Is it possible to give milk to babies. Is it possible for a baby cow's milk

It often happens that a young mother cannot breastfeed her newborn baby for one reason or another. We urgently need to look for an alternative to breastfeeding. Immediately, goat's milk or cow's milk comes to mind, with which our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers fed their children. But it turns out that not all milk of animal origin is so useful for babies, as the saying goes, familiar to all of us from childhood. "Drink milk children - you will be healthy!" And it is true. But it applies, at least, to one-year-old peanuts, and even older. It is very undesirable to give milk in its pure form to babies. And that's why.

Can babies have milk

The fact that cow's milk in its protein composition belongs to the casein group, and not to the albumin group, was mentioned above. Feeding them to a newborn is unacceptable, since the digestive system of the baby is simply not yet ready for such food. But besides this, there are a number of arguments against the use of cow's milk in the diet of infants.

  1. It has almost 3 times more protein. Which leads to an increase in the growth of adipose tissue in an infant consuming it. And in the future, as a result of metabolic disorders in the body, it can threaten overweight and even obesity.
  2. And about the same times more mineral salts (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine). This puts additional strain on the baby's liver and kidneys. And in the future - the development of chronic diseases of these organs.
  3. But vitamins A, D, E, C and carbohydrates in cow's milk are much less than in mother's. As well as essential fatty acids.
  4. Lack of iodine in cow's milk can affect the mental development of the child and the function of his thyroid gland.
  5. Due to iron deficiency in it, the baby is at risk of anemia. in his blood will be at a fairly low level.
  6. Mother's milk contains more lactose, which promotes the absorption of calcium by a growing child's body.
  7. As for the unique protective components found in breast milk, they are not at all in cow's milk.
  8. And one more important point. Allergy to milk in infants. It also happens that with its early (or incorrect) introduction into the baby's diet, the crumbs develop an individual intolerance to cow's milk. Subsequently, the child will not be able to eat dairy products.

For more information on why cow's milk is not suitable for feeding newborns, see the video below.

Cow's milk for babies (video)

So that cow's milk can be fed to a newborn without harm to him, it must be diluted with water twice. At the same time, food and the energy value milk will decrease accordingly. The child will not receive a number of important elements involved in the process of growth and development of his body.

In numbers it looks like this:

As you can see, cow's milk for babies is not so much a benefit as a harm. The consequences of its use as a substitute for the mother can be irreversible. After all, various metabolic disorders in the body of a child are treated very, very difficult. What's the deal with goat's milk?

Goat milk for babies: is it really healthy?

There is an opinion that goat's milk is much healthier than cow's. Indeed, about him healing properties known to many. This is due to the fact that it contains more vitamins. The composition of goat's milk also includes the amino acid taurine, which is necessary for the development of immunity. And lactose, on the contrary, is less in it, which makes goat's milk less allergenic.

So is goat milk healthy? Yes, it can be considered more valuable and useful. But again - for adults and children far from infants. For newborns, it, like a cow, is not suitable. Why?

  1. Goat's milk is quite fatty, even fatter than cow's. In addition, it does not contain lipase (an enzyme that helps break down fat), as in breast milk.
  2. Folic acid and B vitamins are present in goat milk, but in very small amounts. What can lead to the development of anemia in a child.
  3. And the concentration of mineral salts in it is much higher than in breast milk. That is, again, the liver and kidneys involved in the filtration process suffer.
  4. Goat milk, like cow milk, belongs to the casein group. Accordingly, it, like cow's, will be very difficult to digest by the digestive system of the baby.

In order to bring the concentration of fats and salts in goat's milk as close as possible to their concentration in mother's milk, it must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:4. And what will be useful then in it? If vitamins, compared with breast milk, there are not many. So think about whether it is worth giving goat's milk to newborns. Definitely not worth it.

When can you give milk to a baby?

Of course, no children are the same, just like adults. Everyone has their own, temperament, development. Therefore, to answer the question "When can I give milk to a newborn?" specifically and unequivocally impossible. Someone already at 9 months old is ready to try, and after a year, cow or goat milk is still not advisable for someone to introduce into the diet.

The local pediatrician will be the best adviser for you. After all, it is he who has been watching your child since his birth. And this he knows about all the peculiarities of his development. Be sure to listen to his opinion. But from what you already know about milk, the conclusion suggests itself: there is no need to hurry with its introduction to the baby.

While the child is called a baby, it is better not to give him cow or goat milk. These are late food products. And, in order to avoid the development of allergic processes in the body of the crumbs, they can be introduced no earlier than nine months of age (or better, after the baby is 1 year old). According to all the rules for the introduction of any other complementary foods (start with 1 teaspoon and gradually increase the portion to normal).

