Cow's milk for babies: benefits and harms, at what age to give, medical opinions

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Milk is traditionally considered a he althy product, rich in useful elements. Parents, following the advice of grandparents, often try to give this product to their children as early as possible, sometimes even completely replacing breastfeeding with them. But pediatricians have a radically different opinion on whether to use cow's milk for babies.

Basic properties of cow's milk

The best food for a newborn baby is mother's milk, so it is not surprising that doctors around the world strongly recommend breastfeeding babies, because this is how the psychological and physiological needs of the baby are met. But there are situations when traditional feeding cannot be used. In such cases, the question arises regarding an adequate alternative - the choice of a high-quality, he althy and safe substitute for mother's milk for the baby.

With cow's milk for babiesyou have to be very careful. The beneficial properties of such a drink include an increased amount of minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates in the composition. At the same time, a large indicator of carbohydrates can provoke problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract in too young children.

How dangerous cow's milk can be

When figuring out whether cow's milk can be given to a baby, you need to know that the main protein of the drink called casein is one of the strongest allergens. As a result of its incomplete resorption, the product is able to enter the bloodstream and react there as an antigen, provoking a powerful reaction from the immune system. As a result, shaking sometimes leads not only to dairy intolerance, but can also cause type 1 diabetes.

Why cow's milk is not good

If the drink is he althy enough for adults, then cow's milk for babies often comes with some risk. This is based on the peculiarities of the work of the digestive system of children and its insufficient maturity. The reasons for the negative effect of this liquid on the baby's body are associated with several factors that you must familiarize yourself with before giving cow's milk to a baby:

1. Cow's milk contains a lot of s alts (chlorides, phosphates), minerals (sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium). In a newborn child, the urinary system is not yet fully mature, which is why it is not ready to remove an excessive amount of s alts. As a result, the latter are ablebe deposited in the body of a small person.
2. Cow's milk has very little iron. In addition, it is poorly absorbed by the body, thereby increasing the risk of developing anemia in infants. A low iron level negatively affects the development of a small child, his growth, the functional strength of the immune system.
3. Due to the high content of casein protein in cow's milk, it is difficult for a child's body to digest it. Too much of this protein can put a lot of stress on the kidneys.
4. The drink is low in copper, zinc, vitamin E and ascorbic acid, and these elements are extremely important for the normal development of the baby. Milk also contains very few amino acids cystine and taurine, which are necessary for brain development.

Which is better to use: mixtures or milk

If feeding a newborn with breast milk is not possible, doctors recommend choosing adapted milk formulas, which must be selected with the help of a doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of the baby.

Few people know that even homemade cow's milk formula for an infant will be more beneficial than feeding a baby just pure cow's milk. The benefits of purchased mixes are as follows:

1. The composition of the product is constant and known in advance.
2. The manufacturer includes only vitamins and microelements that are useful and necessary for the child.
3. Casein protein is carefully processed to a state ofreduce allergenic characteristics.
4. The mixture is easy to use and can be bought in advance and stored at home for a long time.

Things are more complicated with cow's milk for babies, because it is not known what kind of food the animal ate, whether the container was thoroughly washed, in what conditions the product was stored. Larger farms often use antibiotics and other drugs for treatment and prevention. These substances get into the milk and, unfortunately, are not destroyed even as a result of heat treatment.

Homemade milk is definitely more beneficial for children, because the he alth status of the animal and its nutrition can be tracked by yourself. The product must be pasteurized. To do this, it is heated to 90 degrees. Medical specialists allow parents to prepare homemade cottage cheese for a child, kefir and other products using starters purchased at a pharmacy. So you can diversify the daily nutrition of the child.

At what age is it acceptable to introduce cow's milk into a baby's diet

Cow's milk for babies at what age is best to start introducing into the diet - many parents ask this question. Experts have done a lot of research to determine the best age for these dietary changes. For the most part, doctors agree that it is not worth starting to give such a drink to a child under the age of one year due to intolerance to cow's milk protein in infants. If mom still wants to diversify foodinfant through cow's milk, the minimum age of the infant should be 9 months.

It is strongly not recommended to introduce milk to children under 3 years of age if they are at risk due to several factors:

• Cow's milk intolerance in infants:
• prone to allergies;
• persistent disorders of the digestive system, manifested in the form of diarrhea and constipation;
• metabolic problems;
• kidney disease.

