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Homemade Goat Milk Baby Formula

If your baby is suffering from colic or seems to have difficulty tolerating soy- or cow's-milk formula, goat milk may provide a viable alternative. Feeding goat milk to infants is a common practice in other parts of the world, but it is fairly new in the United States. Goat milk does not contain as much lactose as cow's milk and is, therefore, somewhat easier to digest. However, it is lower in both folic acid and vitamin B12, which are essential for healthy growth and development. These deficiencies must be taken into account when the formula is prepared.

  1. Recipe

    • Begin by combining two cups of goat milk with two cups of distilled water. Add one tbsp. of sugar and 1/8 tsp. of cod liver oil to the diluted milk. If you can find mint-flavored cod liver oil, the infant may find the final result more palatable. Then stir in one tbsp. of blackstrap molasses, as this will provide B vitamins and iron and can help to relieve constipation, which may be causing your infant to have stomach pains. Finally, add two tsp. of nutritional yeast flakes. This will ensure the formula provides your baby with an adequate amount of folic acid. Pour the formula into sterilized bottles and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. To heat, place the bottle in a pan of warm water until the formula reaches the desired temperature. Discard any unused formula after 48 hours.

    Variations

    • To amplify the nutritional value of homemade goat-milk formula, you can add a number of other items to the mix. For example, some people include ¼ cup of liquid whey to make the formula more like breast milk in composition. Others add ¼ teaspoon bifodobacterium infantis--a powerful probiotic bacterium which can help bolster an infant's immune system. You can also add one teaspoon each of sunflower oil, olive oil and coconut oil, increasing the calorie content of the formula. This can be particularly beneficial for infants who are struggling to gain weight.

    Warning

    • Speak with your pediatrician or primary health-care provider before switching your baby to homemade goat-milk formula to be sure it is the best alternative. Go over the recipe you plan to use, discussing the various ingredients and the benefits of pasteurized versus raw goat milk. Which of these options is the better choice is an ongoing topic of debate. Raw milk may not be entirely safe, but pasteurized may not be as nutritious. Your reasons for switching to goat milk may weigh heavily in the final decision.

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