  • Cow's milk, for starters, is diluted in a ratio of 1:2. It is introduced, like all others, by a teaspoon with an increase in the dose every day. Provided that the child feels well within a week, you can try to dilute already 1: 1. Children with allergies should not be given cow's milk until the age of three.
  • Goat milk in the first week after its introduction into the child's diet is diluted in a ratio of 1:5. With good tolerance to his baby, from the second week, you can begin to dilute 1: 4.

And a must. Milk (it doesn't matter - goat or cow) before giving it to a child, you must boil for at least fifteen minutes. Even if it was bought in a store.

And only when the milk becomes familiar product in the child's diet, he can start cooking milk porridge.

The extreme usefulness of cereals has been known since ancient times. In addition to the fact that they contain many elements necessary for a little man, they also contribute to the formation digestive system baby, stimulating the bowels.

To properly cook any porridge, be it buckwheat, rice or wheat, you need to know the basic recipe for making milk porridge for babies. And already there are a great many variations on this theme.

To begin with, sorted and washed cereals are boiled in water until tender. Then it is rubbed through a sieve. And only after that boiled milk is added to it. Moreover, milk, previously diluted, as indicated above. Porridge should be made in a consistency similar to sour cream.

After you mix everything well, the resulting mixture should be brought to a boil again, already with milk. That's the whole secret of cooking.

Kashi. They are not prepared immediately in milk. First, the baby is given to try dairy-free cereals. And only after that you can introduce dairy into his diet.

Infant milk formulas for newborns

The fact that babies should not be given cow or goat milk is understandable. At least until he is about 1 year old. But what then to feed the baby if breastfeeding is impossible, or if he simply does not have enough mother's milk? To date, this problem has been completely resolved.

In stores you will find a large assortment of specially adapted. They are good because they are made on the basis of goat's or cow's milk, but their composition is already as close as possible to the composition of the mother's. The amount of vitamins and microelements is balanced for the proper growth and development of a small organism. Added nucleotides and prebiotics, as well as various complexes for the formation of immunity in infants.

Your pediatrician will help you choose the right milk formula. Its preparation is also not difficult. And milk, for all its usefulness, start giving the baby when he is ready for it. Haste, you see, is completely inappropriate, especially when it comes to the health of your child ...

I think all mothers have heard about the benefits of milk. On the next visit to our pediatrician, I ask the doctor: “Tell me, please, is it possible for a child to give milk already”? "What do you eat"? she asked. Listed. In response: “OK, you can start slowly.”

Isn't it time for me to try the snow-white treat!

When to start

At this point, my child was already 9.5 months old, and we got a few teeth. As I found out later, many doctors categorically deny the possibility of feeding a child up to a year with goat or cow's milk. They justify their position by the fact that this product contains proteins and fats in much larger quantities (3 times) than in mother's breasts or adapted mixtures. In addition, the protein contained in the product produced by the cow or goat can provoke an allergy. Yes, there is certainly some truth in their words, but there is no question of any plaques that form in the tummy of a young toddler. These are all fables.

milk in early age can cause the most unpleasant consequences.

Strong arguments in favor of the late introduction of complementary foods with milk of animal origin.

Complementary feeding with cow's milk up to a year threatens:

  • An increased amount of allergenic proteins and sodium can lead to allergies;

Skin rashes and itching are the costs of an allergic reaction.

  • May cause dehydration;
  • The level of casein is very high - the digestion of this protein is extremely difficult for a small tummy (a dense, almost indigestible clot forms in the stomach);
  • A huge amount of sodium, chlorine, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium adversely affect the urinary system of a young organism. The baby's kidneys are trying to process this crazy amount of trace elements, experiencing enormous overloads;
  • With regular use of the product up to 6 months of age, internal gastric bleeding is possible;

Moms and dads, be careful! There is no need to rush with dairy products.

  • Zinc, iodine, copper, vitamins E and C, iron are contained in cow's milk in insufficient quantities for a growing child's body. Taurine, cystine and folic acid are generally absent. A deficiency of these minerals can lead to the development of rather severe pathologies;
  • It is categorically contraindicated for children of the first year of life, in whom relatives with diabetes were observed in the family (because of the possibility of developing this terrible disease).

Complementary feeding with goat's milk up to a year is fraught with:

  • The toxic effect of the product on the body due to the content of specific acids in the first;
  • Kidney problems for the same reason as when drinking cow's milk;

Violation of the internal organs of a weak child's body is quite likely.

