It is good when a child receives mother's breast milk from birth. But what about those who, for various reasons, cannot breastfeed a baby? Many parents believe that the best food for a baby is cow's or goat's milk.
Which is better: cow milk or goat milk
Cons of goat milk
Goat milk has always been considered by the people as a healing product. But is it so similar in composition to human breast milk, as they say? The qualitative composition of these products has significant differences both in fat content and in the content of proteins and fats. Let's list the negative aspects of goat milk, which doctors write about.
- It is much fatter;
- It lacks the lipase enzyme, which promotes the breakdown of fats;
- Goat milk contains a lot of phosphorus, which creates additional work for the immature kidneys of the newborn;
- This type of milk lacks folic acid, which can trigger the development of anemia.
Pros of goat milk
If the choice is between cow's milk (See article on cow's milk for a newborn) and goat milk, here the opinion of doctors is unequivocal - milk from a goat is much preferable to cow's milk. Why?
- Cow's milk contains a lot of casein. Casein turns into a dense clot in the baby's ventricle and is processed long and hard. There is much less casein in goat milk, so it is absorbed much better and more completely;
- The composition of goat milk is richer in vitamins of different groups;
- It contains a lot of calcium, which is perfectly absorbed by the growing body of the child. Therefore, the teeth of babies receiving goat's milk begin to grow earlier and stronger;
- Especially goat's milk is shown to children prone to regurgitation. After all, milk balls are contained in it in a homogenized form (i.e., smaller), which means that they are better absorbed by the child's body;
- In the ventricle of the baby, milk turns into small curdled balls, almost like a woman's;
- Another useful property of goat milk is that it practically does not cause allergies. This quality is important for babies prone to allergic reactions, patients with atopic dermatitis.
When to give goat milk to a baby
Doctors recommend giving babies goat milk from 9 months, and before that, feed them with an adapted milk formula. Now milk mixtures are produced based on goat milk. It is a pity that they do not possess useful properties like natural goat milk. If the mixtures do not suit your baby, he often spits up, then you can drive goat's milk almost from birth.
We read an article about mixtures (how to choose the right mixture)
How to properly enter into the diet
If you still decide to feed your newborn goat milk from the first days, then you must follow some rules.
- Try to take milk from friends and neighbors.
- See how the goat is kept, do not be lazy to come to the milking.
- If you buy from the market, ask your veterinarian for a certificate (is the goat healthy).
- When buying milk from the store, carefully study the production date and expiration date. You cannot use products with an expiration date for babies.
- Try the milk yourself - is there an unpleasant aftertaste.
- It is necessary for the first time to dilute goat's milk with boiled water. For a newborn, take 3 parts of water for one part of milk. If this is not done, the baby can be fixed from the high fat content.
- The milk itself must be boiled. It is not recommended to use metal dishes for boiling.
- It is advisable to store milk in glass, enamel or ceramic containers.
- When the baby gets used to it, it can be diluted in a 1: 2 ratio; after a month, undiluted milk can be given.
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As you can see, the benefits of goat milk far outweigh its disadvantages. Of course, mother's milk is optimal for an infant, but in the absence of it, goat milk may well become its replacement.
