# Goats milk formula?



## bluetoes (May 12, 2007)

I won't bore anyone with my sad tale of supply issues and PPD but suffice it to say I ended up having to go with formula. Lots of guilt associated with that, but too late now....

Anyway, having spent lots of time with my in-laws who are very much into holistic health care and natural remedies I have been wondering about goats milk formula. They seem to think the answer to all health problems lie in cutting out wheat and cows milk







Our little guy, who is healthy for the most part has a touch of excema and a lot of congestion. I have looked around and I have found a place online I can buy goats milk infant formula. I am not comfortable making homemade formula for many reasons. I know it works for some, but I don't think I could manage it and feel comfortable.

Underlying factors include living in pollen city, a mommy with sinus problems, being daycare with all the other little disease monkeys, and a daddy who had childhood asthma. We travelled overseas last week and I swear the minute we got off the plane in Houston his nose got stuffy again!

Anyway, just wondering if anyone has had success clearing up excema and congestion going this route. I know he's not that intolerant as he doesn't have any tummy or reflux issues and is really quite a happy little guy. As it's gotten warmer most of the excema has cleared up, just leaving us with him being a bit congested and sometimes with a cough. He's had a few ear infections as well.

Baby is 8 months old so really we only have a few more months before we can take him off of formula, I could always wait and introduce him to goats milk after his 1st birthday and see what happens. On the other hand I don't want to make a rash decision, creating a child who can never have cows milk.

Anyone have any insight?


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## Klynne (Jan 1, 2007)

Goats formula is a good alternative to cows milk as it is closer to the bm make up. I have heard (Don't have any book/study info at this moment) that a mix of 50% carrot juice and 50% goats milk is as close to bm as you can get. Cows milk is an allergen, causing flem, congestion, and stuffy runny nose.

I would definitely get the goats milk and give it a try. Even after you stop ff your little guy will need a full fat milk. Organic goats milk is a good source!
I wish you the best!









ETA: There is contending information about goat vs. cow milk. Kellymom.com has some links. You can also google the topic, I just did it and a lot of info came up.


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## AlexisT (May 6, 2007)

If it's the Nanny Goat formula, it's good stuff, I know women who used it successfully when their babies were sensitive to cows' milk. Definitely better than soya, if baby can tolerate it.


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## cgmama (Oct 17, 2005)

I have no experience with formula, but I do know that goat milk cleared up my sons eczema. I give it a hearty recomendation. He had eczema from 9 months until we switched to gm at about 3 years. He is now almost five and we have had NO itchy skin!!


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## bdavis337 (Jan 7, 2005)

I found some info today that says the protein in goat milk is similar enough to that in cow milk to be potentially allergenic to anyone with allergy/sensitivity to cow milk. Anyone else ever seen this? Interesting to me, since I know I'll be supplementing, and can't stand the thought of the dairy/soy/Nutramigen roller coaster again.


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## prettypixels (Apr 13, 2006)

Regarding 50% goats milk and 50% carrot juice... I really would think twice before I do that. I did some research on homemade formulas and found that they are vehemently NOT RECOMMENDED, as there is simply no way you can at home, get all the nutrients that are in formula into a home made version. I would if I could... honestly it goes against my instinct to give my baby the same thing, day in and day out.

http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/g...mula-fed-baby/

Goats milk *formula* is another matter... I wasn't aware of any except the New Zealand kind which I did not think was available here in the states.

Don't most babies just outgrow excema? I did...


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## nataliachick7 (Apr 3, 2007)

from dr sears:
GOT GOAT'S MILK?
What does goat's milk give you that cow's milk doesn't? In many parts of the world, goat's milk is preferred to cow's milk. Even in the United States, the goat is gaining popularity. Goats eat less and occupy less grazing space than cows, and in some families the backyard goat supplies milk for family needs. Goat's milk is believed to be more easily digestible and less allergenic than cow's milk. Does it deserve this reputation? Let's disassemble goat's milk, nutrient-by-nutrient, to see how it compares with cow's milk.
*
Different fat.* Goat's milk contains around ten grams of fat per eight ounces compared to 8 to 9 grams in whole cow's milk, and it's much easier to find lowfat and non-fat varieties of cow's milk than it is to purchase lowfat goat's milk. Unlike cow's milk, goat's milk does not contain agglutinin. As a result, the fat globules in goat's milk do not cluster together, making them easier to digest. Like cow's milk, goat's milk is low in essential fatty acids, because goats also have EFA-destroying bacteria in their ruminant stomachs. Yet, goat milk is reported to contain more of the essential fatty acids linoleic and arachnodonic acids, in addition to a higher proportion of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids. These are easier for intestinal enzymes to digest.
*
Different protein.* Goat milk protein forms a softer curd (the term given to the protein clumps that are formed by the action of your stomach acid on the protein), which makes the protein more easily and rapidly digestible. Theoretically, this more rapid transit through the stomach could be an advantage to infants and children who regurgitate cow's milk easily. Goat's milk may also have advantages when it comes to allergies. Goat's milk contains only trace amounts of an allergenic casein protein, alpha-S1, found in cow's milk. Goat's milk casein is more similar to human milk, yet cow's milk and goat's milk contain similar levels of the other allergenic protein, beta lactoglobulin. Scientific studies have not found a decreased incidence of allergy with goat's milk, but here is another situation where mothers' observations and scientific studies are at odds with one another. Some mothers are certain that their child tolerates goat's milk better than cow's milk, and mothers are more sensitive to children's reactions than scientific studies.
*
Less lactose.* Goat's milk contains slightly lower levels of lactose (4.1 percent versus 4.7 percent in cow's milk), which may be a small advantage in lactose-intolerant persons.

