Why children should not be given cow's milk. Is it possible to give cow's milk to a child. When to start teaching him to children. What kind of milk can be given to children

Milk has always been considered the most valuable product in baby food, and indeed very useful for any person. And indeed it is. Milk contains almost all the essential nutrients children need for development and growth: fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. should take a significant place in the diet of the child. But not a one year old. Modern pediatricians say that whole milk is forbidden to give to children under one year old. This is also indicated by the recommendations of the World Health Organization. True, in some countries this restriction is valid until 9 months of age.

Undoubtedly, the best for feeding infants has always been, is and will be breast milk. You can talk a lot about its benefits and uniqueness for a long time, but regarding this topic - breast milk is always sterile (if the baby sucks it directly from the breast, which is theoretically excluded when feeding it with any other milk), absolutely balanced in composition and easily digestible not yet formed imperfect digestive system of the baby. In this regard, only breast milk can provide the child with everything he needs and in the best possible form. In more detail, but briefly, the arguments against goat and cow milk look something like this.

Why can't cow's milk be given to babies?

Whole cow's milk is supersaturated with minerals: calcium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, magnesium, potassium. They create an "extra ballast" in the child's body, with which his functionally undeveloped urinary system cannot cope. As a result, children's kidneys begin to work with a 2-3-fold overload, trying to excrete cow's milk.
Cow's milk contains 3-4 times more protein and sodium than breast milk. Moreover, this protein is of a completely different quality - potentially allergenic for an infant. Allergists have found that if cow's milk is given to children in the first 3 months of life, then every 4th child develops an allergy to milk and dairy products.
There is too much casein in cow's milk.
But cow's milk is poor in carbohydrates.
It contains an insufficient amount of iodine, zinc, copper, vitamins C and E, which are important for the child.
It also lacks essential fatty acids (linoleic and a-linolenic acids) and polyunsaturated fatty acids necessary for brain development.
The iron content in cow's milk is very low. Namely, iron is the basis of the rapidly multiplying red blood cells of a growing baby, and its deficiency can lead to development.
When regularly consumed by infants, cow's milk can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, especially before the age of 6 months.
It lacks folic acid, the amino acids taurine and cystine, which are necessary for the normal development of the child.
It has been established that the early introduction of cow's milk into the infant's diet can provoke the development of the first type. Therefore, it is recommended to completely exclude cow's milk from the diet of a child of the first year of life, if there are or were insulin-dependent patients in the family.

Why can't goat's milk be given to babies?

Goat milk has more casein than cow milk.
The content of some vitamins and minerals in goat's milk is too high for an infant. The urinary system of the baby is not yet working properly, so this concentration of mineral salts creates a big load on the kidneys.
Diluted goat's milk to a "safe" level is of no value - all its properties are lost.
The content of folic acid in goat milk is very low. And this vitamin is necessary for hematopoiesis. Thus, a child fed on goat's milk may develop folate deficiency anemia.
Goat milk contains a large amount of caproic, caprylic and caprolic acids, which have a toxic effect on the child's body.
The ratio of calcium and phosphorus in goat's milk is "violated" (compared to breast milk) towards an increase in calcium. And this slows down the digestibility of these substances.
The bioavailability of iron in goat milk is 3.5 times lower than in breast milk.
Goat milk is not enough vitamin A and vitamin D for a child.
But there is more fat in it than in breast and even cow's milk. Therefore, goat's milk is an excellent energy product for preschool and older children, but babies in the first year of life do not yet have enough enzymes to digest this fat.
The use of goat milk for feeding children under one year of age leads to diapedetic bleeding from the intestines, which, combined with a low level of iron absorption from this product, leads to the development of iron deficiency anemia.

Milk milk strife

The basis of the milk of any animal (including humans) is protein. Depending on its nature, animal milk is divided into two groups: casein, including cow and goat milk, and whey (with protein albumin and globulin), which include, for example, mare and donkey milk. Incidentally, whey proteins have antibiotic properties that protect the body from infection. And what is interesting: most of the proteins in human milk are albumins, that is, it belongs to the last group and is very far in composition from cow and goat milk. What does this mean for the child?

