Goat milk for a newborn baby

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. Though goat’s milk is less allergenic and more easily digestible than cow’s milk, it should not be used as a substitute for infant formula.

Like cow’s milk, goat milk can cause intestinal irritation and anemia. Newborns given goat milk receive excessive levels of some nutrients and minerals. The AAP notes that goat and cow milk contains excessive levels of the electrolytes potassium and sodium, which regulate fluid intake. These can tax a newborn baby's developing kidneys and can cause serious illness when the baby loses fluid because of sweat or diarrhea. Goat milk also contains significantly more protein than human breast milk, and a newborn's developing digestive tract is unable to adequately derive sufficient nutritive value from it.

Make photos of your little one, upload to the App. Write how you feed the baby during the first weeks of his/her life.