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Can goat milk be given to babies? Goat milk for babies: pros and cons

Here is an interesting article I found. I just thought about giving my daughter a little bit of goat's milk, but now I'll wait a bit :)

Goat milk is enough good product, which can be included in the diet of your child. It contains vitamin A, B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, manganese. If you are going to use goat milk for babies, then you need to pay attention to the quality of the product, as well as the preliminary preparation of milk for consumption.

properties of goat milk

The absorption of protein and fat from goat's milk is much easier than from cow's. This is due to the fact that in goat milk the protein is in a finely dispersed form and a more tender and easily digestible clot is formed from it under the influence of gastric juice. Consequently, the body spends less vitality and energy on assimilating this valuable milk protein. Therefore, goat's milk is recommended for children, the sick and the elderly. Goat milk proteins, in addition, do not cause an allergic reaction, since they do not pass unsplit through the wall of the digestive tract. Goat milk is characterized by the possession of pronounced antimicrobial properties, as well as antihemorrhagic and antianemic properties. Goat milk has a beneficial effect on the human body in case of violation, thyroid diseases. It is useful in the presence of respiratory diseases, eczema, tuberculosis and even in the case of radioactive radiation. In addition, goat milk helps in the fight against insomnia.

Recommendations for the use of goat's milk can be reduced to two points. It should be used pasteurized or fresh. The packaging should indicate the expiration date, which is no more than 10 days, but if its expiration date is longer, then it is not recommended to take this product. Drinking goat milk is recommended slowly, in small sips.

Breastfeeding goat milk

Fresh goat's milk is characterized by the presence of bactericidal properties that prevent the development of microorganisms. It contains immunoglobulin, lactoferrin, lysozyme, lactoperoxidase. Goat milk contains many enzymes, it even contains a small amount of steroid and peptide hormones.

Goat milk is generally not used for feeding newborns.

How to give goat's milk to a child

it is recommended to start feeding with goat milk from the age of 9 months;
goat milk for babies should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1;
before giving goat milk to a child, it must be boiled. Water should also be boiled;
the consumption of no more than 50 grams of milk is provided per day, i.e. 100 grams of milk diluted with water.

In addition, it is recommended to monitor the condition and well-being of the child after he was given goat's milk for the first time. For the first time, it is recommended to give a little less milk, it is better to start with 20 grams, diluted 40 grams of milk. If you notice a positive effect from the use of goat's milk by a child under one year old, then you can increase the amount of goat's milk up to 50 grams.

Milk is a key product in the diet of young children, and in the first days and months of life it is the indispensable and only food for babies. The search for an alternative to human milk in the absence of breastfeeding or as a supplementary feeding option is an important and responsible task. The ability to use goat's milk for babies and its beneficial properties are being widely researched today.

Content:

The use of goat milk in infant nutrition

Animals that feed their young with milk differ greatly in their lifestyle, habitat, metabolic rate, and food preferences. For each species, it has a specific composition, structure and energy value, designed to the best way meet the needs of growth and development of offspring. Therefore, a full replacement for the female breastfeeding for children in nature does not exist.

The centuries-old search for suitable food for babies, for various reasons left without mother's milk, has led to widespread use for this purpose cow's milk. However, the experience of generations suggests that the use of a goat product is safer than a cow product. A goat is a clean and active animal, it is much more resistant to tuberculosis and brucellosis than a cow. The dietary properties of her milk are officially recognized, it is recommended for baby food Paris Academy of Medical Sciences. At the congress of pediatricians in 1906, it was also named the best natural substitute for female breastfeeding.

Modern research confirms the effectiveness of its use as an aid:

for the recovery of weakened and often ill children;
for the treatment of rickets, immune deficiency, diseases of the digestive system and respiratory organs (especially with tuberculosis);
when recovering from injuries, bone fractures.