Under the influence of gastric juice, any milk that enters the human body coagulates. At the same time, albumin milk turns into flakes, which are easily digested even by the unformed infant digestive system. And casein milk turns into a dense clot that the small ventricle is not able to digest.

Initially, animal milk is intended for feeding animals, not people. After all, its main task is to gain muscle mass and weight of a rapidly developing physically young animal. The main purpose of women's breast milk is to provide the baby's brain with the necessary polyunsaturated fats. Man belongs to a completely different biological species. Therefore, animal milk cannot be an adequate substitute for breast milk in the process of feeding babies.

And if we talk about the alternative, then the closest in terms of tolerance to the human body and in composition to breast milk is donkey milk. It is he who should be preferred over all others, if there is no female.

Choose the lesser of two evils

Pediatricians around the world strongly recommend feeding a child up to a year only with breast milk, and no other. However, this is not always possible and not always acceptable for moms for very different reasons. What to do in this case? If you do not have breast milk or not enough - consult a lactation consultant: in most cases, you can keep and even increase. If for some personal reasons you decide, find donor milk for him from another woman. But there are stumbling blocks here: this woman must certainly be healthy, eat right and well and adhere to a healthy lifestyle, first of all, not have habits that are harmful to health. If it is impossible to find donor milk or this idea disgusts you, adapted milk formulas will be the best alternative to nutrition for a newborn. Pediatricians recommend them as a replacement for milk up to 3 years of age. But, firstly, not all families can afford this expensive product, and secondly, many parents, out of conviction, choose an animal as a substitute for breast milk. If you are not convinced by the above facts, and you decide to feed your baby with regular milk, then, of course, you are interested in the question: which one to choose as baby food?

So, we found out that of all types of animal milk, it is donkey milk that is closest in composition and properties to women's breast milk. But getting donkey milk is very difficult, if not impossible. Therefore, the best solution (if it can be called that in view of the above facts) will be goat's milk. First of all, because of the protein, which, compared to cow's milk, is still digested at least a little, but easier, and also because of the lack of agglutin in it, which is present in cow's milk and also makes digestion more difficult. In addition, goat's milk fatty acids are better absorbed.

Goat milk contains three times more useful and vital amino acids for a baby than cow milk. The amino acid taurine is especially useful: it helps the formation of all organs and systems of the baby and significantly increases its immunity.

Goat's milk is more suitable than cow's milk for children prone to allergies. It contains fewer allergenic caseins, which are more similar to breast milk casein than cow's. Also, goat's milk is more suitable for children suffering from milk sugar intolerance, since it contains less lactose than cow's milk. Therefore, pediatricians recommend mixtures based on goat's milk for allergic children.

Regarding vitamins and microelements, the milk of both animals is rich in them, only in different proportions. Calcium, potassium, copper, selenium, vitamin B6 and vitamin A are more found in goat's milk. But the milk of cows is much richer in folic acid - in goat's milk it is negligible, and it is extremely necessary for a small child.

Think for yourself, decide for yourself: to give or not to give

A mother who cannot or does not want to breastfeed her baby has a real challenge. Which point of view to choose? Is it still safer to feed a very small baby with functionally undeveloped internal systems with “heavy” animal milk or is it safer to use artificial infant formulas? After all, the nutrition of the first year of life lays the foundation for the health of a man for his entire subsequent life!

Animal milk is an absolutely unadapted product for a small child, pediatricians say. It is very helpful for older kids. But it should not be considered as a panacea for all diseases, but should be included in the child's diet as a diet. It is especially undesirable for young children to consume animal milk in large quantities. If a 12-month-old child drinks one liter of cow's milk per day, or the equivalent amount in dairy products, this provides two-thirds of his energy needs. Thus, there is very little room for other foods that his body needs, which make up a varied healthy diet. In addition, in the absence or decrease in the number of enzymes that take part in the digestion of milk, it can cause flatulence and fermentation in the intestines as a result of indigestion.

