Sweethearts Candy Blog's

OK, I just had to share my humble opinion about the latest "food allergy news" story stating that babies born in winter have more food allergies. The reason? They're not getting enough Vitamin D due to the lack of sunlight.

Shame on you, Moms and Dads! What are you thinking, getting your groove on and thinking about conceiving in a month that will result in a winter birth. Honestly, people!

Obviously, I don't know what causes food allergies, any more than anyone else does. But if the "birth month" hypothesis (my new favorite "allergy reason" next to the "hygiene hypthosesis") is true, then why doesn't every kid born in winter have a food allergy? Or the majority of kids born in winter? We know that, even though food allergies are increasing, that kids who have them are still firmly in the minority. I'm just sayin'.

Both of my daughters were born in February. (A week apart--I know, I know, but that's the way it worked out. And I've saved a fortune in winter coats!) One has severe, life-threatening food allergies and one can eat pretty much anything we've ever set in front of her with no problem. Also, the food-allergic child was born in a balmy (for Chicago) February with 60+ degree record highs and copious sunlight. She got outdoors fairly often. The non-allergic child was born in a February so cold we almost suffocated her in blankets and outerwear on the way home from the hospital.

My anecdotal story doesn't disprove anything. But I'm just so bemused by all of the "reasons" for food allergies and they somehow all get traced back to the mother and/or father. (Usually the mother.) How about the other recent story about feeding solids to babies--now they're saying if you don't give solids to babies, you will cause food allergies. I was told that the reverse was true. Who to believe? What to believe? Definitely not the news.

Please take all of these news stories with a grain of salt and don't worry about it, moms. You'll be taking all the blame for everything, anyway, when your child is a teenager, food allergies or not.