Many will say that for centuries and even millennia, children were fed diluted cow's milk from an early age, if there was no mother's milk. But we must not forget that the deterioration in the he alth of babies progresses over the years, in particular, cases of allergies to cow's milk in infants have become more frequent. So is it worth the risk?

Menu entry rules

Feeding a baby with milk is better to start with goat milk. It is more beneficial for babies and is easier to digest in the intestines. Allergic reactions from the body are possible, but are extremely rare. The only thing that can interfere with feeding is an unpleasant smell that the baby may not like.

Then you can start giving cow's milk to babies. At the age of closer to 2 years, you need to pay attention to a product with a low fat content in the composition (1-2%), you can also give the child a completely fat-free drink.

It is good to alternate between goat and cow milk, as the nutrients in drinks are found indifferent ratios. In particular, cow's milk has much more phosphorus than goat's milk.

How to breastfeed your baby

Parents should be aware of the positive and negative effects of cow's milk for babies, at what age it can be given to a child, and also how to properly conduct complementary foods. You should always start with small amounts, this applies to any new food in the diet of children. It is recommended to dilute half a teaspoon in a ratio of 1:2.

It is important to monitor the condition of the baby in time to notice any possible pathological reaction from the body. If any signs of individual intolerance in the baby become noticeable, exclude the product from the diet.

Can I give milk to children from the store

Milk sold in stores is specially pasteurized, but still not adapted to the immature digestive system of a child. Do not give this product to young children under the age of 3 years. Better opt for a more specialized baby drink.

For the manufacture of such a product, milk of the highest quality is used, which must undergo ultra-pasteurization, during which all pathogenic bacteria are destroyed. The fat content of the drink always corresponds to the indicator that the child's body is able to master. Thanks to the use of a special baby drink, the risk of allergic reactions can be minimized.

Choosing milk to buy

When choosing cow's milk, it is importantnaturalness and safety. You can buy the product from private owners - neat and clean, whose animal is regularly examined by a veterinarian. It is necessary to make a choice in favor of a drink that has been in contact with air for as little time as possible, since milk fats are partially oxidized. Information about this can be obtained directly from the farmer.

Milk freshness and pasteurization

The freshness of the product is also of great importance. The composition of whole fresh milk contains many useful nutrients that can inhibit the development of pathological putrefactive microorganisms. But already after 2 hours, this feature is lost, and therefore it is necessary to pasteurize or boil raw milk. It is best to use instant pasteurization, that is, heat the milk to almost 90 degrees, and then immediately turn off the stove.

Pasteurization almost does not change the taste of the drink, but helps to destroy pathological microorganisms that are the causative agents of dangerous diseases, including brucellosis and tuberculosis. Only heat-resistant lactic acid microorganisms, as well as beneficial nutrients, do not die.

Storage of cow's milk

The period during which milk can be stored primarily depends on the way it is processed, the temperature at which it is stored, and the packaging itself. A raw drink can be stored for 48 hours at a temperature of 1-2 degrees, at 3-4 degrees - no more than a day and a half, at 4-6 - a day, at 6-8 - 18 hours. If the temperature is 8-10 degrees, then milk can be stored in such conditions for no longer than 12 hours.

When buying milk in a supermarket, it is recommended to put the packaging in the basket last, so that the milk stays cold for as long as possible. At home, immediately send the drink to the refrigerator. It is not worth putting it on the door, it is better to send it to the shelf. In addition to the original packaging, you can use ceramic or glass containers for storage.

It is important to avoid exposing milk to direct light, because it has a devastating effect on riboflavin. It is permissible to freeze milk, thus preserving its taste and nutritional properties for a long time. But defrosting such a product is only allowed in the refrigerator.

Giving cow's milk to newborns is not allowed. Due to the fact that it contains a lot of minerals and casein protein, the product is difficult to digest by the weak digestive system of the child, and puts an increased burden on the kidneys. Often there is an allergic reaction to milk, so it is always important to monitor the condition of the child. At first, you need to dilute the drink with water, increasing portions little by little, if necessary, take an analysis for cow's milk protein in infants. As a result of following all the recommendations, there will be no problems with the introduction of complementary foods.