Nevertheless, many parents are sure that any natural product is much more useful than artificial, including and especially for a child. Therefore, it is considered more reasonable to feed children with goat's and cow's milk than with "chemical" mixtures. In addition, this is a very tasty morsel on the market, because for children, in theory, nothing is a pity, and parents buy expensive mixtures no matter what. Of course, there are more fakes of this product than you can imagine, and you never know for sure what you are giving your baby under the guise of an adapted mixture. Skeptics also argue that this is a huge business (you can’t argue here), in which pediatricians are involved and have their share. This is the only reason for their active position in defense of children's "jars and boxes" with artificial fillers.

Be that as it may, all responsibility for the decisions made lies solely on the parental shoulders. Weigh everything carefully. And whatever you choose, consider all the possible nuances of such feeding. Regarding mixtures, you will find detailed instructions for their correct use on the packaging. But regarding animal milk - just talk intelligently and logically. First of all, you must be sure of the cleanliness of the hostess and the absolute health of the animal. It should be said that references presented in the markets are far from always authentic. It would be useful to know that if goat's milk has a characteristic unpleasant odor (and, in principle, cow's as well), this indicates that the hostess did not wash the udder well before milking, since the volatile fatty acids that give this odor to milk are located just on the skin .

But cleanliness and sterility is not everything. Much depends on what kind of pasture and in what proximity to the road, where all heavy poisonous metals settle, the animal grazes. Even if you buy milk from the store (although you can only guess about its composition), you should know that skimmed (which has almost no fat) milk is not recommended for children under one year old. Skimmed (2%) milk can be given to a child only after two years. Therefore, you should choose whole milk with a fat content of 3.25-4%. However, it, and especially homemade milk, must be diluted before feeding and cooking. And keep in mind that when boiled, it loses all of its vitamins.

The preparation of baby cereals with animal milk requires special attention. Such a dish is too high in calories for a small child. Therefore, it is better to use breast milk for this purpose or. But if you are a supporter of animal milk, pre-breed it for preparing children's dishes: to get 200 ml of diluted milk, boil 70 ml of water, add 130 ml of boiled cow or goat milk and a teaspoon without sugar top. However, if the child is chubby with a hereditary tendency to be overweight, it is better to boil him just on the water.

The "dairy" choice is not easy, but inevitable. It is simply necessary to decide in one direction or another, because the child needs to be fed with something. Be confident in yourself, but sometimes it is useful to listen to another opinion ... May your children grow up full and healthy

Cow's milk, despite the fact that it has many useful qualities, is not welcomed by modern pediatricians in the diet of babies under three years old.

For its taste and the ability to cook various dishes on its basis, many people love and appreciate milk. However, it should not be given to children under one year old, as it does more harm than good. For babies, breast milk is the best nutritional option. If it is not possible to breastfeed, then it is better to use an adapted infant formula.

Reasons why milk is banned for children under one year old

There are many nutrients in cow's milk, but there are too many of them for the baby. His body is not designed for the load that he experiences due to the use of milk.

Dr. Evgeny Komarovsky clarifies: “Let's compare human milk and cow's milk. Let's look at calcium first. The amount of calcium in women's milk is 25 mg, and in cow's milk - 120 mg. Further phosphorus: in women's - 13, in cow's - 95. How much more calcium and phosphorus in cow's milk! What is the most important thing for a calf? So that his bones grow faster, so that he grows bigger faster.

Approximately 6 times more calcium and phosphorus than necessary enter the intestines of an infant. Calcium absorption is regulated in a complex way. In order for calcium to be absorbed, thyroid hormones, parathyroid hormones, vitamin D, and 2 types of amino acids are needed. They regulate the amount of calcium, and calcium is absorbed as much as necessary. The rest of the calcium is directed towards the priests. Phosphorus is absorbed much more easily. No hormones, no vitamins. At least 1/3 of the amount that enters the intestine is absorbed.

It turns out that calcium is absorbed as much as necessary, and there is much more phosphorus. And the kidney is trying to quickly get rid of excess phosphorus. But the kidney of a small child cannot remove phosphorus while retaining the right amount of calcium. Therefore, a child up to a year old, drinking milk, does not receive calcium, but, on the contrary, removes it from the body. And no matter how much we give vitamin D, the child does not have enough calcium. But it's not forever. After a year, the kidney begins to mature, the possibilities of electrolyte metabolism improve, and milk ceases to be dangerous. And after three years, drink cow's milk as much as you can."

