Not so long ago, in many countries of the world, babies were fed with cow or goat milk for up to a year. If the mother could not continue breastfeeding or find a wet nurse for the baby, she would give the baby cow or goat milk. There was no more choice, because the reasoning about how appropriate it was to feed a child with such milk did not make much sense.
Milk composition
It is not recommended to feed babies with cow or goat milk for a number of reasons. There is now a very rich selection of a variety of highly adapted infant formula. Manufacturers strive to make their composition as similar as possible to the composition of breast milk. But the composition of cow's milk is strikingly different from that of breast milk.
Firstly, the high protein and sodium content (3 times higher than in the breast) can adversely affect the health of the child, since the baby's body is not yet ready to cope with such stress on the kidneys. In addition, low iron levels in cow's milk are a concern for pediatricians. If a baby does not get enough iron, he or she is at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia.
Milk formulas often cause allergies in children, but cow's milk is one of the strongest allergens for a baby's body. Goat milk can also cause allergic reactions, but much less frequently.
Another danger of feeding a baby with cow's milk is that the calcium contained in it is poorly absorbed due to insufficient amounts of fatty acids, vitamins and carbohydrates. For the above reasons, it is not recommended to feed children under three years of age with cow's milk.
Goat milk is more suitable for babies. Its protein is easier to digest, and its composition is slightly closer to breast milk. Unlike cow's milk, it contains folic acid. But it is still better to start feeding the baby with goat milk after a year.
Feeding recommendations
If you nevertheless decide for any reason to give your baby cow or goat milk, keep in mind that it is better to introduce it at 9-12 months, starting from 50g per feeding. Pay attention to the fat content of milk, even milk with a fat content of 2% must be diluted with boiled water in a 1: 1 ratio. It is also important what kind of milk you give your baby.
Mothers living in villages are much bolder and at an earlier age introduce the baby to cow and goat milk, because they are sure that their cow is not sick, they know what it eats, where it grazes. You cannot be sure that milk bought in stores or markets is absolutely safe. It needs to be boiled before consumption, and this, unfortunately, destroys some of the beneficial nutrients.
Pay attention to your baby's stools and skin rashes. If there are problems, infants older than 8 months can be introduced into the diet instead of milk, fermented milk products, low-fat kefir, yogurt. In any case, the most optimal option for the health of the baby is to continue breastfeeding. In second place in terms of usefulness are dry milk formulas, enriched with all vitamins and minerals necessary for a child.