  • The fat content of the product is several times higher than the norm. Consequence - problems with digestion due to the immaturity of the stomach and intestines;
  • The low content of vitamins D and A, folic acid, iron, the disproportionate ratio of calcium and phosphorus do not contribute to the correct and full-fledged muscular, functional and mental development of the crumbs. The lack of these substances can provoke some serious diseases;

I can't get used to this milk.

  • Intestinal bleeding without damage to the integrity of blood vessels (occurs with anemia or poor blood clotting);
  • The content of casein is an order of magnitude higher than in cow's (however, it is absorbed better than the first);
  • Loss of valuable qualities of the product (if diluted with water to a state acceptable for use).

Oddly enough, but the most similar in composition and useful properties to human is donkey, yes, donkey milk.

At the time of grandmothers

But how did our mothers feed their children using animal milk? - many will be outraged. In those days, medicine was not so developed, and experts could only guess about the causes of many diseases. Now science has filled most of the gaps in its knowledge and invites us to use already verified information for our benefit.

Grandmothers always have sweets for their beloved granddaughters.

About how to start full-fledged complementary foods and at what age

So at what age should you give milk? From 9 months, you can start complementary foods for those babies who are on artificial nutrition. This rule applies to both cow and goat products. The baby can eat porridge cooked in milk. Doctors, nevertheless, insist on nutrition for up to a year with mixtures.

For greater safety, do not delete infant formula from the crumbs menu for as long as possible.

Starting from the age of one, a child who is breastfed can receive a full-fledged cow or goat product, but in a diluted state. Useful l the treat must be boiled and diluted for the first feeding in a ratio of 1: 3, where 3 is the amount of water. We introduce into complementary foods, starting from 1 teaspoon, which should turn out: 1 part milk and 3 parts boiled water. If there is no response, increase the dose. After about 2.5 - 3 weeks, the amount of product consumed by the baby will be about 100 milliliters. The fat content of milk should not be less than 3, but not more than 4%, since it must be diluted. Gradually reduce the presence of water in the liquid to a minimum, and completely remove it.

In order for a child to grow up healthy, it must be present in his menu. Only meat contains vitamins and microelements necessary for normal growth.

Fish is no less useful, however, this product should be introduced into complementary foods very carefully, because. it is a strong allergen. How to introduce fish into complementary foods is described.

Where to begin

The introduction of complementary foods is better to start with a goat. There are more benefits in it (it helps in the fight against dysbacteriosis and colds, improves immunity (taurine component). Goat product is more easily absorbed by the intestines baby because it lacks agglutin, proteins are lighter, and fatty acid molecules are smaller in size than in cow's, therefore, such food is easier to digest. Allergic manifestations are possible, but to a lesser extent than when using a cow product. However, the baby may reject it. healthy dish because of its unpleasant odour. It is not worth force-feeding the baby, it is better to wait a little time and try later or mix with already familiar food.

Barsik and I demand supplements!

After goat milk, you can try cow's milk. If the baby's age has already approached two years, then he can be offered dairy products with a low fat content (1-2%) or completely fat-free (if the child consumes dairy products in large quantities). Daily rate the consumption of this valuable product by the crumbs is ideally 0.5-0.7 liters per day. It is better to alternate cow and goat milk, since the ratio useful substances these two products are different. For example, a cow's product contains a large amount of phosphorus, which goat's milk cannot boast of. In unlimited quantities, a baby can drink this healthy liquid from the age of three.

Boiling necessary

Raw dairy products are generally not recommended for children. The fact is that cattle and medium-sized cattle are carriers of a terrible disease called brucellosis. This disease can lead a person to disability. The spinal cord is most commonly affected. Only when you are sure that everything is in order with the animal (this can only be if you take care of the cow or goat yourself), you can give the child unboiled milk, and then in small volumes.

The country's most famous pediatrician says

Dr. Komarovsky is not a supporter of the early introduction of dairy products into the diet of babies, but he is not an ardent opponent either:

“When to introduce milk to a child is a personal matter for each of the parents, but I want to say that one cannot be absolutely sure about our products, unless, of course, we independently monitor the whole process, which is possible only when running our own natural household. In my opinion, a quality adapted mix has many more advantages:

  • Includes all necessary baby trace elements and vitamins;
  • The composition itself is stable, not undergoing changes;
  • Milk protein is processed in a special way, which reduces the possibility of allergic reactions;
  • Preparing the mixture is much easier, more convenient and faster.”