At the same time, there is little iron in cow's milk, which threatens the development of iron deficiency anemia.

Allergist research suggests that drinking cow's milk in the first three months of life dramatically increases the chances of a child becoming allergic to milk and dairy products.

Goat milk is also banned for children under one year old. From a year old, milk can be introduced into the children's diet, but not more than 1-2 glasses a day. Milk must be boiled before drinking. It is better to give the advantage to special baby milk. Drink milk wisely and be healthy!

When compiling the diet of a small child, very often mothers, due to inexperience, do not adhere to very important rules. For example, very often a mother is afraid that her baby will remain hungry due to the small amount of milk that is produced. Sometimes the mother simply seeks to "feed" the baby, believing that this way he will grow faster. As a result, not knowing what can be given to the baby, his diet will unnecessarily be “diversified” with products that he does not need at all.

First of all, it is important to realize the following truth: if the mother breastfeeds the baby correctly, then the baby will have enough of such feeding. However not all modern mothers practice. Therefore, many inexperienced women often ask more experienced mothers whether it is possible to give cow's milk to a child, whether fermented milk products are useful for children under one year old, etc. Below we will discuss whether goat and cow's milk is useful for children of different ages and when it is worth starting to give his kids.

Should I give my baby cow's milk?

Until now, scientists are conducting various studies, trying to give a clearer answer to the question of when it is possible to give milk to a child. Understanding when to give cow's milk to a baby, and when to give goat's milk to a baby, requires a clear understanding of its health effects in infants and older children. If we analyze the research data, then attention should be paid to some important points that, to some extent, explain to children at what age it is advisable to give milk, and what kind of milk can be given to a child up to a year old.

It contains a wide variety of trace elements And macronutrients . It contains calcium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, sodium, and the amount of these elements in it is about three times greater than in the chest. And in this case, we are not talking about how cow's milk is useful for breastfeeding. After all, an excess of these elements in the body is no less harmful than their deficiency.

In infancy, the child's excretory function is not yet set up as necessary. And when too much protein and minerals enter the baby's body, the load on the imperfect excretory system and on the body as a whole increases significantly.

In addition, due to the increased work of the kidneys, more fluid is excreted from a small body than it should. As a result, the child feels thirsty, cries, and the mother again gives him cow's milk, which further aggravates his condition.

There is very little in the milk that a cow gives gland , and this type of iron is not absorbed by the child's body. As a result, the lack of this element leads to the development iron deficiency anemia . During the period of active development of the body, iron is very important for the production of and.

The lack of the necessary enzymes in the baby

The age at which cow's milk can be given to a child is also determined from the position that the baby does not have the necessary ones in the body. Such enzymes are absent until at least two years of age. That is why the baby often happens in such cases. By the way, sometimes the enzyme necessary for the digestion of milk is absent in a person throughout his life.

At the same time, during breastfeeding, the digestion process proceeds normally, since the baby’s body has the necessary enzymes for this. The baby's body easily absorbs mother's milk, while cow's amino acids are foreign to a small organism, and a very large load is required for their breakdown. Therefore, cow's milk is not so useful for babies. From what age to give it, parents need to think carefully.

Aggressive effect of protein

Casein is the protein in cow's milk. Its molecules are large, they damage the wall and intestinal mucosa. This leads not only to injury to the wall, but also to the release into the blood histamine , which provokes the development of allergic reactions. As a result, the baby can be diagnosed hemocolitis . But bleeding due to damage to the delicate walls of the intestine with regular manifestation leads to a decrease in hemoglobin levels and the manifestation iron deficiency anemia .

If the baby will drink cow's milk constantly, then ulcers may form on the intestinal mucosa and, as a result, bleeding may occur. Therefore, the question of how many months you can give this product to children is not too correct, because it is better not to give it to a baby under a year old at all.