Studies on the use of goat milk formulas have shown that they have an advantage over cow formulas. Of these, fat and iron are better absorbed, and intestinal colic stops bothering the child. The indicators of their tolerance, the dynamics of growth and development of babies coincide or slightly exceed those of children receiving standard adapted mixtures.

Video: Opinion of Dr. E. O. Komarovsky on the use of goat milk in children's nutrition

Features of the composition and structure of goat milk

The chemical composition of goat's milk for the baby's body does not have fundamentally important differences from cow's.

Composition and calorie content of women's, cow's and goat's milk (per 100 ml of product)

Goat's and cow's milk are products in which the protein substance casein predominates. The ratio of casein and whey proteins is 75:25 for goat's milk and 80:20 for cow's milk, while a similar characteristic of human milk is 40:60. The benefits of goat's milk for children's nutrition are determined by the qualitative indicators of the composition and structural features, which significantly move it away from cow's and bring it closer to human.

In goat's milk, as in women's milk, beta-casein predominates, in cow's milk - alpha-S1-casein, which often causes an allergic reaction, a rash in infants. Among the whey proteins in the goat product, there is more alpha-lactalbumin, and in the cow - beta-lactoglobulin, which is not found in human milk. The composition and structure of proteins allow goat milk to be digested in the child's stomach much easier, since small and soft clots and small loose flakes are formed. The same thing happens when mother's milk enters the digestive system of the baby.

The fat globules of a goat product are 10 times smaller than those of a cow. They do not stick together, are in suspension, so they are absorbed by the baby's body almost completely. The main part of saturated fatty acids, due to structural features, is easily absorbed from the intestines directly into the circulatory system. They do not require the body's resources for digestion and also help restore mucosal cells. There are slightly more unsaturated fatty acids in goat's milk than in cow's milk, but much less than in women's.

Lactose in the milk of goats and cows is less than in breast milk, and there are much more micro and macro elements. It contains a lot of phosphorus and calcium, but the absorption of such calcium by the human body is difficult. In any case, calcium and iron from goat's milk are absorbed better than from cow's. It also contains more manganese, copper and molybdenum.

The amount of vitamins in goat milk varies depending on nutrition, season and environmental conditions. Compared to the cow product, the goat product contains more ascorbic acid (although much less than the female product), vitamin A, but the content of folic acid is 5 times lower, as well as vitamin B12, which can cause the development of anemia in infants. Vitamin D in goat's milk is half that in women's. The process of lactation in the human and goat organisms follows the same mechanism, the peculiarity of which is that biologically active nutrients, for example, growth factors, penetrate into the milk.

Rules for the use of goat milk in infant nutrition

Only mother's milk can serve as a complete food for the baby in the first months of life. Despite the fact that goat's milk is much better suited to the needs of the baby than cow's, and has fewer allergens in its composition, it is not a worthy substitute for women's milk. In the case when natural feeding of a child is impossible, it is necessary to individually select an adapted nutritional mixture for him, and options based on the components of a goat product are preferable.

Natural goat's milk should be introduced into the baby's diet no earlier than 9 months, but it is better to wait up to a year. It must be boiled and diluted boiled water in a ratio of 1:3. You can start complementary foods with 1 teaspoon of the drink, gradually bringing its amount to 100 g per day. The proportion changes over time in the direction of decreasing the proportion of water, and after a month you can offer the child a whole product.

Warning: For children who are allergic to milk proteins, it does not make sense to replace cow's milk and standard mixtures based on it with goat's. The allergens present in the goat product in most cases will be sufficient for the development of the disease.

It is better to buy milk from a private farm, if possible - on the recommendation of friends, the owners should have a certificate that the goat is healthy. It should be stored in glass, ceramic or enameled dishes. When purchasing a product in a store, you need to make sure that its expiration date is not running out, pasteurized milk is preferable to sterilized.

Our article is devoted to goat milk, its properties. And he answers questions - how to give it correctly and whether it is allowed for children under one year old.