Moms for and moms against

“The eldest daughter at 7.5 months began to have terrible rashes - a reaction to cow's milk. Only the feet and hands remained clean. The rest of the skin is a solid purple mess. Saved by a goat. Until the age of two, she only drank it. After 5, she seems to have outgrown, but, having already matured, she doesn’t really like milk. I soak a cookie in boiled and diluted milk for the younger one. So far there has been no response."

“My son has been on artificial feeding, so it happened. I got used to mixtures for a long time, but at the age of 1 year and 3 months he was impatient to refuse the mixture flatly. Tried to give him baby milk from the store (special series). So, with big eyes and wild pleasure, he drank a whole glass and began to demand more. Now he is already 2 years old. In milk, as they say, there is no soul! Well, after that, how not to give it to children under three years old ”?

“We will be one and a half years old in two weeks. We are still eating the Nutrilon mixture. She tried to give her son goat's milk to drink - she didn't want to, she gave cow's - she turns away and pushes the mug away with her hand. It doesn't really bother me. I think that the mixture is more useful, because everything is specially balanced there.

"Horror! Goat or cow milk is only possible after 2 years! It does not resemble breastfeeding in any way! Therefore, gastritis, pancreatitis, ulcers, etc. come out by the age of 5-6 in children. This milk was bred and given for a long time. Then there was simply nothing else. Why give it now? There are dry specially adapted mixes! I don’t scold any of the mothers, but think about it!”

“I think all this nastiness about milk was invented by the manufacturers of mixtures. After all, it is unlikely that anyone will take their expensive powders if there is real milk. I have been cooking porridge for my son in diluted cow's milk since 5 months. From 8 - start on the whole. Everything is great with us."

Kefir has a huge benefit to the young intestine. This fermented milk product is rich in beneficial bacteria that normalize the functioning of the baby's gastrointestinal tract. For baby food best to use .

If your baby has problems with digestion, she suffers from constipation, we recommend preparing her a compote of prunes. Read how to cook compote.

It is not necessary to resort to calming the child in order to medicines, it is enough to give him a herculean broth. More about useful properties oatmeal flakes is described on this page.

Let's summarize

  1. Complete feeding with milk can be carried out from the age of one;
  2. The goat product is easier for the stomach to digest;
  3. Milk at the beginning of the introduction of complementary foods must be diluted;
  4. Complementary foods start with milk porridges;
  5. We give fatty product up to 2 years;
  6. Be sure to boil the milk;
  7. From the age of 3, you can drink milk without restrictions.

According to the laws of nature, all mammals feed their newborn babies with their own milk, and the body of each animal produces the milk that, in its composition, will be optimal for a particular organism. This means that no matter how tasty and nutritious cow's milk is, it will have a beneficial effect on the body of a young calf, but not a child. This fact was established by scientists in the XVIII century.

Is it possible to breastfeed?

Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers recalled that they often fed their babies with cow's milk. Of course, the post-war years, devastation, poverty that prevailed in the villages forced a woman to use the milk of goats and cows in cases where, for some reason, month old baby mother was missing.

But this measure is extreme, in fact, the use of a cow product by an infant can cause significant damage to a fragile body. And too great content casein often causes allergies in infants, and excess protein creates an increased burden on the kidneys. Cow's milk contains less iodine, zinc, vitamins E and C than is necessary for a growing body, and the amount of lactose in it is not enough (3% versus 7% in breast milk), and the child will also lack amino acids such as taurine and cystine, which necessary for the proper development of the brain (their content is 3 times lower than the norm).

In addition, the early introduction of baby cow's milk into the menu causes the risk of diabetes.


What is the use of the product?

Milk is a real pantry of calcium, which plays a major role in the formation of the musculoskeletal system. In addition, this product contains a large amount of vitamin D, without which calcium in human body not absorbed.

Milk provides the child with the necessary amino acids that synthesize the main construction material for cells and tissues, and the carbohydrates contained in it provide energy for the whole day. Science has proven that if a child consumes too little calcium, the risk of hypertension, stroke, and fractures at an older age increases significantly.

Wherein no need to stop breast-feeding after cows' milk is included in the diet These 2 nutrient sources work very well together and complement each other. However, the use this product allowed only in the second year of a baby's life.



Possible harm and contraindications

If, for any reason, a young mother is unable to breastfeed her child, then special milk formulas designed for infants should be preferred. Usually they are selected by pediatricians taking into account the individual characteristics of the baby and have many advantages over plain cow's milk:

  • mixtures have a constant composition, and the concentration of certain substances depends on what the cow ate;
  • mixture manufacturers guarantee the presence of all important trace elements, as well as vitamins in dosages that are optimal for babies of each age;
  • the structure of the mixture includes processed casein, which significantly reduces the risk of allergic reactions.

