While most babies have no trouble with breastfeeding or baby formula, on occasion, things change, meaning the baby needs a different option for feeding. For instance, if the mother’s milk did not drop for some reason or if she were on medication that could not be passed onto the baby, then breastfeeding would not be the right choice. Another situation is a child having an allergic reaction to the protein in cow’s milk. Typically, when this occurs, soy-based formula will be tried but sometimes, the child still has a reaction.
When all else fails, some children find success with goat’s milk. While this type of milk has a different and distinct taste that some say is a required taste, to a hungry baby, it is a way to fill an empty stomach. Although goat’s milk is used around the world for feeding babies, we have now seen a growing trend here in the United States as more parents are discovering the benefits.
For one thing, you could actually purchase a milking goat to keep on your property in many situations. With a clean cage and only fresh grain and hay, raise a healthy animal that produces healthy milk. Simply talk to a local veterinarian about the proper shots needed by the goat and let him or her know that the milk will be used for feeding a baby. Best of all, goats are great pets and they are cheap eaters.
Okay, so what is the difference between regular cow’s milk and goat’s milk? With goat’s milk, your baby is getting approximately 10 grams of fat for every eight ounces of milk whereas cow’s milk has up to 9 grams. Therefore, goat’s milk is not as fat. In addition, goat’s milk does not have agglutinin, which means fat globules cannot cluster. The result of this is the baby’s milk being far easier to digest.
You will also find that goat’s milk is naturally low in essential fatty acids since the stomach contains EFA-destroying bacteria. Another benefit is that goat’s have special enzymes in the intestine. Due to this, this milk contains higher levels of linoleic and arachnodonic fatty acids, as well as a larger proportion of short- and medium-chain fatty acids.
As mentioned, the common problem for babies with cow’s milk is the protein. With goat’s milk, a softer type curd is formed, making it easier to digest. In fact, the process of digestion is much quicker. The bottom line is that babies on goat’s milk tend to have a higher immune system, fewer, if any, allergies, better digestion, and all the vitamins and minerals needed for proper growth.