Positive properties of goat milk

At a time when formulas were not so widespread on the market, our grandmothers most often fattened their babies with goat's milk. The benefits of such milk are obvious:

Milk is rich in minerals and vitamins. In composition, it is close to cow's, but much richer in calcium, iron, magnesium, proteins and fats.
It contains much less lactase. Due to this quality, goat's milk can be given to children with digestive problems.
Thanks to the experiments of US scientists, it was found that it is more in line with physiological needs than cow's milk. For allergic tendencies, goat's milk is the best option for feeding baby.
Goat milk is hypoallergenic. This is achieved by the fact that the casein protein, which provokes allergies, is in small quantities.

Special Benefits:

thanks to linolenic acid promotes immune growth;
serves;
possesses, thanks to lysozyme, bactericidal properties;
normalizes bowel function;
due to the presence of potassium and magnesium, it improves the functioning of the conduction system of the child's heart.

According to myths, the Greek god Zeus was fed on goat's milk. That is why he was so belligerent.

Pradeus A., immunologist: “It should be remembered that animal milk was created for young mammals and it is not advisable to transfer babies to such milk.”

No folic derivatives. Hence the risk of anemia in the child.
More phosphorus, which gives extra work kidneys.
High fat.

Of course, goat's milk for babies has a greater advantage over cow's. But you should not violate the age criteria when introducing this product.

Contraindications to the use of goat milk

Unfortunately, there are some restrictions on the use of goat's milk by infants. Among them:

individual intolerance;
age younger;
raw milk from a sick animal.

Goat milk for newborns

It is very important to determine the age range for introducing this product to the menu. You can give goat milk in it pure form only from 9 months, when the digestive system is already optimally formed, and its enzymes are ready to digest goat's milk.

Newborn babies do not need such supplementary feeding.

This puts a lot of stress on the baby's kidneys and digestive tract.

Before giving goat milk to a child, you need to find a quality supplier. It can be your own goat or a trusted store.
If you take it in a store, then be sure to look at the packaging for the expiration date - no more than ten days.
To prevent infection with bacteria and viruses, it is necessary to boil goat milk.
It should be remembered that goat's milk can transmit a number of infections. One of them is brucellosis.
Be sure to evaluate the organoleptic properties yourself - smell, color, taste. There should be no foreign odors, sour taste.
It is optimal to give a child goat's milk diluted with water 1:4. At one meal, the child needs no more than 50 grams, so when diluted with water, the volume is 250 ml.
In the first feedings, it is better to start with small portions of 20 ml.
Look after the condition of the child, the absence of allergic reactions.

With a positive effect, you can increase the one-time volume to 50 ml.

Goat milk in the diet should be introduced only as complementary foods.

Goat milk in infant formula

Goat milk can be given to infants as adapted formulas. Their big plus is that they are close in composition to mother's milk. And most importantly - such a product is hypoallergenic and is good for children with manifestations of diathesis. Such mixtures can be given to a child from birth.

One of the brightest representatives of these mixtures is the Nanny mixture. The mixture is high in calories. It appeared on sale the very first in Russia. The Nanny mixture is rich in casein protein, thanks to which it saves from. But its disadvantage is that it is not very similar to other mixtures.

Thanks to the research, it was found that the mixtures based on goat milk "Cabrita" and "Mil Goat" are of the highest quality.

Julia, 25 years old:“From birth I give my daughter “Goat”, an excellent mixture. There are no problems with the tummy, it does not put a strain on the kidneys.

The opinion of Dr. E. O. Komarovsky regarding the introduction of goat milk into the child’s diet: “Goat milk is given unreasonably great importance. It is of no particular value. I consider it inexpedient to transfer a child, especially a newborn, completely to feeding with goat's milk. Moreover, the lack of folic acid can have a deplorable effect on the hematopoietic system and cause anemia. You can use it if you live in a village, you have a personal goat that can produce pure, uncontaminated goat milk. But still, it should be remembered that even homemade goat's milk should be diluted with water, thereby reducing its fat content.

