How to Give a Child Goat's Milk
Goat's milk is a nutritious alternative to cow's milk for children, since it's naturally homogenized, less allergenic, digests easily, causes less lactose intolerance and matches up more closely to human milk than cow's milk, according to Dr. Thomas Cooke at the website Mt. Capra. A 2007 study by the Department of Physiology at the University of Granada compared goat's milk and cow's milk, showing that goat's milk may help prevent bone demineralization and anemia, notes Science Daily. If you decide to give goat milk a try, you'll need to know how to serve it to your children and how much of it they need as part of a healthy diet.
Instructions
Ask your pediatrician if goat's milk is right for your child. Share your reasons for wanting to make the switch, whether it's because your child is having some issues with cow's milk or it's just that you've learned of all the healthy benefits of goat's milk. Avoid introducing your child to anything other than formula or breast milk for the first six months of her life, advises HealthyChildren.org. While goat's milk is less allergenic and easier to digest than cow's milk, it's still not safe to use as a replacement for baby formula, since it can still cause anemia or intestinal irritation in young babies, according to Ask Dr. Sears. Once your baby reaches 1 year old, it's usually safe to feed her goat's milk, notes DrGreene.com. Choose what type of goat's milk you want to feed your child, after her pediatrician has given the green light to make the switch. Goat's milk generally comes in two varieties -- raw and pasteurized. Feed your child pasteurized milk for her safety, warns the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Raw goat's milk can contain viruses, bacteria and parasites, which can make your child sick. The elderly, pregnant women, those with weak immune systems, young children and infants are at a higher risk of becoming sick from drinking raw milk. Goat's milk is made safe by pasteurization, which is a process where the milk is heated to a proper temperature, cooled quickly and stored safely, which kills disease-causing bacteria, according to the CDC. Incorporate goat's milk into your child's diet the same way you would incorporate cow's milk. Serve goat's milk for your child's drink at mealtime, pour it over his cereal, mix it into his pudding and substitute it in your recipes that call for cow's milk. Feed your child goat cheese, which is made from goat's milk. Sprinkle it on his salad, soup, vegetables, pizza, sandwich or baked potato. Use goat's milk to ensure your child is meeting her daily recommended dairy requirements, as part of her overall balanced diet. Your 2- to 3-year-old needs two cups of dairy each day, while your 4- to 8-year-old needs 2 1/2 cups. Your older children, ages 9 to 18, should be getting three cups of dairy each day, according to ChooseMyPlate.gov. Store your goat's milk properly to keep it safe. Place your goat's milk in your refrigerator, which must be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, to keep it fresh for seven to 14 days, advises the USDA. Freeze milk in a 0 degrees Fahrenheit freezer for no longer than three months.