Also, the mixture can always be purchased in reserve. If desired, it can be used to make mashed potatoes and cereals, and most importantly, mothers can be completely sure that the product is absolutely safe for her baby.



Cases when it is necessary to completely abandon the use

There are pathologies in which it is better to completely abandon the use of a product such as cow's milk. For example, if a child is prone to allergies, casein, being poorly digested, enters the bloodstream and gives a rather strong reaction of the body. Do not include milk in children's diet crumbs with lactose deficiency, because in this case the body secretes too few enzymes to process sugar.

Any metabolic disorders associated with digestion are also the basis for refusing milk, a pathology such as a violation of the absorption of galactose, which is formed as a result of the breakdown of milk sugar, is of particular danger.

Of course, it is worth refusing to consume in case of hereditary fermentopathy, which is detected by a special screening examination in the first days of life - this is also a reason to introduce a dairy-free diet from the very first days.



Why is drinking too much bad?

Milk of cows is not recommended to be consumed in large quantities by children under one year old, because the product creates an increased burden on the kidneys, which most detrimentally affects the health of the child. Moreover, as a result of such thoughtless consumption, you can get diseases that will be impossible to get rid of, and the child will be forced to support himself with medicines for the rest of his life.

In addition, if you decide to give your baby cow's milk, keep in mind that it is not known in what conditions the animal is kept, what food it is fed, and how often the udder is washed. Moreover, on big farms quite often, antibiotics and hormones are added to food for cattle so that animals grow faster - these substances cannot be destroyed even during heat treatment and pasteurization of the product. Various intestinal infections are often transmitted through milk, as well as anthrax, foot and mouth disease, tuberculosis, brucellosis, and even leukemia caused by a lymphotropic virus - and this is not at all what a small person needs.

Although in fairness, we note that if you buy milk in a store, then the risk of getting such infections is minimal, but in this case you will not get any benefit for the newborn baby.


The question that interests many young mothers is at what exact age can you start giving cow's milk to the baby. WHO and famous pediatrician Oleg Komarovsky it is not advised to introduce it into the diet before 12 months, and there is whole line reasons. Up to this point, the baby's digestive tract simply cannot yet digest cow's milk in the same volume as breast milk and formula. You can not give this product to a two-month-old, three-month-old or even a seven-month-old child - it causes irritation of the digestive mucosa, and this often manifests itself in the form of blood in the baby's stool.



How to properly introduce into the baby's diet?

Cow's milk should be introduced into the baby's diet with great care. For the very first feeding, it must be diluted with water, but even after that, you can treat the baby with only 1 teaspoon of the resulting milk solution. It is very important to observe the reaction of the child's body after the first intake of the product. If you notice the appearance of rashes, redness, swelling, itching, or fever, then acquaintance with milk should be postponed for several months, at least 3.

If you notice that after drinking milk, the child began to cough, wheeze or breathe loudly, you should immediately give an antihistamine and call ambulance- most often this means that the allergy caused swelling of the respiratory organs, which is very dangerous for any child.

If the manifestations of allergies are very strong. then you need to contact an allergist to adjust the child's diet.


Do I need to dilute with water and in what proportion?

As we have already mentioned, in order to give milk to a baby, it must be diluted with water, for the first feeding it is better to take three times more water than milk, and observe the reaction of the crumbs. If it did not follow within 2-3 days, then you can dilute a little less, and after a week take milk and water in equal amounts. By the way, back in the 18th century, Dr. Michael Underwood, famous at that time, advised taking milk diluted in oat broth to reduce the concentration of proteins in it, or, if there is no oats, then dilute the product with water to organize the nutrition of infants.



How to choose milk?

When choosing milk for your baby, give preference to special baby products that have a composition that is much more adapted to the body of an infant. Moreover, baby milk should become the choice of caring mothers even at an older age. It has more high quality, because it is made only from milk obtained from healthy cows kept in ecologically safe areas. At each stage of the production of baby milk, microbiological control works - the number of certain bacteria at each stage of processing is strictly normalized.

Important, that baby milk has an optimal percentage of fat content for the child's body - as a rule, in the range of 2.5-3.5%, and is also characterized by a Turner acidity index of not more than 100 degrees, which corresponds to the current sanitary standards. Milk for children is pasteurized at ultra-high temperatures - from 120 to 140 degrees for 3-4 seconds, after which it is quickly cooled. As a result of this treatment, all pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed, while beneficial ones, on the contrary, remain unchanged.