Of course, before giving goat's milk to a baby, you should consult a doctor. Goat's milk has a number of advantages over cow's milk, but also a number of disadvantages over breast milk. Do not try to completely transfer a baby to animal milk. For full development, in the absence of human milk, he needs adapted mixtures, and goat can only replace one feeding.

The ideal option for feeding a child is breast milk. But sometimes a woman, for a number of reasons, cannot feed her baby. In such situations, it is advisable to offer goat's milk to children under one year old, since when using it, allergies are practically eliminated. Often parents are interested in at what age a goat milk product can be given to an infant without compromising his health. Such milk can be consumed from a very early age if no other nutritional options are available. This product has its pros and cons, which every parent should be aware of before feeding them to their child.

Many mothers doubt which milk is better for a child - goat or cow. Goat for babies is preferable for a number of reasons.

Toddlers, who often have allergies, are easier to digest and process goat's dairy product due to the reduced amount of casein in their composition.
It contains many vitamins belonging to different groups.
Because of the content a large number calcium, which is more easily absorbed by the baby, the child's teeth grow stronger, and sometimes even earlier.
In this product, milk balls are very small, which are easily digested, which protects the child from frequent spitting up.
Goat's milk, like women's milk, in the baby's stomach takes the form of small lumps, similar to cottage cheese, which contributes to its easier absorption.
One of the main advantages is that it is hypoallergenic. That is why it is recommended to use it for children when they often have dermatitis and allergies.

Minuses

However, this product has its drawbacks, which you need to pay attention to.. Unfortunately, the protein and fat composition of these two types of dairy products is different. Doctors have identified several negative aspects of goat's milk that women do not have.

The goat product has a fat content much higher than that of mother's milk.
It does not contain the enzyme lipase, which helps break down fats.
Increased phosphorus content can give an increased load on the baby's kidneys.
Lack of folic acid can cause anemia.

Age for which goat milk is allowed

There is no definite answer as to how many months it is allowed to give goat's milk to a baby. Pediatricians advise using it when the child reaches the age of 9 months. Until then, you can use special mixtures and cereals for feeding, the basis of which is goat's milk.

It should be noted that in the form of such a porridge, milk loses most of its useful properties. Despite this, cereals are more easily accepted by the baby's digestive system. Porridges adapted for baby food contain goat's milk with reduced fat content. The lipase enzyme is also added to the composition of the porridge, which facilitates the process of splitting fats in the child's body. Also, for the production of porridge from milk, excess phosphorus can be removed, which facilitates the work of the kidneys. A separate advantage of such porridge is the ability to give it to children from the first months of life.

If you can’t find a mixture for a child, and he spits up others, you can use goat’s milk from the first months of life. But do not forget that whole milk should not be given to the baby at the first time of feeding - it must first be diluted. No matter how many months the baby begins to eat goat's milk, it is necessary to regularly observe and consult a doctor.

With such early age it is important to choose and prepare milk for feeding the baby correctly.

Reach out to people you know who keep goats. Assess the conditions in which the animal is kept. You also need to control the milking process. If the goat is healthy, kept clean and milked hygienically, this milk can be used to feed an infant.
If goat's milk is bought at the market, you can require a veterinary health certificate for the animal. Without such a certificate, trading in market conditions cannot be carried out. The document must be provided at the request of the buyer.
When buying milk in the store, you need to check the expiration date so that the baby eats only a fresh product.

Preparation rules

Before preparing a drink, you must personally verify the freshness of the product by tasting it. During the test, extraneous tastes, especially bitterness, should not be felt. After a sip, you can wait a few minutes to feel the aftertaste, because even the slightest unpleasant aftertaste can cause the child to vomit.

At the first use, milk must be diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1:3. If this advice is neglected, the baby may suffer from constipation caused by an excessively fatty diet.
Milk must be heat treated by boiling. It is not advised to boil in metal utensils - ceramic or glass utensils are suitable for this purpose. For storage, preference should be given to containers made of glass, ceramics or enamel.

