Justin Baldoni has his hands full being a Hollywood quadruple threat. He stars on the hit CW series Jane The Virgin, has his own production company, hosts a talk show geared toward men and is about to direct his first feature film.
But his commitments to his work don’t keep him from being a hands-on, protective dad. After learning peanut allergies can actually be prevented, Baldoni, 34, and his wife Emily are actively trying to prevent their son, 6-month-old Maxwell Roland-Samuel, from developing one.
“This was something that was brought to my attention and my sister-in-law has a really severe nut allergy and when she was 4 she almost died. The little boy that plays Mateo on my show has a really, really severe peanut allergy and I’ve had a lot of friends with nut allergies,” Baldoni tells PEOPLE exclusively.
“As a parent, you’re always trying to figure out how you can protect your child from the world because there’s so much that’s just out of our control,” he adds.
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After learning the allergy is not hereditary and about an Israeli study supporting research that the allergy can be prevented if peanuts are introduced into a diet before 6 months old, Baldoni found it “interesting.”
“If there is something that you can do now to prevent an allergy from happening, then you should explore it,” the actor advises.
But he cautions parents to seek guidance from their child’s medical professionals first. “You should talk to your pediatrician, you should talk to a dietitian, you should make sure it’s safe for you and your family and then you should try it,” Baldoni says.
RELATED VIDEO: Justin Baldoni Welcomes Son Maxwell Roland-Samuel
“We’re just trying to give Maxwell an extra superpower,” he explains. “Make him immune to any allergies so that he can live a happier, more normal life, and that’s all I can really try to do as a parent.”
His son may have a new superpower, but he’s also growing super fast. “Maxwell is 5 months old, but he’s wearing 9-month clothes, so he’s just massive,” Baldoni muses.
He’s also reaching some maneuvering milestones. Says the proud dad, “Right now he’s turning and he’s sitting up and he’s starting to crawl already, which is crazy.”
Baldoni’s daughter Maiya Grace, 2½, is enjoying her baby brother’s developments too. “He’s really interacting with his sister a lot, which is so much fun. It’s so much fun to see them getting closer and closer and closer,” he says.
Maiya seems to have naturally taken to her big sister role. “If Maxwell starts crying, she starts singing to him and she has her favorite songs like ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ and ‘Wheels on the Bus’ and ‘Old MacDonald’ and she sings them all on repeat until he stops crying, which is so sweet,” the star adds.
With his work commitments and two small children, Baldoni is emphatic about making sure he continues to prioritize his relationship. The couple takes time to “actively water their marriage,” sneaking in one-on-one time together whenever they can.
“Even if it’s 20, 30, 45 minutes getting away, even if it’s a date night once a week, we really believe that’s crucial and important in helping keep that balance,” he shares. “Because you have to keep that romance alive. It’s a living, breathing thing just like anything else.”
