When you feed your newborn, it’s normal to notice a little bit of spit-up or a dirty diaper afterward.
However, if she’s projectile vomiting after every meal, or suffers from diarrhea, reflux or colic, it could be that her sensitive tummy isn’t tolerating her formula.
Especially if you’ve already made the switch from non-organic to organic European baby formula, it can be disheartening to discover that she’s still not comfortable.
The good news? The answer could be as simple as switching to goat milk formula.
Today, we’re sharing the differences between this version and ones made from cow’s milk. This knowledge can help guide you toward a solution that will keep your baby full and satisfied.
Ready to learn more? Let’s get started.
Nutrition Content
Nutritionally speaking, goat milk baby formula and cow’s milk formula are similar.
While goat’s milk is higher in certain vitamins and minerals, cow’s milk is higher in folic acid and vitamin B12. While this matters when you buy it in gallon sizes for your whole family to consume, it’s not as important in baby formula.
Why?
Formulas are fortified for newborn consumption, meaning they’re developed to include the perfect blend of vitamins and minerals to mimic breast milk.
In this way, goat’s milk is ideal, as it’s created in the goat’s udder. This makes it an apocrine secretion, mimicking the production of human breast milk, which originates in a mother’s mammary (apocrine) glands.
In addition, the high number of free peptides and amino acids present in goat’s milk contribute to its pure white color. It also contains full vitamin A and very little provitamin A, or carotene. You’ll notice that cow’s milk, in comparison, is more yellow, due to the higher presence of carotene.
Digestibility
If your baby tends to have a difficult time digesting her formula or displays signs of a cow’s milk allergy, organic goat milk formula can help.
It’s often heralded as a hypoallergenic alternative to cow’s milk, and there are a few scientific explanations behind this reasoning. Let’s review each.
Fatty Acids
The essential difference between the two kinds of milk stems from their fat content.
Goat’s milk contains more essential fatty acids (both linoleic and arachidonic) than cow’s milk. At the same time, it has 30-35% medium-chain fatty acids (C6-C14) MCT, while cow’s milk has only 15-20%. These shorter acids are easier for our bodies to absorb than long-chain fatty acids, making goat’s milk more digestible.
One more benefit? Goat’s milk contains tinier fat globules than cow’s milk. As such, they create a larger surface area that enables more efficient enzymatic breakdown.
From there, when it reaches your baby’s gut, goat’s milk creates a softer, smaller, and looser curd than cow’s milk does. This makes it gentler and easier to digest.
Casein Content
Caseins are conjugated proteins commonly found in mammalian milk. While infants aged seven to 12 months need around 11 grams of protein per day, roughly 7% of them are allergic to milk protein.
The casein content found in cow’s milk represents around 80% of its total proteins, while it only accounts for 20% to 45% of human milk proteins.
The primary caseins in cow’s milk include:
- alpha(s1) and alpha(s2) caseins
- ß -casein
- kappa-casein
In addition to β-lactoglobulin (whey protein), the alpha(s1) casein can trigger allergic reactions, especially in newborns. Goat’s milk contains a lower amount of alpha(s1) casein and β-lactoglobulin, making it easier on your baby’s belly and less likely to cause an adverse reaction.
The proteins that are present in goat’s milk curds degrade faster than those in cow’s milk, which also makes it more tolerable.
Keep in mind that while goat’s milk might be lower in whey protein and specific caseins than cow’s milk, organic baby formula manufacturers will adjust their ingredients to make sure it’s as close as possible to a mother’s milk.
Take Kabrita goat milk formula, for instance. This organic brand features a whey-casein ratio that mimics the ratio present in breastmilk!
Lactose
Both goat’s milk and cow’s milk contain a type of sugar called lactose. This is the carbohydrate that’s naturally present in mammalian breast milk.
Top-tier baby formula companies, such as Holle, will mimic breast milk by using organic lactose as the main energy-building carbohydrate in their early-stage products.
Holle goat milk formula takes it a step further in its Stage 1 version, using both organic lactose and organic maltodextrin, a carbohydrate that comes from corn.
Unlike sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin isn’t sugar. It’s a tasteless thickening agent that allows Halle to cut back on the amount of lactose in its goat’s milk formula while still giving your baby all the carbohydrates she needs to grow.
Try Organic Goat Milk Formula For Your Baby
Does your baby have to have an allergy or digestive issues to enjoy goat milk formula? Of course not!
Rich, nutritious and utterly delicious, this organic alternative to cow’s milk is an ideal choice for your growing family. In addition to premium European baby formula brands, we also carry Bambinchen Golden Goat Milk Powder.
Anyone in your family can benefit from a scoop of this versatile product, especially pregnant women. Mix it in your coffee, make it into a sauce or add it to your baked goods.
If you’re ready to try something different and see if your baby prefers goat’s milk formula, you’ve come to the right spot.
Browse our extensive inventory and contact us if you have any questions. We’re committed to bringing you the very best, from the first sip.