*Different minerals*. Although the mineral content of goat's milk and cow's milk is generally similar, goat's milk contains 13 percent more calcium, 25 percent more vitamin B-6, 47 percent more vitamin A, 134 percent more potassium, and three times more niacin. It is also four times higher in copper. Goat's milk also contains 27 percent more of the antioxidant selenium than cow's milk. Cow's milk contains five times as much vitamin B-12 as goat's milk and ten times as much folic acid (12 mcg. in cow's milk versus 1 mcg. for goat's milk per eight ounces with an RDA of 75-100 mcg. for children). The fact that goat's milk contains less than ten percent of the amount of folic acid contained in cow's milk means that it must be supplemented with folic acid in order to be adequate as a formula or milk substitute for infants and toddlers, and popular brands of goat's milk may advertise "supplemented with folic acid" on the carton.

*GOAT'S MILK FORMULA VERSUS COMMERCIAL FORMULA FOR ALLERGIC INFANTS*
Parents of babies allergic to cow's milk and other commercial formulas often ask if it's safe to use goat's milk as an alternative. *In theory, goat's milk is less allergenic and more easily digestible than cow's milk, but it should not be used as a substitute for infant formula. Like cow's milk, it can cause intestinal irritation and anemia. If your baby under one year of age is allergic to cow's milk-based formulas, try either a soy-based formula or a hypoallergenic formula. If your baby can't tolerate either soy or hypoallergenic formulas, in consultation with your doctor and/or a pediatric nutritionist click here for the recipe for goat's milk formula.*
This formula has stood the test of time. One batch contains 715 calories and nineteen calories per ounce, which is essentially the same as cow's milk formulas. This is sufficient for an infant six to twelve months. A baby on goat's milk formula should also receive a multi-vitamin with iron supplement prescribed by her doctor. In infants over one year of age, goat's milk can be readily used instead of cow's milk. (Be sure to buy goat's milk that is certified free of antiobiotics and bovine growth hormone (BGH). (For more information about goat's milk call 1-800-891-GOAT)

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/t032400.asp

and here is his goats milk recipe:

GOAT'S MILK FORMULA
MEYENBERG Instant POWDERED GOAT MILK
BEGINNING FORMULA

Instant (12 oz container) Powdered Goat Milk
6 Scoops (84 g)
Water
36 oz.
Rice Syrup
6 ½ Tbsp.
Calories (per oz.)
20

As baby matures during its first year, gradually increase ratio of powder to water until whole milk level is reached (see below). Discontinue adding rice syrup (carbohydrates).

To reconstitute to Whole Milk

Instant
Powdered Goat Milk
8 scoops (112 g)
Water
32 oz.

Calories (per oz.)
19

MEYENBERG EVAPORATED GOAT MILK
BEGINNING FORMULA

Evaporated Goat Milk
12 oz.
Water
24 oz.
Rice Syrup
5 Tbsp.
Calories (per oz.)
20

As baby matures during its first year, gradually increase ratio of powder to water until whole milk level is reached (see below). Discontinue adding rice syrup (carbohydrates).

To reconstitute to Whole Milk

Evaporated Goat Milk
12 oz
Water
12 oz.

Calories (per oz.)
19

NOTE: Any time goat milk is the sole source of nutrition, we recommend the feeding of a vitamin supplement.

Alternative carbohydrates include corn syrup and simple table sugar.
Table Sugar = 48 calories per Tbsp.
Corn Syrup = 60 calories per Tbsp.
Rice Syrup = 42 calories per Tbsp.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Goat's milk is not reccomended for children who have cow's milk intolerances, MOST cannot handle it. All of my kids have had milk and soy problems and have needed special formula. We're using rx formula now to supplement and even AJ who can have milk and soy again still drinks rice milk.


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## bdavis337 (Jan 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *prettypixels* 

Don't most babies just outgrow excema? I did...

My son's excema (he's now 2, and was ff up to age 1, then on cow and soy milk to this point) has improved since eliminating formula, but it's still quite bad. Dairy has no impact, it's just as bad without dairy as with. For him, a lot of his excema is environmental - if we play in the grass, he gets red and inflamed and weepy. When he's barefoot it's worse than when he wears shoes/socks all day and I keep his feet lotioned up. My mil suffered from excema as a child and did into young adulthood. She still has very sensitive skin, and some small patches of excema every now and then.


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## DreamsInDigital (Sep 18, 2003)

We used the goat's milk formula from the Weston A. Price foundation website

(www.westonaprice.org) for my DS for about 6 full months. He is a very healthy boy and I am now able to breastfeed him again.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

So you're thinking of switching from a commercial cow's milk based formula to a commercial goat's milk based formula? Am I reading this correctly?

I'd suggest buying a small amount of the new formula and seeing how the baby tolerates it. If he does well, then continue using it. If he doesn't, then go back to the formula you used before.


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## DreamsInDigital (Sep 18, 2003)

http://www.westonaprice.org/children/recipes.html

The recipe for the goat's milk formula I used for my son is located here.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Moving to nutrition and good eating


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