After the baby gets used to such a diet, you can dilute the milk in a ratio of 1: 2. From what month is it allowed to give pure milk? After monthly period when diluted milk was used, undiluted milk is also suitable.

You need to start giving an undiluted product from half a teaspoon, constantly monitoring the well-being and external condition of the baby. If no reactions were noticed, you can gradually increase the volumes.

In the event that the crumbs have a severe allergy or feel worse, you need to stop using goat's milk and consult a doctor.

Lure

If you want to give your child goat's milk as complementary foods, homemade cottage cheese made from goat's milk is the best option. It is cottage cheese that contributes to the organization of beneficial microflora in the intestines. Pediatricians advise making cottage cheese from goat's milk, because it does not cause allergies in children. There is a special recipe for cottage cheese for babies.

In an enamel pan, it is necessary to heat 1 liter of milk to a temperature of 40 degrees. When the desired temperature is reached, pour 700 g of fat-free yogurt into the pan and mix everything thoroughly. After a homogeneous mixture has been obtained, the container must be removed from the stove and wrapped in a blanket. In this state, it is left overnight.

The next morning, the mixture is gently mixed and put on a slow fire for 20 minutes. After this time has elapsed, the product must be mixed again. For large lumps, you can stir gently in the direction from the bottom up. If you need small cottage cheese, you should stir more actively and in a circular motion.

As a result, the entire mixture must be brought to a temperature of 80 degrees, after which it must be transferred to a container with cold water until completely cooled, where the curd will begin to form. When the water warms up, it must be replaced. After this procedure, the mixture will resemble the consistency of porridge.

Next, you need a colander lined with a thick cloth - you need to pour the mixture into it when it cools down. The fabric should be tied at the top to create a slight pressure on the curd. A colander can be placed on a deep container so that the whey that the cottage cheese secretes flows there. The entire structure must be placed in the refrigerator for a day, constantly draining the whey.

It is necessary to give cottage cheese to the baby, having previously kneaded the lumps, since many children do not like such a rough food structure. After eating a fermented milk product, children may experience an allergy. If it is mild in nature and is not accompanied by a deterioration in the child's well-being, then treatment is not required.

Goat milk is a good product for babies, but it is advisable to wait until the age of 9 months to protect the baby from unpleasant problems with the stomach or skin that allergies can cause. If you decide to give the baby this product or make cottage cheese out of it, you should be careful. In no case should you forget to boil the initial milky liquid, because the future health of the child depends on it.

If a woman, for any reason, has problems with lactation, then the question of feeding is quite acute. Often on various forums on the Internet it is recommended to use goat's milk as food for a child. And today we will try to figure out whether such nutrition is useful for babies. We will also learn about the age at which it can be introduced into the diet of babies.

Is milk really that good?

First of all, it is worth noting the fact that the benefits of this product for children are greatly exaggerated. The downside of this diet is that it does not contain lipase, the main function of which is to break down fats. As for the milk itself, it is quite fatty. So it turns out that the baby's body is not able to qualitatively process this product itself.

By the way, many supporters of this method of feeding argue that goat's milk can not be diluted, since the fat molecules in it are much smaller in size than in cow's. But the fact is that the total fat content does not decrease from this. It is also worth remembering that any type of complementary foods can cause allergic reactions.

It is for this reason that you need to start using such complementary foods very carefully. This product contains a huge amount of calcium and potassium, which benefits not only the baby's body, but also the adult. But not everything is so rosy. Unfortunately, the still fragile genitourinary system of the child may not withstand such a load. Therefore, it is still worth diluting whole milk with water.

Attention! Such milk belongs to the casein group of products, which, when ingested, can form a rather dense clot. And the baby's weak stomach is often unable to digest it.

Goat milk for babies: at what age can it be given?