Some mothers give their babies skim milk, a common mistake, because at this stage of development, the fats found in milk are especially necessary for the child - they cause him to optimally absorb calcium and vitamin D, and also allow him to gain weight. Transfer crumbs to fat-free product it is possible only after 3 years, and then only if the increase in the child's body weight complies with existing medical standards and regulations.

In conclusion, I would like to recall the statements of many grandmothers that in the absence of breast milk in the mother, newborns have been fed cow's milk for centuries, even millennia. You can’t argue with this fact, but you shouldn’t forget that all this took place along with a progressive deterioration in the health of children, the emergence of complex allergic manifestations, increased percentage pathologies of pregnancy and childbirth, as well as a significant number of various congenital anomalies and immaturity of the vital organs and systems of the child - and all this is directly related to improper feeding in the very first months of the baby's life.

If you are determined to drink the child natural product, then it is better to give preference to goat's milk - it has much less proteins than cow's, and their form is better absorbed by the baby's body.

Many people love cow's milk, but few people think about at what age it can be consumed, and at what age it is better to abstain, how much it can be drunk without harm to health, is it necessary to boil it, and can pregnant women drink cow's milk? Dr. Komarovsky will answer all these questions.

Are on natural and artificial feeding, from the expert.

A common question that parents ask is, at what age can you give your child regular milk? Even when the baby is growing rapidly, cow's milk is not recommended until the age of 12 months.

Exists a number of reasons why you should not give whole cow's milk to babies under 1 year old.

  1. The digestive tract of babies is not yet ready to easily and completely digest cow's milk, like breast milk or formula. Cow's milk contains a high concentration of protein and minerals that strain the baby's immature kidneys.
  2. For children under one year of age, excessive consumption of dairy products can increase the risk of iron deficiency anemia. Milk interferes with the proper absorption of iron, and iron cannot be reduced or removed from a child's diet.
  3. Cow's milk is also not recommended for children under one year old because it can irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive system, which is manifested by the appearance of blood in the stool.
  4. Cow's milk contains three times more sodium than human milk.

However, when the child is ready to digest whole milk, it can complement a balanced diet that includes grains, vegetables, fruits, and meats.

Why should a child drink cow's milk?

Milk is rich in calcium, which strengthens teeth and bones and helps regulate blood clotting.

It is also one of the few sources of vitamin D without which calcium cannot be absorbed in the body. The vitamin also plays a critical role in bone growth.

Milk provides the body with protein for growth, and carbohydrates give your child the energy he needs all day long.

If the baby's body initially enters required amount calcium, there is evidence that it will be less likely to cause hypertension, stroke, colon cancer, and hip fractures in adulthood and old age.

After the introduction of cow's milk, it is not necessary to stop breastfeeding the baby. WHO experts recommend continuing in the second year of a child's life.

How much milk should a child drink?

A child after 1 year can get enough calcium and vitamin D by drinking 1 or 1.5 glasses of cow's milk or the equivalent amount of other dairy products (yogurt, cottage cheese, kefir). At the age of 2 years, the child should receive 400 ml of milk or other milk-based products daily.

Do not offer your child more than 800 ml of milk per day. If the baby is still thirsty, offer water.

Dairy products that are produced for children are adapted to the child's digestive tract.

baby milk must answer several requirements.

  1. The highest quality. Baby milk is made from high quality cow's milk from cows that are completely healthy and live in ecologically clean areas.
  2. Control of sanitary and hygienic conditions. Baby milk is prepared in special workshops, separate from the production of adult milk
  3. Microbiological control. Close attention is paid to the control of microbiological data. The number of bacteria in a certain volume of milk is strictly regulated.
  4. Fat control. The boundaries of the percentage of fat content for children under the age of three are 2.5 - 3.5%.
  5. Acidity control. There are special requirements for acidity limits imposed fermented milk products for kids. The acidity of children's products should be no higher than 100 degrees Turner.
  6. UHT. Milk is specially treated with ultra-high temperatures (125 - 138 ºС) for 2 - 4 seconds in order to preserve the maximum benefit. After that, it cools down quickly. Thus, all pathogenic organisms are destroyed, useful components are simultaneously preserved.
  7. Package. The final product is packed in a Tetra Pak aseptic box, which prevents the re-entry of harmful bacteria inside after packaging. In this package, the dairy product remains fresh and safe for several months.

Is it okay to give a 1 year old skimmed cow's milk?