Increased risk of allergies

Many studies confirm that babies up to a year old develop this product quite often. So, according to the results of some studies, allergic manifestations to it in babies up to a year developed in a quarter of cases. Based on these results, nutritionists consider cow's milk to be one of the most allergenic foods. At the same time, parents should understand that if allergic manifestations are not observed immediately after taking it, this does not mean that they will not exist at all. After all, an allergy can manifest itself when a large amount of an allergen accumulates in the body. After that, unpleasant manifestations can be very violent.

It is important to note that dairy products contain less protein and lactose so they are less allergenic. Accordingly, they are introduced into the children's diet earlier.

Can a breastfeeding mother drink milk?

Interestingly, there are still disputes about this. Doctors clearly say that in the first month of a baby's life, a nursing mother should not drink it. As for the next months, there are different opinions on this matter. Some experts say that you can drink it in small portions and at the same time dilute half with tea or porridge. At the same time, milk should be introduced into the diet in small portions, carefully observing the reaction of the child.

Many other scientists argue that milk is good for mom, as it saturates her body and the baby's body with calcium, which is very important when bones form and grow.

There is also an opinion that it is this product consumed by the mother that causes colic in the child. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce more neutral sour-milk dishes into the diet.

But the interdependence of cow's milk consumption and increased lactation is nothing more than a myth. After all, the consumption of any warm liquid before feeding can give the same effect, increasing the production of mother's milk.

Many argue that goat's milk for babies is much healthier than cow's. Reviews about this are often found on the net, and in them mothers tell how to give goat's milk during breastfeeding, how porridge is prepared with goat's milk for babies, etc.

But in fact, it also contains foreign proteins, as well as casein , requiring special enzymes and energy for its absorption.

When answering the question of whether goat milk can be given to infants, it should be taken into account that it contains a large amount of fat, which is undesirable for infants. It is better not to give it to children under one year of age with a weight deficit, after two years they begin to give it gradually and very carefully. The measure must be observed for older children.

The amount of milk sugar in goat's milk is lower than in cow's. Therefore, it is often recommended to children suffering from lactase deficiency . But in this case, we are not talking about supplementary feeding during breastfeeding, but about children 2-3 years old.

The amount of microelements and vitamins in goat's milk is higher. But it is important to consider that most vitamins are destroyed already at 80C. Therefore, after pasteurization or boiling, this product is no longer so useful. If the baby drinks goat's milk, whether to boil it or not is not an easy question.

The answer to the question of whether it is necessary to boil is definitely positive when it comes to small children. After all, no matter how much parents want to provide their babies with useful substances, there is always a risk that pathogenic microorganisms will be contained in an unprocessed product. Therefore, for those who are interested in whether it is possible to boil goat's milk, it is better to do it anyway.

In goat, the amount of phosphorus and calcium is higher than in cow. However, for those who believe that goat's milk for children is ideal for prevention, there is something else to consider. The fact is that calcium is practically not absorbed by the body without. But phosphorus, on the contrary, is absorbed very easily and quickly. To remove the excess mineral, the baby's kidneys work with increased stress. This increases the risk of development. But after the child reaches the age of 3, this product really helps to strengthen the skeletal system, provided that the baby drinks it in moderation. Therefore, it is important for parents to know how to drink goat's milk properly.

Should I give goat's milk to babies under one year old?

Many mothers, in spite of everything, are interested in: is it possible to introduce goat milk for babies as early as possible, at what age should this be done? However, in this case, you need to be conscious and listen to the recommendations of specialists, and not ask the question of how many months you can give your baby goat's milk, to the same inexperienced mothers.

Indeed, in this product, as mentioned above, there are a lot of minerals, casein proteins, a large amount triglycerides . As a result, it is absorbed by the body very poorly, which is confirmed by lumps in the child's feces.

Based on all these factors, we draw an unambiguous conclusion: children should not be given goat's milk until two years old, and, as many people think, it is not a suitable alternative to cow's milk. But after the child reaches 2 years of age, provided that he is not allergic to cow's milk, goat and sour-milk products from it, you can try to introduce it into the diet.

