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Being Proactive About Food Allergies With My Baby

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Eva Amurri Martino wears a yellow dress and sits in the kitchen of her Connecticut home as she feeds SpoonfulOne to her son Major

Many thanks to SpoonfulOne for sending me this amazing product to try, and for sponsoring this post! As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed below are entirely my own.

As any parent these days is aware, food allergies among children are growing at a rapid rate. It’s now estimated that two children per classroom are affected by food allergies, and that 30% of children with food allergies are allergic to multiple foods.  This is a scary statistic for a Mom! I have several Mom friends who have children with life-threatening food allergies and it is a daily struggle for the entire family.  My own brother bit into an apple in his twenties and immediately went into anaphylactic shock– and is currently (suddenly) severely allergic to a litany of foods including most tree fruits and some nuts! I’ve made it a point to be proactive about food allergies with my own children.

Major Martino sits on the kitchen floor next to his Mom's chair and plays with a SpoonfulOne feeding bowl

A SpoonfulOne feeding bowla and dose packets sit on the ktichen table in Eva Amurri Martino's connecticut home

And today I’m really excited to introduce you to a product I’m using with Major to prevent him from developing food allergies– meet SpoonfulOne!  SpoonfulOne is a daily food mix-in developed by a pediatrician, allergist and mom of five kids. This gentle powder makes it easy to regularly feed all the foods most commonly associated with food allergies, beyond just peanuts – since 77% of people with a food allergy are allergic to something other than peanuts. The Pediatric and Allergy community now recommends babies are introduced to a wide variety of common foods allergens “early and often” to decrease your child’s likelihood of developing food allergies.

Eva Amurri Martino wears a yellow dress and reads the directions of SpoonfulOne mixins

Major Martino eats porridge in his high chair that has SpoonfulOne mixed in to it

Major Martino eats from a SpoonfulOne bowl in his high chair

Major Martino feeds himself in his high chair wearing a hoodie sweatshirt

SpoonfulOne was created as a complete, safe and easy way for parents to introduce all the most common food allergens – gently training your child’s immune system and reducing food allergy risk! It’s taken daily and can be started once solids are introduced at 4-6 months or older.

I have to admit that when it comes to Major, I’m a bit overprotective.  As my Rainbow Baby, the idea of anything happening to him (especially something as scary as a deadly food allergy!) is just too much for me to handle.  That’s why SpoonfulOne helps me relax a bit and know I’m doing all I can to prep Major for the rest of his life eating out in the world! Plus, it’s so easy to do.  When you subscribe, you get a welcome kit that includes a 30-day supply of SpoonfulOne packets and a cute little BPA-free bowl and spoon.  There are really simple directions and a planner included in the box.  You can mix the SpoonfulOne powder (it doesn’t have a flavor) with any puree that your baby likes to eat– cereal, mashed fruits or veggies, or even yogurt if that is not an allergen for your baby! Once a day, I mix the powder with some cereal or applesauce for Major, and feed it to him for a snack.  Well, these days he actually much prefers feeding himself! LOL.  When we’re done, I feel like I can breathe a little sigh of relief and know that I’m being as proactive as possible to keep him safe and healthy.  And so far– no allergies!

Eva Amurri Martino wears a yellow dress and oversees her son Major eating a bowl of porridge with a SpoonfulOne mixin

Eva Amurri Martino leans in to kiss son Major in his high chair in the kitchen of her Connecticut home

Eva Amurri Martino holds one year old son Major Martino in the kitchen of her Connecticut home

Ultimately, my son won’t always be in my care.  He’ll spend most of his day among his peers at school and will be exposed to all sorts of things emotionally, physically, and yes even foods that I can’t control! While it’s hard to admit that his own safety will one day be out of my hands and in his, it’s important to me to take these little but important steps now while he’s still my itty bitty guy.  Well, maybe not so itty bitty anymore… (*cries*) Gah! Why did I decide to stop having children! LOL.

Eva Amurri Martino holds her son Major on her lap in her Connecticut home

Eva Amurri Martino wears a yellow dress and lifts son Major up in her arms to kiss him

Eva Amurri Martino kisses son Major on his cheek

Are you concerned about food allergies, and would you try SpoonfulOne? I’m so interested to hear about your experiences too!

Major Martino snuggles her son Major in the kitchen of her Connecticut home

 

Photographs by Carter Fish

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12 Comments

  1. Linda says:

    Hi Eva, My little guy is 21 months and has been exposed to most foods but like you, I still like to be as proactive as possible. Is he too old for SpoonfulOne?

    Thanks for always posting such great information! xox

    11.13.17 Reply
    • Hi Linda!
      I’m not sure about the exact ages– I’m sure they can answer your question directly if you reach out to them!
      xx

      11.13.17 Reply
      • Linda says:

        Thanks Eva – I did! Here is what they had to say: “While early is better and most critical, it is never too late to start. Our co-founders, a scientist, and a pediatric allergist incorporate SpoonfulOne into their own daily diet, as well as that of their own kids (mostly preteen age).”

        11.15.17 Reply
  2. Amy says:

    I think it’s important to note that if your child does have a peanut allergy (my 10 month old was diagnosed a month ago) this food is not an option for you. Your allergist will likely recommend you wait until he is older to do an in-office introduction of allergens in small doses under doctor supervision. Also, if you’re baby has a food allergy, it is not because you didn’t introduce the food early enough! I don’t think moms need to shoulder that guilt. I always appreciate your blog posts, Eva, but I just wanted to add my two cents. 🙂

    11.13.17 Reply
    • Yes, definitely ! When you sign up they make sure to alert parents that it is definitely NOT for children who have already shown ANY signs of food allergies, even if the allergies are not among the “common” food allergies in the mixin!

      11.13.17 Reply
      • Amy says:

        Oh good!

        11.13.17 Reply
  3. Kate says:

    Eva,
    So interesting to hear that your brother developed a sudden apple allergy in his 20s- same here, and so random!

    11.13.17 Reply
  4. Hillary says:

    So interesting! My husband and I both have anaphylactic food allergies, and I’m terrified about preventing them for our little one (due in March). Did you consult your pediatrician beforehand? My major concern would be ensuring I was prepared for a possible reaction after the first time trying SpoonfulOne. Though the risk is probably higher I’d have a reaction feeding it to her 🙂

    11.13.17 Reply
  5. What a crazy, cool way to get your baby ingesting those potential allergens.

    11.13.17 Reply
  6. Katie says:

    Perhaps not the most important question, but who makes your insanely fabulous shoes in this post? Xoxo

    11.13.17 Reply
  7. Andrea says:

    What a neat product! Before play dates I always ask the parent if their child has allergies or diet restrictions and how severe. Some kiddos are so severely allergic that even second hand or airborn contact is an issue. A child in my son’s class has a strong peanut allergy so if he eats a pb&j before school I have him wait to change out of his jammies until he’s after he’s done eating and has washed his hands/ face/ and brushed his teeth. That’s probably overkill, but my boy is little and a messy eater.

    11.13.17 Reply
  8. Kavita says:

    Inspired Start, SpoonfulOne and Hello, Peanut! are products designed to prevent your baby from developing certain food allergies. Watch this video to learn more. https://matchhealth.com/way-to-prevent-food-allergies

    09.07.18 Reply