Children's doctors recommend using it as complementary foods only from nine months. If you have problems with lactation, then until that time you can get out of the situation with the help of a milk mixture adapted for newborns.

By the way, if you accidentally saw food for babies in a store, on the jar of which it is written that it is made on the basis of goat's milk, then you should not trust the manufacturers in this case.

Perhaps some part natural product it is present there, but there are definitely no nutrients in such a mixture.

Goat milk for children under one year old: how to give it?

On most Internet forums, you can find adherents to the use of this product in in kind. On the one hand, of course, they can be understood: any heat treatment destroys almost all useful substances. But on the other hand, a non-boiled product can contain a huge amount of dangerous bacteria. And they, as you understand, will not bring anything good to your baby.

And one more thing: before you start introducing milk into your baby’s diet, be sure to consult a pediatrician. Since there are cases when the use of this product is strictly prohibited for a particular child.

Advantages and disadvantages of goat milk

After we figured out when you can start giving your child goat's milk, it's worth exploring the disadvantages and advantages of this dairy product.

When compared with cow's milk, the advantages of goat's milk are:

Significantly lower amount of casein. Yes, of course, it can clot in the stomach. But the likelihood of such a clot appearing when drinking goat's milk is much less;
Contains large quantity calcium, which contributes to the formation of the baby's teeth and bones;
Suitable for use by children with atopic dermatitis, since cow's milk, unlike goat's, is more allogenic.

The disadvantages of this product include the following indicators:

High fat content;
The absence of lipase, as a result of which the ability of the stomach to break down fats is reduced;
A large amount of phosphorus, which can lead to additional stress on the baby's kidneys;
Lack of folic acid, the lack of which can cause anemia.

And remember one more thing: since this product has a rather specific taste, it is likely that your baby will simply refuse to eat it.

How to give goat's milk to children?

In order for this dairy product to be better perceived by the child's body, it is recommended to dilute it with ordinary water. To minimize all risks, it is worth diluting the whole product by about four times.

Roughly speaking, if you have two hundred and fifty grams of whole goat milk, then as a result of dilution, you should get a liter.

Of course, such dilution will significantly reduce the concentration of nutrients in the product. But, on the other hand, you will reduce the load on the body of the baby, in particular, on the gastrointestinal tract.

And such a constant load can lead to a huge number serious illnesses.

How to properly introduce goat milk into the diet

In order for such food not to cause irreparable harm to your baby’s body, when introducing it, you should follow some rules:

The product is worth buying from friends or neighbors. At the same time, you should definitely make sure that the goat is kept clean and tidy;
If you decide to buy a product in a store, then carefully study the composition and expiration date. Remember that the baby can be given only the freshest. Therefore, if the expiration date has not yet ended, but there is very little time left until this moment, then it is better to look for a fresher product;
Before you feed your baby, be sure to try the milk yourself. If a strange aftertaste is felt, then it is better not to give it to the child;
Be sure to boil the milk. In this case, it is advisable not to use metal utensils.

Can goat's milk be given to a child with atopic dermatitis?

First of all, it is worth understanding what atopic dermatitis is. By itself, dermatitis means the appearance of inflammation on the skin due to the influence of certain allergens. As for atopic dermatitis, in this case, all allergens are inside the baby in the form of food eaten.

With atopic dermatitis, parents need to be very careful with complementary foods. For example, vegetable and fruit mixtures are best introduced from seven to eight months. But in the first months it is better to focus on nutrition based on breast milk.

If you do not have it or too little, then you can use special hypoallergenic milk or soy mixtures. You can also use goat's milk as an alternative.

The only thing to remember is about boiling. If you have time, you can make your own pasteurized product. To do this, you need to place it in an enamel pan and put it in a water bath. Milk should be heated slowly, constantly monitoring the temperature with a thermometer. After 20 seconds after the temperature has reached 75 degrees, carefully remove the pan from the heat and put it in a bowl of cold water. You can store this milk in the refrigerator throughout the day.