If a child is fed this product, over time he may develop anemia . Megaloblastic anemia is possible if the baby is fed exclusively with milk, as a result of which there is a lack of blood-forming vitamins in the body. The number is gradually decreasing hemoglobin changing size and shape erythrocytes , and the functioning of all organs is disrupted.

But the answer to the question whether it is possible for a nursing mother to have goat's milk is similar to the recommendations for cow's. It is not necessary to introduce it immediately after the birth of the child, it must be done gradually, monitoring the condition of the baby.

Of course, if the child has grown up, and he is already 4-5 years old, he can be given goat and cow milk in reasonable quantities. Of course, provided that the baby has never had an allergic appearance to it. But still, the dose of 400 g per day should not be exceeded.

But if the baby is only a year old, then it is too early to practice the introduction of this product into the diet. And even at two years old, when the necessary enzymes are already in the body, you should not immediately give milk to babies in glasses. After all, the most important rule is that everything must be done slowly and gradually.

Moms who are wondering when milk porridge can be introduced to babies should take into account that up to two years old porridge should be made on water, with the addition of an artificial mixture or breast milk.

And if it is not recommended to introduce milk porridges for children under one year old, then closer to two years old, the child can already gradually begin to give milk porridges.

What is the best milk for babies?

In the context of discussing the harm and benefits of dairy products for children, the question arises of what kind of milk is better to buy for a child - pasteurized “store” or natural, “from a cow”.

Arguing about which baby milk is better, some experts argue that the pasteurized product completely loses all its beneficial properties. And if it has a long shelf life, then this means that the product is completely useless.

However, it is important to consider that during pasteurization, mainly pathogenic microorganisms are destroyed. Indeed, for instant pasteurization, it is heated to 90 degrees, and in other modes, milk is subjected to even lower temperatures.

But drinking it raw is very dangerous, since it can contain any kind of microorganisms. In addition, an animal can be a carrier of a number of infectious diseases that are asymptomatic in it, but milk can be contagious for humans. And therefore, the consumption of a raw product is always a risk of infection, tick-borne encephalitis , brucellosis etc. Therefore, it is necessary to boil raw milk.

However, pasteurized also should not be considered completely safe and healthy. In some regions, animals are given to protect against epidemics, which subsequently enter the milk. Also, many animals are treated with antibiotics for inflammatory processes in the mammary glands that develop against the background of the use of synthetic hormones to increase productivity.

Accordingly, consuming such a product constantly, the baby receives certain doses of the antibiotic, which subsequently leads to the development of resistance to antibacterial agents. In addition, antibiotics generally negatively affect the state of the body.

Those who ask whether it is necessary to boil pasteurized milk should know that boiling is not necessary in this case. After all, antibiotics in this way "withdraw" will not succeed. And the remaining beneficial substances will be destroyed by boiling. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether it is necessary to boil pasteurized milk for a child is negative.

By the way, some women who practice pumping also ask if breast milk can be boiled. The answer is similar: the product will lose its beneficial properties after boiling, so it should not be boiled.

On the net, you can also find recommendations that children should be given whole milk. What it is - not everyone knows. Whole milk is a product that is not subjected to any processing, only straining after milking. However, given what whole milk means, this product should not be given to children. After all, the fat content in it is too high, and the lack of cleaning is fraught with the risk of infection with dangerous diseases.

What diseases can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of raw milk?

If milk is not boiled, then the risk of contracting many dangerous diseases increases significantly. Likely to be infected with:

extrapulmonary forms tuberculosis ;
toxic infections;
, provoked by a lymphotropic virus;
streptococcal and staphylococcal;
a number of severe infections brucellosis , anthrax, foot and mouth disease;
Q fever ;
arbovirus tick-borne encephalitis .

Several centuries ago, children were not fed cow's milk. If the mother could not feed the child, then she turned to the nurse for help. According to historical data, cow's milk began to be given to babies only in the eighteenth century.

However, now women do not need to practice this way of feeding. After all, there are a lot of special adapted mixtures containing exactly those substances that the baby needs. Of course, ideally, the newborn should be fully breastfed. But if for some reason this is not possible, you should choose a suitable mixture for feeding.

