Can I Give Goat’s Milk To My Baby?

Once your little one makes his or her entry into this world, you life undergoes a total change and you will be sure that 24 hours are not enough to look after your little mite. You slowly begin getting used to breastfeeding your baby and gradually wonder when to introduce formula milk or cow’s milk to their diet. Ideally, your child should be exclusively breastfed for at least six months before you introduce any kind of formula for them. Whether goat’s milk is safe for your infant is quite a debate these days. Even though goat’s milk is not extremely popular in the West, this is consumed widely internationally and is rich in all kinds of nutrients.

• Can Babies Have Goat’s Milk?
• Benefits of Goat’s Milk For Infants
• What Precautions Should Be Taken When Feeding Goat’s Milk To Babies?
• What Are The Cons Of Goat’s Milk For Babies?

Can Babies Have Goat’s Milk?

Infants can be fed with raw goat milk that is pasteurized safely after the baby is at least 1 year old. However, it needs to be prepared in accordance with the time tested and proven method for “homemade infant formula” to ensure it your baby gets all the required quantities of fat, milk protein, water and nutrients in the perfect ratio identical to breast milk. You also get organic goat milk that can be fed to your baby. Because goat’s milk does not contain enough iron, it is suggested not to give goat’s milk to babies unless they celebrate their first birthday. Goat’s milk is also protein dense, and your little one’s kidneys may actually not be able to process the same. The usual breast-milk or formula milk or even goats formula milk are fortified with all the essential things your baby needs and so will suit him better.

Benefits of Goat’s Milk For Infants

Loaded with calcium, potassium, sodium, copper, zinc, magnesium, Vitamin A, D c and B2, some medical professionals consider goat’s milk closer to cow’s milk and recommend goat’s milk for infants. Their recommendation is based on the following grounds:

• Goat’s milk is easily digestible: Whenever your baby has milk of any type, all the proteins group together to form curds in the baby’s tummy. Curds that are softer and smaller are easier to digest for the little mite. Although the fat content in both goat and cow’s milk is almost the same, the globules of fat in goat’s milk are much tinier that makes it easier to digest. Goat’s milk also has lower quantity of lactose than cow’s milk, making it ideal for infants who are lactose intolerant or allergic to breast milk
• Provides relief from colic aches: Goat’s milk has been found to be extremely helpful in offering visible relief from colic pain and gastric issues (GERD) that majority of the infants experience from time to time when they are small
• Good for constipation: Goat’s milk is also recommended for babies who are victims of constipation. It helps to cure this constipation issue to an extent in infants
• Cures rashes and eczema: Goat’s milk has been proven to be excellent for infants suffering from eczema and any kind of rashes on the infant’s skin
• Ideal for infants who are allergic to cow’s milk: Goat milk is the best option for your baby if he or she happens to be allergic to cow’s milk and is not very happy with infant formula too
• Contains lesser quantity of allergenic proteins: Allergenic proteins found in cow’s milk are comparatively much lesser in goat’s milk – alpha-S1 casein

What Precautions Should Be Taken When Feeding Goat’s Milk To Babies?

• Processed and pasteurized: You need to use fresh milk that is milked from healthy goats that are healthy and feed on farm pasture and is then pasteurized. Unprocessed milk can cause serious infections like E-coli in your baby
• Goat’s milk needs to be supplemented with Folic Acid: Goat’s milk does not contain sufficient amounts of folic acid and iron that is extremely important for your infant and can be found in cow’s milk. So in case you are buying ready made goat’s milk, make sure you purchase a brand that also contains adequate quantities of folic acid for your baby
• No BGH hormone: One needs to ascertain you purchase goat’s milk that is “free of bovine growth hormone and antibiotics” as it can trigger anemia and irritate the baby’s intestine
• Ask your pediatrician: And most importantly, you need to ask your baby’s pediatrician whether you can begin goat milk for them as they know what is best for your little baby. Only if he gives you the safe signal, do you start on goat’s milk for your darling

What Are The Cons Of Goat’s Milk For Babies?

1. The nutrients in goat’s milk are not balanced proportionally in comparison to formula milk and hence it is not recommended by many
2. The protein content in goat’s milk is quite high and your baby may not be able to process the same
3. Goat’s milk also lacks vitamins B, C and D, and these have to be supplemented for the baby’s proper development
4. Giving animal milk in place of breast milk can trigger grave problems for some babies, as human babies are different from them
5. Goat’s milk can cause various allergies for your baby, though it is widely viewed as being hypoallergenic

All the above mentioned points make it quite clear that even though goat’s milk is rich in nutrients and highly beneficial for infants, it needs to be introduced to your baby only after getting your doctor’s permission and with great caution. Bear in mind the fact that there is no other substitute for breast milk that is beyond doubt the best food for your baby. Breast milk is the best milk for your baby.