Are goat's milk and soy drink suitable for my baby?

In addition to cow's milk, you can also buy more and more milk from other animals in the shop. Think of goat's milk, horse's and sheep's milk. There are also more and more plant-based alternatives of soy, oats and almonds. But these variants are not suitable for babies under 6 months. Breast milk or follow-on milk is also better for babies older than 6 months.

Milk or drink?

Oat milk, almond milk and soy milk are similar in color and taste to milk, but they cannot be called milk by law. That is why we say, for example, soy drink or soy drink instead of soy milk.

Both animal cow's milk substitutes such as goat's milk and sheep's milk and vegetable alternatives such as soy drink, oat drink and almond drink are not recommended as a substitute food in the first 6 months. Between 6-12 months, we recommend breast milk or follow-on milk instead of regular cow's milk or other animal and vegetable substitutes. This is because milk from animals has a less optimal composition than follow-on milk. Follow-on milk, for example, contains more iron and less protein than cow's milk. That better suits the needs of a baby. Nutrient deficiency A little regular milk from, for example, cows, goats, horses or sheep is not harmful to a baby, he can simply digest it. But if he drinks too much regular milk, he doesn't get enough iron. That can lead to a shortage. In addition, too much protein can be harmful to a baby's kidneys. Most plant-based drinks, such as soy, oats, rice and almonds, are not suitable for babies under 1 year of age. It often does not contain enough important nutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin B12.

Breast milk is the best food for your baby and also good for your health. You may be unable or unwilling to breastfeed due to certain circumstances. Then bottle feeding (formula) is a reliable and safe alternative. Breastfeeding and bottle feeding are better tailored to the needs of a baby. Follow-up milk contains more iron and good fat and less protein than regular cow's milk or milk from other species such as goats. Bottle formula for babies from 0 to 6 months old is called "infant formula". When this term is on the package, it contains all the nutrients your baby needs.

If your baby has cow's milk allergy, chances are he is also allergic to goat's milk and milk from other animals. Do not give these to your baby if he has a cow's milk allergy. The best thing to give is hypoallergenic formula based on cow's milk. In hypoallergenic milk, the proteins are cut into pieces, which prevents an allergic reaction. Up to 1 year, this hypoallergenic food is best if your child has a cow's milk allergy.

From 12 months you can give your child regular milk instead of follow-on milk. Goat's milk does contain more saturated fat than semi-skimmed cow's milk and is therefore not included in the Wheel of Five. In addition, goat's milk contains less iodine than cow's milk. Goat's milk has not been proven to be more digestible. Drinking it has no adverse effects, but also no proven benefits. More advice about healthy drinking for toddler and toddler. You can give vegetable drinks, for example soy drink, after 1 year. If you want to give a fully-fledged vegetable alternative to your child, choose a soy drink with sufficient protein and added calcium and vitamin B12.