Children of this age need a high fat content in milk to maintain normal weight and optimal absorption of vitamins A, D. When the child is 2 years old, you can switch him to skim milk if there is a good increase in height and weight.

Exceptions are possible. Your child's doctor may recommend giving low-fat (2 percent) milk after 1 year if the child is overweight or obese or has a genetic predisposition to obesity, high level cholesterol, the risk of cardiovascular disease.

What to do when a child refuses to drink whole cow's milk?

Some babies drink cow's milk right away, but others refuse it because cow's milk has a different texture, taste, and even temperature than mother's milk.

If this applies to your baby, try mixing cow's milk with breast milk or formula first. Try one part milk to three parts or mixtures. Then slowly shift the ratio until he drinks 100% cow's milk.

But there are other ways to include cow's milk in your child's diet. For example:

  • add milk to porridge;
  • offer your child yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding or milkshakes as a snack;
  • make soup with milk instead of water.

If a child drank a mixture based on cow's milk, then he will tolerate regular cow's milk without any problems. Even infants who are exclusively breastfed in their first year can drink cow's milk without problems, as they have been exposed to the cow's milk protein in their mother's milk, unless she has avoided all dairy products.

If an infant has been drinking a hypoallergenic formula on the advice of a doctor, consult a specialist before introducing cow's milk. Your doctor may suggest starting with a soy drink that is fortified with vitamin D and calcium.

But a true allergy to cow's milk protein is relatively rare. Only 2-3% of children are diagnosed with an allergic reaction. The good news is that children usually outgrow the disease by age 2.

Differences between cow's milk protein allergy and lactase deficiency

Allergies are an immune response, while lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder. But their symptoms are similar - diarrhea, abdominal pain after drinking milk.

If a child develops a dry, itchy rash or itchy and swollen face and lips when they consume a dairy product, or if they have symptoms such as hives, swollen, watery eyes, they may be allergic to cow's milk proteins.

Chronic nasal congestion, runny nose, cough, difficulty or may be signs that allergies are affecting the child's respiratory system. When your child has any of these signs, talk to your doctor.

Take your child to the doctor or hospital immediately if:

  • the baby is very pale or weak;
  • most of the skin is affected by urticaria;
  • swelling develops in the head or neck;
  • there is bloody diarrhea.

The child may have a life-threatening allergic reaction.

If your baby is allergic to cow's milk, you must be careful. Avoid foods such as cottage cheese, condensed milk, ice cream, yogurt, butter, milk chocolate and milk powder. By law, all allergens are listed on the labels. food products. In this case, “milk” will be indicated on the package as part of the composition.

Treat with special attention to the choice dairy product for your child. Do not experiment on his health. Give him the right, balanced diet. And the child will grow up healthy and energetic.

Cow's milk is considered a valuable product with a rich protein content. Milk protein is more complete for a balanced diet, easier to digest than fish or meat protein. And yet, cow's milk for children under one year is not recommended for a number of reasons.

Differences between cow's milk and breast milk

The composition and quality of cow's milk are not similar to mother's milk due to the lack of immunological factors in it, which are found in mother's milk. When the content of minerals and protein is increased, and the amount of carbohydrates, vitamins and fatty acids is reduced, this leads to serious disorders in the child's body. Cow's milk should not be given early due to possible allergies in infants. The product is a valuable source of nutrients for a growing child, but it is undesirable to introduce it into the diet during the first year of life.

To understand the similarities and differences in the composition of cow's and breast milk, a comparative table will help:

Factors Cow breast
immunological No there is
protein 5% 1%
taurine, cystine deficiency for brain development 34 times more
carnitine residual content 40 times more
orotic acid No there is
fats 4% 4%
fatty acid overabundance norm
linoleic acid deficiency for brain development norm
lipase No there is
lactose 3% 7%
sodium 30 6,5
potassium 49 14
chlorides 41 12
calcium 1750 350
phosphates 1050 150
iron not absorbed absorbed completely
vitamins not enough norm
water must be given extra You can only get by with your mother's milk

Harm of cow's milk

Despite the "official" age at which milk supplements are allowed, pediatricians do not advise giving this product until 3 years of age. It was then that the work of the gastrointestinal tract in the child is completely stabilized, and milk will be beneficial. Some mothers can boast that already from the age of six months they fed the baby with cow's milk, but this is due to the individual characteristics of the body. When to introduce cow's milk into the baby's diet, refusing breast milk, only a doctor can tell. Independent change in the child's diet is fraught with complications and danger.

