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How to introduce peanut, step by step

Peanut is the allergen parents worry about most, and it is also the one where the guidance flipped the hardest. The old advice was to wait. The current advice, backed by the LEAP study, is that introducing peanut early and keeping it in the diet dramatically lowers the chance of a peanut allergy for many babies. Here is how to do it calmly and safely.

First, one check: if your baby has severe eczema, an egg allergy, or a known food allergy, talk to your pediatrician before introducing peanut. They may suggest testing or introducing it in the office. For most other babies, home introduction around 6 months is typical.

The step-by-step

  1. Pick a calm, awake timeIntroduce peanut earlier in the day at home, not right before nap or bed, so you can watch for a couple of hours.
  2. Use a safe formNever whole peanuts or thick globs (choking risk). Thin smooth peanut butter with warm water, breast milk, or formula, or stir peanut powder into a food your baby already eats.
  3. Start with a small tasteOffer a little on the tip of a spoon, then wait about 10 minutes and watch before offering more.
  4. Watch for about 2 hoursMost reactions appear quickly. Look for hives, swelling, vomiting, or any trouble breathing.
  5. Keep it in the rotationIf all goes well, offer peanut regularly (a few times a week). Ongoing exposure is part of what helps.

Watch for a reaction

Most reactions show up within minutes to about two hours. Mild signs include hives, swelling, or vomiting. For any trouble breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, or your baby going pale or floppy, call emergency services right away. See the full signs of a reaction.

Then keep it going

The part people forget: introducing peanut once is not the finish line. Keeping it in the diet regularly, a few times a week, is part of what maintains tolerance. Yummy Yucky tracks each introduction and nudges you through the watch window so you do not have to hold it all in your head.

Related reading

See the complete allergen guide for the other big-9 foods and the 3-day approach.

Frequently asked questions

When should I introduce peanut to my baby?

For most babies, around 6 months, once they have started solids and handled a few first foods, is a common window. Research (notably the LEAP study) found that introducing peanut early and keeping it in the diet greatly reduced peanut allergy in higher-risk babies. If your baby has severe eczema or an egg allergy, talk to your pediatrician first, as they may recommend testing or an in-office introduction.

How do I give peanut safely to a baby?

Never give whole peanuts or thick spoonfuls of peanut butter; both are choking hazards. Thin smooth peanut butter with a little warm water, breast milk, or formula until it is easily swallowed, or mix peanut powder into a food your baby already eats, like oatmeal or puree.

What reaction signs should I watch for?

Watch for roughly two hours after the first taste. Mild signs include hives, redness, swelling around the mouth, or vomiting. Severe signs (trouble breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, going pale or floppy) are an emergency: call emergency services right away.

How often should I keep offering peanut?

Once introduced without a reaction, keeping peanut in the diet regularly, a few times a week, is part of what helps maintain tolerance. Dropping it for long stretches is not recommended once it is established. Ask your pediatrician about the right routine for your baby.

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How we write these: from widely published pediatric guidance (AAP, NIAID 2017 guidelines, the LEAP study), with sources cited on every page. Pending review by a pediatric professional.

This is general information, not medical advice, and has not been individually reviewed for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.

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