in particular) are so common among children, it’s important to exercise a little bit of caution as you begin the process of starting peanut butter early for your baby.
This caution isn’t new. Many parents may mistakenly believe that they should wait until their baby is much older before introducing peanut butter. This belief is based on outdated science. The current thinking among pediatricians is that early introduction of peanut butter will be more beneficial to your child in the long run–and may even prevent the later development of peanut allergies.
Peanut allergies can cause a wide variety of symptoms in children. Left untreated, many of these symptoms can be quite serious. If you have any questions about introducing peanuts or watching for peanut allergies in your baby, talk to your pediatrician during your regular newborn wellness visit.
When to Avoid Giving Your Child Peanut Butter
For most babies, introducing peanut butter between the ages of 4-6 months is going to be perfect. But there are some specific circumstances in which you may want to delay this introduction (or at least check with your pediatrician before moving forward).
In general, you will want to be a little extra careful or get your pediatrician's permission if your baby has exhibited any of the following:
Eczema
Asthma
Allergic rhinitis (nose allergies)
Other food allergies.
The general rule of thumb is that if your baby has shown any predisposition for having an allergic reaction, you should talk to your pediatrician before introducing peanut butter.
What Early Introduction of Peanut Butter Looks Like
If you aren’t sure how to introduce peanut butter to your baby, ask your pediatrician for the best way to proceed. The basic process will be very similar to many other foods: start with a small amount and don’t force your baby to eat anything. However, there are some special rules and suggestions when it comes to peanut butter.
Some Things to Remember When Introducing Peanut Butter:
If you’re just getting used to the idea of feeding your baby solid food, it’s easy to feel lost. In general, the following will be useful to remember during the early introduction of peanut butter:
- When first introducing your baby to peanut butter, do so at your home. Avoid the introduction of peanut butter in noisy or distracting places (such as a restaurant, park, or other venue).
- Use only creamy peanut butter. Avoid chunky peanut butter.
- Avoid feeding your baby non-thinned-out peanut butter until they are older (some recommend waiting until your child is four years old for this).
How to Feed Peanut Butter to Your Baby
Many parents aren’t quite sure where to start with feeding their baby peanut butter–or what the basic procedure looks like. You’re not alone! In general, the early introduction of peanut butter looks something like this:
- Plan for the introduction of peanut butter around snack time.
- Make sure to thin out the peanut butter. There are several ways to do this (several recipes are located below), but the general idea behind them is the same. Thinning out the peanut butter with water or milk makes it easier for your baby to eat and digest.
- Add some of the thinned out peanut butter to the tip of a spoon and offer it to your baby.
- Your baby will either eat or reject the peanut butter. Avoid forcing your baby to eat the peanut butter if they don’t want to.
- Wait ten minutes to see how your baby’s body will react. Stay alert for the signs of an allergic reaction.
- If your baby does not have a reaction, you can continue to offer the thinned peanut butter until your baby loses interest (or you run out of peanut butter).
This method is also useful for testing your baby’s tolerance of peanuts as an ingredient. If your baby does not have a reaction to the peanut butter, you can offer your baby other peanut-containing foods (starting in small quantities). Remain vigilant for the signs of a reaction as you continue offering your baby new foods.
What Does a Reaction Look Like?
Many parents may not recognize the signs of an allergic reaction right away. If you have given your child peanut butter, stay on the lookout for the following symptoms:
Symptoms That Suggest a Mild Allergic Reaction:
- A rash or hives around the mouth.
Symptoms That Suggest a Severe Allergic Reaction:
- Hives that are widespread around the entire body.
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing.
- Any swelling or changes to skin color.
- Sudden fatigue.
- Any diarrhea or vomiting.
- Coughing (especially if it’s repetitive)
If your baby is having a severe allergic reaction to peanuts, you should call 911 immediately. If the symptoms are on the mild side, you can call your pediatrician to find out what to do next. If you have any doubt one way or the other, seek out emergency medical care.
In general, it’s a good idea to have discussions with your pediatrician about what to do before you give your child peanut butter of any kind. It’s always better to have a plan than to find yourself panicking and not knowing what to do!
If your child does develop or show signs of peanut allergies, you can ask your pediatrician about how to handle that and what to do next.
Recipes for Peanut Butter for Babies
While it seems that the incidence of peanut allergies in kids is growing, the vast majority of babies do not present this allergy. This means most parents will be able to simply focus on helping their infants enjoy this delicious food!
In general, all peanut butter for babies will need to be thinned out from its thicker, creamier consistency. Here are some recipes you can use to make a version of peanut butter that your baby can consume:
- Measure out 2 teaspoons of smooth peanut butter. Slowly add hot water, starting with 2 teaspoons, but adding up to three until you reach the desired thinness. You can add either more or less water or add infant cereal in order to make the mixture as thick or thin as your baby prefers.
- Measure out 2 teaspoons of smooth peanut butter. Slowly add fruit puree or vegetable puree (of a variety your baby has previously eaten and accepted and liked). Start with 2 teaspoons of the puree, but add up to 3. Adjust the thickness according to your baby’s preferences.
These recipes are just a starting point. Ask your pediatrician for more information about how you can develop or use one of these peanut butter recipes.
Does it Matter Which Peanut Butter I Use?
In a general sense, there is no one perfect brand or type of peanut butter to use. However, there are a few guidelines that new parents should keep in mind when selecting a peanut butter for their baby. That includes the following:
- Use only creamy brands of peanut butter.
- Avoid crunchy peanut butter or peanut butter that has other ingredients mixed in (for example, chocolate, jam, or honey).
- Check the peanut butter to avoid brands that have a significant amount of added sugar. Ideally, you’d choose a brand that has almost no added sugar. A couple of grams is okay, but the general rule of thumb is the lower the better.
You can ask your pediatrician for a list of peanut butter brands or types that would be best to use.
Sharing the Joy of Peanut Butter
Ultimately, the reason for introducing peanut butter to your baby is twofold. First, you get to share in the basic joy of peanut butter. Sharing the foods you love with your kids is one of those true pleasures of parenting, after all!
Second, using thinned peanut butter allows you to gently expose your baby to peanuts as an ingredient. This can help determine whether your child has any (possibly dangerous) peanut allergies–and this can significantly impact how they grow up.
Third, robust scientific studies support that the early introduction of peanut butter to your baby reduces their future risk of developing a peanut allergy.
If you need help determining how to help your baby taste peanuts–and introducing peanut butter to your baby–talk to your pediatrician today or schedule an appointment at Children’s Healthcare Associates today!