  1. Compared to the mother, the cow is too "heavy" due to an overabundance of minerals and protein. Up to a year, the child's body does not work selectively and cannot distinguish the necessary minerals from the extra ones, so it removes everything with the kidneys. Valuable calcium also goes to the "exit" along with harmful phosphorus. This leads to an additional burden on the kidneys and the development of rickets.
  2. If complementary foods in the form of cow's milk are introduced at an early age or completely replace breast milk with it, the gastric mucosa of the baby may not be able to cope with the new product. As a result, the occurrence of internal bleeding, dangerous for the child.
  3. You can provoke the appearance of allergies, intolerance to lactose and milk protein.
  4. Before giving a “useful” product to newborns, you should think about possible anemia. Iron deficiency in cow's milk reduces hemoglobin levels, and if you refuse breastfeeding and immediately replace it with cow's, anemia will cause serious illness.
  5. There is a risk of completely crowding out breastfeeding, so it is impossible to give cow's milk instead of breast milk.
  6. When a mother decides to replace her milk with cow's milk, she should prepare for the likely developmental delay of the child and frequent illnesses. Cow does not contain important immunoglobulins, which are rich in breast milk, therefore defensive reaction the child's body will be at a low level.
  7. Mom's milk is always fresh and safe to drink, and cow's milk, if stored improperly, can cause poisoning.

When and what kind of milk is useful

Considering the question of at what age milk can be introduced into the diet, you should heed the advice of a pediatrician. Leading experts recommend starting a child's acquaintance with this product, starting from 8-9.5 months. Ideally, this should be cottage cheese, since the sour-milk version is the most suitable for digestion.

You can buy specialized products for babies in the store. During the production process, these cocktails are carefully controlled and are fully balanced. Some species are enriched with dietary fiber and vitamins that help improve digestion. And do not forget to include children's cottage cheese in the diet to normalize the intestinal microflora.

However, you can not buy milk with various additives and the content of preservatives, flavors and dangerous dyes. When "adult" milk is selected, it is important to become familiar with the way it has been processed. Options include:

  1. UHT
  2. pasteurization
  3. sterilization

In the latter version, milk is processed at a temperature of 100 C, so it is clear why it is no longer healthy. Pasteurization implies a minimally gentle processing mode, but the shelf life is short, you need to pay attention to the date of manufacture when buying.

Choosing the optimal fat content, you can stop at a product of 2.5-3.2%, since vitamins and calcium are almost not absorbed from completely skimmed milk, and fatter milk will cause intolerance and digestion problems.

How best to start introducing cow's milk

When the baby is formula-fed, from 9 months you can give complementary foods from milk, adding it to cereals. It is important to follow the sequence and accuracy when introducing a child to a new product for him:

  1. Milk is subject to mandatory boiling and dilution in a ratio of 1:3.
  2. You should start complementary foods with 1 teaspoon, observing the reaction of the crumbs.
  3. If there is no allergy or intolerance, the dose can be slightly increased.
  4. After 3 weeks, the amount of milk consumed is 100 g.
  5. The amount of water should be gradually reduced, and then completely removed.

It is forbidden to include a raw product in complementary foods! Cattle are considered carriers of brucellosis: once in the body, the virus infects the spinal cord. Even timely treatment will not protect against disability.

Natural fresh milk remains the best memory from childhood, so many parents are sure that it is possible and necessary to give a home-made product, they are in a hurry to introduce it into complementary foods. It should be remembered that the market option does not always pass certification, so no one is safe from the content of "surprises". Some private traders do not consider the disease of an animal an obstacle to milking and subsequent sale of the product.

Before the final decision, at what age to give the baby pure milk or introduce it into complementary foods, it is worth consulting with the attending pediatrician. Sometimes, behind the mother’s intention to transfer the baby from breastfeeding to artificial, there is a reluctance to follow a nursing diet. It is difficult to limit yourself on the menu if the rest of the household adheres to a more varied diet. Cow's milk in the first months of a baby's life will cause irreparable harm to the body, which the mother will later regret.

When it is not possible to establish lactation, a decision is made to transfer the baby to feeding with cow's milk due to lack of finances for the purchase adapted mixture. And mothers often succumb to the persuasion of relatives to save money. Grandmothers are sincerely perplexed why a daughter or daughter-in-law opposes this method of feeding, because in the past everyone did this. A few decades ago, the question did not arise at all, from what age to introduce milk into the children's diet - cow's milk was considered useful. And studies have not yet revealed the full danger of the product. Therefore, if the priority is the health and normal development of the crumbs, you can appeal to the older generation with this fact.