Finding a good formula for your little one can be overwhelming.
Not only you have to consider your baby's age, but also his allergy condition, lactose intolerance condition if any, and many other things.
Imagine your baby suffer from constant vomiting after every feed and bad diarrhea. You go crazy trying to figure out the problem. You even take him to the doctor to check.
Turns out, your baby has an extremely sensitive tummy that cannot tolerate normal formula from cow milk.
If this is the case, maybe there is something that can fix the situation quickly: goat milk.
Wait, what? I never heard of goat milk formula before. Is it legit? Is it good? Will it provide enough nutrition and vitamin for my baby just like other cow milk formula?
In this article, we are going to dig through all of that.
Why choose goat milk over cow milk?
Honestly, I was so surprised because there is goat milk formulas. Of course, I heard of goat milk before, but I find them mostly in my shower cream, not in baby formula.
Now apparently goat milk is a real thing, so I was like, why not take a look into it, there must be a reason they make formulas out of it.
And to my surprise, goat milk really outperforms cow milk formula in the following two major factors:
Reduce constipation and gas
The digestive acids inside your baby’s tummy will break down the casein protein in the milk to smaller pieces so that your baby can absorb the nutrition from it. As soon as the milk gets into the belly, it will start to curdle.
Cow milk formula will curdle into hard and dense protein balls. The harder and denser the balls, the harder it is for the breaking down process.
What does it mean?
Constipation.
On the other hand, goat milk formula forms light and airy curd, allowing the acids to break it down quicker and easier.
Help with eczema
I guess this is an unexpected bonus gift from goat milk formulas. I mean, who could have thought? Goat milk formula helps with eczema?
However, many parents report that switching to goat milk formula helps to reduce the eczema in their little ones, allowing them to have some well-deserving sleep without waking up and trying to soothe their babies’ itch and rashes.
Is goat milk healthier than cow milk for infants?
If goat milk seems to be better than cow milk, then does that mean it is healthier too?
To answer this question, we are going to dig it through some of the most important aspects of any baby formula.
Nutrition
Both goat milk formula and cow milk formula are similar. Even though goat milk is slightly higher in some vitamins and minerals, cow milk is higher in some other vitamins and minerals too.
What’s more, when the manufacturers make the formulas, they have incorporated the right balance of minerals and vitamins of all kinds to mimic breast milk and benefit babies. So, in terms of nutrition, there is no winner.
Is it organic?
Moms are going wild with all the GMO, 2’-FL, organic stuff now. But depends on the farms and manufacturers, goat milk, and cow milk formula can be organic or not.
So in terms of organic standards, there is no winner.
On the other hand, if your little one doesn’t have any digestive issues with cow milk formula, there is no obvious benefit in switching into goat milk formula. However, if he does, then you might want to give goat milk formula a try.
What to look for in a goat milk formula
Organic:
Just like any other baby formula, ideally organic (like the Holle goat milk) or at least non-GMO. Note that imported milk from the EU has to meet higher standards for animal treatment and milk processing.
Best mimic breast milk:
A baby formula that has similar ingredients and taste like breast milk is generally preferred for your baby. Take a look at the whey protein as breast milk contains more whey than casein so that any goat milk formula must add goat whey protein.
Don’t underestimate carbohydrates in the formula.
As carbohydrates help to keep your baby full longer, which means they don’t wake up in the middle of their nap due to hunger, goat milk formula must add carbohydrates to meet your baby’s nutrition needs.
Avoid bad ingredients and include good ingredients:
No synthetic ingredients like taurine, L-Carnitine, etc.
No maltodextrin or syrup solids used.
DHA/ARA and Prebiotics added.
What babies benefit from goat milk
Many people have come to the conclusion that if their babies have cow milk allergy, goat milk formula will solve the issue.
No. It won’t.
Know that allergy can come from many reasons, if you don’t know why your baby has an allergy, simply switching to goat milk formula doesn’t help anything. What if your baby is lactose intolerant? Goat milk formula will still give him diarrhea.
