does this help the chances of your baby not having allergies? I know this is a weird question and there probably is no guarentee to anything but i was just wondering because i know if you eat peanut butter and varieties of food it decreases the chance of food allergies. I have a cat and was thinking what if my baby is allergic to it once she's born so just thought i would ask cause i would be devastated if I run into this after giving birth! Thanks
2007-01-12 10:25:08 · 10 answers · asked by estkijedsco 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
ok people thanks for your answers but i know about the litter box lol im 32 weeks pregnant!!
2007-01-12 10:35:20 · update #1
I have 3 cats, and two dogs, and I worried so bad when i was pregnant, what if my baby is allergic? He turned out not to be, thank god. I know what you're going through with the worry though.
Having cats and dogs early on in a child's life decrease the liklihood of developing allergies to them.
What I have found, though, is that my son finds every tiny little bit of fur on the floor or stuck to the couch and puts them in his mouth!
Keep pets out of the baby's room at night, and away from him when he sleeps. There is danger of suffocation if the animal lays on the baby, and of the baby inhaling animal fur while he sleeps. At least that's what my doc told me.
Now that my son is nine months old, he loves to sleep next to the kitties and the dogs. It's when the baby is too young and weak to move themselves out of harm's way that it's a problem.
If no allergies to pets run in your family, I wouldn't worry too much. You'll cross that difficult bridge if/when you get there.
2007-01-12 11:21:10 · answer #1 · answered by crazyjmommy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Actually, doctor's have discovered that exposing your child to pets at a younger age will help them to develop an immunity to pet allergies. A lot of people think that by keeping their child away from pets in their early years it will cause the child to not be allergic, but it's actually the opposite. There will always be the child or two who will be allergic either way and there isn't much you can do about that, but at this point, I wouldn't toss the cat out yet. We have 5 cats (I know that's a lot, I'm a foster mommy to kittens from the shelter, and some never found homes so we kept them.) My plan is to keep the kitties out of the nursery and our bedroom while the baby is living in there, but we are going to let the cats be around them when we are.
2007-01-12 11:04:05 · answer #2 · answered by Serena 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Basically, having pets cuts the baby's chances of developing allergies later in life, because the baby's immune system is still trying to figure out what is "acceptable" or "friendly" when it is developing in early years. Scientists theorize that the immune system, sensing cat and dog dander and considering it "normal" or "friendly", means that the child is less likely to develop an allergy later on in life.
I had never heard the information about peanut butter. In fact, I had always thought that exposure to peanuts in utero actually increases the chance of a child later developing allergies, but that just may be what my doctor says (we have peanut allergies in the family).
Good luck!
2007-01-12 10:42:36 · answer #3 · answered by annieohbee 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I hadn't heard anything about having pets while pregnant keeping a child from having allergies. I have heard that having pets when young does help with preventing some allergies--just not ones to the pets themselves. All you can do is wait till your child is born to see if they will be allergic to your pets. If they are, you may have to make some tough choices where your pets are concerned though. Best advise I can give is to talk to your doctor about this now and start looking for a pediatrician for your baby before it's even born. Good luck & congratulations!
2007-01-12 10:36:23 · answer #4 · answered by tkltafoya 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
NO, even the bit about peanut butter is a wives tale. Many babies are born with a lot of allergies that they outgrow in early childhood. Just relax and enjoy this time in your life!
I'm sure you're doctor told you this, but you should stay away from the cat's litter box while pregnant.
2007-01-12 10:33:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kittens and puppies help prevent new allergies, but adult cats and dogs don't make a difference as far as I know. Good to have them around anyhow, to teach your babies sympathy and fuzz factor (that is: dogs and cats are awesome for making you feel better when you're sad). Also, make sure you don't handle a cat's litter box: cat poop is very bad for fetuses.
2007-01-12 10:36:47 · answer #6 · answered by KD 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I dont know about allergies...however Ive been around my moms dog and my inlaws cats for like 2 weeks when we were visiting. However DO NOT change your cats litter box...it is not good for pregnant women to be around it.
2007-01-12 10:32:26 · answer #7 · answered by Samantha M 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not sure about allergies but you should be careful about the cat's litterbox. It can be extremely dangerous for a pregnant woman to come into contact with cat feces.
Take care!!
2007-01-12 10:32:06 · answer #8 · answered by farmersdaughter 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
we have dogs, cats, birds, a rabbit and 2 reptiles. The only thing my daughter is allergic to is soap to wash her with.
2007-01-12 12:16:18 · answer #9 · answered by Ariamay 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its the cat poop that is harmful.
2007-01-12 10:31:52 · answer #10 · answered by s7e28t81 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