Goats milk?

Is it okay for me to supplement my milk with goats milk instead of cows milk? I have no idea how to supplement feed tbh. I have next to no milk, and I'm not planning on cutting any feeds down (about 1 an hour), just adding some bottles in, as DD is really missing the milk part of her diet. She's eating probably 1-2 goodish meals a day, her eating has gone up in the last few days as my milk has dropped again. I've next to no milk now, so it's this step, and then if I feel a few bottles a day aren't doing it, I'll source some EBM.

So, how do I go about supplementing?

I've heard goat's milk is very similar in composition to human milk, so probably the best... Other than that, no advice :(

:comfort:

There's goats milk formula too. I don't know anything about it, but again, has to be better than cows milk.. Try to source some EBM though if you can.. Have you put out a call on HM4HB??? Also you could give her whatever you choose through a supply line if you can stand it.. That way you are still maintaining a good BF relationship.. They are a PITA though and being pregnant I don't know how pleasant BF would be anyway? Maybe instead of milk in bottles could you give her a sippy cup? Just have certain times of the day when you BF her and offer her a cup the rest of the time?

Hi,
Goats milk is not similar to human milk - but then again, neither is cow milk. In terms of a supplement it's OK as long as she tolerates it. How about trying it in a cup? Or a straw cup? She doesn't need a bottle at this age. its great she is taking more food and this will probably increase - she's at the right age and stage

I don't really want to associate her cups with any other drink except water, I'd rather her have a bottle just for any milk she has. She loves water so I'd prefer her to want that instead of milk all the time from those cups (she has so many cups lol!). How do I go about it though? Be it EBM, goats milk, whatever. A supplement after a feed? How much? How many times a day? Just play it by ear?

I'd prefer goats milk to cows mill simply because DD has had a few skin breakouts with cows milk, I don't think her tummy likes it.

I think you need to play it by ear. Offer it as a top up AFTER bf and not any other times during the day.

I wouldn't worry about the cup thing for water/ bottle for milk. you will more likely do more harm offering the bottle than you will simply offering her a cup for beverages.
She won't be confused...both my girls only ever had water for BM or milk at that age, all from a cup. It is at the stage now where DD2 can differeniate and tell me if she wants boob or water - if she wants a feed or is simply thirsty. It has actually helped immeasurably. She has milk occasionally (rice milk) in cups also and has never knocked back water for milk or vice versa.

Okay cool. Well regardless of what I give it to her in, how much should I be giving? Maybe it's common sense to others, but I feel really out of my depth :dunno: I don't want to give too much, or too little.

Trial and error here darl, try a little bit and increase as she adjusts, at that age DD was only drinking around 180ml if she had EBM xx

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Okay cool. Well regardless of what I give it to her in, how much should I be giving? Maybe it's common sense to others, but I feel really out of my depth :dunno: I don't want to give too much, or too little.

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There are no silly questions PZ. This is clearly something you're worries and anxious about :hug: hun. It will all work out and you will both be ok.
Your little miss won't take too much if she doesn't want it. Let her be your guide. If she wants more than you originally give her she will let you know, if she doesn't want what you give her she won't take it.

I'd be giving say 50ml at a time in a cup/bottle/whatever you choose, and slowly give her more until she's satisfied.

I'd personally use a cup, so as not to cause her to get used to a bottle, and potentially have her get used to a bottle suck and flow.
Sippy cups/straw cups/etc are completely different to bottles/boob so easy to differentiate. But that's just me, I'm sure plenty of people use bottles just fine :) the goats milk formula sounds like a good idea if not using EBM at the moment, at least that way he can get some extra nutrients other than from the BM.

:hug: :comfort: :hug: :comfort:


Sent from the land of "iSomethings" so forgive me for any spelking misstaks ;)

:hug: It sucks having to give milk from something other than yourself doesn't it?

I don't have any advice re goats vs cows milk, but DD is having ebm in a straw cup at daycare. I started off sending her with 3 cups with 100ml and they were getting wasted. I was just so nervous that she'd starve if she didn't have enough. We'veslowly worked out though that she really needs a lot less than I thought!

I give her a feed in the morning, then take her to daycare with 3 cups with 50ml in them. She won't always have the third, but then will have 200ml with DH when he picks her up at 3 (for some reason she just won't drink that much at daycare). She's started eating solid food really well, and that makes up for it I think. So yeah, in a regular day she'll have 300-350ml out of a cup.

It really is trial and error though, good luck!

Sent from my GT-P7510

Thankyou guys! I have a straw cup she loves, I'll use that :) 50ml sounds like a good amount, something to build off of if we need to.

I feel so conflicted. I know she needs to grow up, I know there isn't much I can do to increase my milk...but I feel like a failure. My expectations letting me down I guess. I'll feel guilty, so so guilty. Especially when I BF the next bub without supplementing. I don't know. This is hard. I'm trying my best.

Big hugs :hug: You have nothing to feel guilty about, you are absolutely doing your best! I know what you mean about letting her grow up - DD is still very much my baby and it's so hard to get used to the idea of her eating 'real' food instead of full time milk.

Whatever ebm you can give her will benefit her, and she'll pick up extra nutrients from the food you're giving her, even if it's a small amount.

With regards to starting at 50ml, I reckon she'll let you know pretty quickly if she's not done and wants more.