If you are dealing with more general discomfort that seems to be stemming from digestive issues – maybe all those differences in how goat milk is digested will help your baby feel better after eating.
But if it doesn’t, ask your doctor for advice.
The best goat milk formula for baby
First of all, there is no US infant goat milk formulas on the market. So if you want to go for goat milk formulas for your infant, your only choice is a European infant formula.
Good thing is, European infant formulas hold very high standards, compared with US standards. So your baby is even safer.
The best goat milk formula for infants
At the moment, the most famous 2 goat milk formula brands for infants are Holle and Nanny Care.
Holle goat milk formula
This is the only organic goat milk formula in the market. Holle is one of the oldest and most prestigious brands in Europe, and the company is famous for its high standard of product quality as well as animal care.
Holle goat milk formula is free from artificial flavors, colors, and chemical additives. This is a lactose-reduced formula with roughly 50% of the carbs coming from lactose.
Holle goat milk contains organic vegetable oils and key vitamins and minerals that are fundamental for babies’ development in their first few months. Besides these vitamins and minerals, there are not many other ingredients in it, making it the simplest and cleanest formula on the market.
However, this Holle goat milk uses palm oil, which is something I don’t like. And it has no probiotics of DHA added.
Nanny Care goat milk formula
Similar to Holle, Nanny Care is also one of the most famous brands from the UK. It contains additional lactose as the carbohydrates source, with no processed sweeteners.
It doesn’t contain additional whey and free of palm oil, which is a big bonus if your baby suffers from hard poop.
However, this formula is not organic, and it doesn’t contain any probiotics or any omega-3 fatty acid like DHA. It means that your baby won’t benefit from the properties of those ingredients.
The best goat milk formula for toddlers
Holle
Holle goat milk for toddlers is surely different from that for infants, as at this stage, babies start eating other than having milk and they need a different ratio of vitamins and minerals to reach their development.
Surely you can still use Holle infant goat milk for your toddler, but I recommend you switch to the relevant formula to provide the most suitable formula for your baby.
One big thing that sets the difference between these two types is that the toddler formula is not organic.
Nanny Care
Similar to Nanny Care for infant formula, this formula contains additional lactose without processed sweeteners. It is free of palm oil and it is not organic.
It is available in different stages: Follow on Milk for babies from 6 - 12 months and Growing up Milk for babies over 1-year-old.
Kabrita
This is a Netherlands brand. Compared with Holle, it does have more ingredients as it tries to mimic breast milk’s nutritional value.
In addition to all the vitamins and minerals, it contains DHA and ARA, which help to promote a healthy brain, eyes, and nervous system. It also has prebiotics to help with the digestive issue.
The Kabrita formula is free of artificial additives, low-quality sweeteners like corn syrup, hormones, antibiotics, and heavy metals.
Kabrita formula is available for babies over 1-year-old.
Meyenberg
Meyenberg goat milk formula has a very simple ingredient list, which only includes whole goat milk, Vitamin D, and folic acid. This is not a baby directed formula, but it is more like a general powdered milk for the family.
You can still use it for babies over 1-year-old and can use it in cooking, making drinks, breakfast, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to switch your baby to goat milk formula?
If you want to switch from a cow milk formula to goat milk formula, try to mix both types in every feed and increase the quantity of goat milk over time.
As the cow milk and goat milk formula have different tastes, your baby might resist the transition if you change the formula all too sudden.
Only babies with digestive issues should use goat milk formula?
No, absolutely not. Other babies without digestive issues can use goat milk formula too, as it is very light for the tummies.
Should I switch to goat milk formula if my baby is used to cow milk formula?
If your baby is fine with the current formula, don’t think of changing. What’s working, works.
Final thought
If your baby is fine with his current formula, don’t bother reading anything else. But if he suffers from digestive issues, vomiting, or diarrhea, you will want to give goat milk formula a try.
Many parents reported that their little ones’ digestive issues become much better after the switch. Less gas, less spit, and more fun time.