Sent from my GT-P7510

And all you can do is your best PZ. I do totally understand your guilt (I went through alot of BF issues with my DD too, and I fell pg unexpectedly with #2 when she was only 7mths old, she weaned fully then :( so I do get your concerns) and I know it's easy for me to say, but try not to worry so much about it. Things change. Unfortunately it's gone down a path you didn't expect. You have done your best for her and I am sure she is perfect in every way. You are definitely not failing. Don't think the worst. She hasn't weaned, so you may be tandem feeding in 7ish months.

I agree, just start with a small amount to see if she'll take it. Sus whether she likes it warm or cold etc. You'll get a feel for how much she'll drink.. just like you know how much food to put on her plate :)

And yeah.. try not to feel guilty. You can't compare what one baby gets with next baby. Their experiences are so individual anyway in so many ways. DS missed out on 7 months of breastmilk during pregnancy, but then got to tandem feed with his little sister. DD1 got 2 full years of breastmilk, and so will DD2 probably, but she doesn't have that bond of tandem feeding with a sibling. I love that DS & DD1 have been exposed to birth and breastfeeding, DD2 won't have that.. I'll have to make the effort to expose her to other breastfeeding mums so she knows to stick dolly to her boob haha. DS had his first year with our undivided attention, DD1 never had that, and DD2, well... she gets dragged from pillar to post with the bigger kids activities, has to wait every morning while we get ready for school. Truly... you can't feel guilty for what is often just life. You're doing a fantastic job *hug*

How old is she PZ? She's under 1 yet, yeah? Have you considered formula rather than straight milk, at least till she's eating a larger volume of food?
I think it depends how much she's eating and whether you feel she's getting her main nutrition from breast milk + food (with the milk as a part of that food diet), or whether the complementary milk is going to be a major part of her diet.
A cup is fine. why not have 2 different coloured cups or something? Then you don't need to worry about weaning off bottles later on.

Having another baby does come with all sorts of conflicting emotions as we realise our attentions and energies will be divided - I guess that may be compounded by a close age gap. Sometimes it's helpful to focus on the things you are doing - you're still feeding her! - and that you will do, rather than on the areas where you feel you've fallen short. :hug:

If you're wanting to keep water and milk separate in terms of what you give it to her in how about getting a sippy cup or a straw cup which is only for milk? DS has his water in his straw cup and when ever we give him something different, either water with fresh lemon in it or fresh home made juice or sometimes oat milk we give it to him in a regular glass that we drink from (which we hold) with a regular straw (that ds holds in the drink). That way he knows that his water cup which he has free access to all day is just for water and any other drinks are special and we give them to him kwim. I know your dd is younger but the point is that if you make it clear that there is one special cup for milk and the water cup id separate.

Sounds like you are really struggling with the whole thing mentally. :hug: You have done a fantastic job. Your feeding journey hasn't been easy and you have done very well in adverse circumstances.
In an ideal world you'd continue BF'ing, but it's not working out that way and there isn't a lot you can do about it. So don't be too hard on yourself.

Our babes are one next month. Even though BF is still an important part of the diet, as they approach 12 months solid food starts to take over as the main source of nutrition. Have you thought about trying different foods and encouraging her with solids a bit more rather than introducing a milk? Cows milk and goats milk don't have the same nutrients that BM do and they are not really a substitute, if it were me, i would rather try and increase the variety of food at that age. I continued offering DD1 BM when i was pregnant with DD2, like you my supply dropped and BF'ing was not enjoyable at all, i almost dreaded it. In the end she weaned when i was about 7 months i think, i was sad out BF'ing was cut short, but that was the best thing for both of us at the time.

One last idea, are you offering food before BM yet? she might be a bit keener if she's hungry? :dunno:

Good luck!

Yep I've tried offering food before BM, and offering more food. She's doing *okay*, but I don't feel like she's getting enough nutrition out of food alone. DH and I have been talking about a goat milk formula for two or three top ups a day. We'll see.

Just to give you an idea what we are eating food wise...... incase you were interested! :p

P has about 2 good feeds a day (1 overnight) and a few comfort feeds in between. Food wise, some days she has more than others but today she ate;
1 banana, 2 or 3 hand sized bits of pawpaw, a couple of biscuits, half a mandarin, some pasta (about 8 spirals) with bolognaise sauce, a few sips of a fruit smoothie, a fair bit of water, a little bit (about 3 spoonfuls) of yoghurt. She grazes a lot and likes snacks. But doesn't sit down to a huge meal often. (Although sometimes she'll surprise me and eat a while weetbix with fruit and yoghurt for breaky plus a few toast fingers! but that is not the usual)

I heard a leading US paediatrician speak at the ABA Health Professionals seminars a couple of years ago. It was Dr V who wrote Colic Solved and he said that goats milk is actually very different to human milk in a number of ways and he totally doesn't recommend it for under 12 months at all. Apparently it's high in all the things that are not good, and low in the things that are good. When you want/need to supplement breast milk with non-dairy I think there are really only limited choices which is not very helpful for you.

Thoughts from BookishMama » Blog Archive » Thoughts on Research on the Web (Part Two)

You might be interested in reading this, it is about supplementing with goats milk before the age of one. (apologies if I'm not allowed to post the link).

Hmmm. That's very interesting. Thank you both. Got some reading to do. We gave DD 50ml of goats milk last night, and she had a terrible sleep, worse than the last few nights. I wonder if that is why.