Potential harm of milk for adults and children

Many studies have been devoted specifically to the topic of the effect of this product on the health of children and adults. According to the results of such studies, scientists have found a link between the consumption of large amounts of dairy products and the development of certain types of cancer in men and women.

If a person eats too much dairy products, then the level of galactose in the body exceeds the potential of the enzymes that break it down. This leads to an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer among women.

Also, excessive consumption of dairy is associated with the development prostate cancer .

Scientists also refute the previously widespread thesis that milk is useful for prevention.

conclusions

There are a number of other studies, based on the results of which we can draw the following conclusion: milk is good for children and adults in moderation. Any excesses in the diet are undesirable, and infants should receive either mother's milk or an adapted mixture. If mothers have questions, for example, at what age can a baby be given this or that mixture, “Theme” milk, all of them can be asked to the pediatrician.

I have been asked more than once - why can't cow's milk be given to children under one year old? Mass research on the issue of milk intake by young children has been carried out for a long time not only in our country, but also abroad. So, what conclusions did modern science come to in this matter?

1. Calves grow much faster than infants, socow's milk contains much more nutrients than a baby needs .

2. Cow is a herbivore , a man- no matter how scary it sounds - by naturepredator. Its enzyme systems are genetically formed in accordance with the animal, meat type of nutrition. Therefore, cows and humans have different sets of amino acids and milk is different in composition.

Cow's milk contains a lot of useful substances - but, as you know, everything is useful in moderation. It contains almost 3 times more proteins than in breast milk, and more than 2 times more than in milk formulas, mineral substances (salt, calcium and phosphorus) - 3 times more than in human milk or in ready-made infant formulas .

Why does an excess of useful substances become harmful to an infant? An excess of proteins and mineral salts, in whichthe baby's body does not need , is unnecessary ballast. The kidneys begin to work with a 2-3-fold overload. And since in the first months of life, the baby's kidneys and the entire excretory system are still not sufficiently developed, the child's body experiences three and a half times more stress than that for which it is biologically "designed".

The capacity of the kidneys is not sufficient to handle the high solute load and retain the necessary fluid at the same time - there is its enlarged exit. Because of this, the child asks for even more to drink, receives the same load and falls into a vicious circle. The same applies to juices. Moreover, the load is determined by the output not only of substances obtained as a result of protein metabolism, but also by the sum of four electrolytes, such as sodium, chlorine, potassium and phosphorus, which are six to eight times higher than the biological norms for a child. Akaliy is responsible for the smooth functioning of the heart!

Very little iron in cow's milk , which is an integral part of the rapidly multiplying erythrocytes of a growing baby. Iron deficiency can contribute to the development of iron deficiency anemia.

Enzymes needed for a completedigestion of cow's milk is, respectively, only in a cow. An adult organism, absorbing adult products, breaks down proteins and synthesizes its amino acids - this is called "assimilating" products. For a child (or calf), amino acids - “bricks” are delivered ready-made, which is why mother's milk is so easily digested. And now let's imagine that instead of his own, alien amino acids were "slipped" on him. At best, it will take twice as much energy - to split - to create anew. At worst, a mistake will occur, amino acids will be taken as their own, and real poisoning can occur (allergies, diathesis, diarrhea and other delights).

Undigested foods are aggressors that irritate the intestinal mucosa.Casein, found in cow's milk, is an aggressive soluble protein. Despite the large molecule, it penetrates the intestinal walls, forcing the body to produce histamine. Thus, it causes, firstly, intestinal bleeding - even if we are talking about microscales, they are blamed for reduced hemoglobin in children. Secondly, it is one of the reasons for the manifestation of stressful situations of reaction to accumulated histamine, which at some point can cause a sudden severe allergic reaction.

The intestinal mucosa of a child is able to partially neutralize the aggressive effects of cow's milk protein at the age of not earlier than one and a half to two years.

By the way, fermented milk products give a smaller load, because part of the protein and lactose are split in them. .Therefore, they are introduced before whole milk.

The only completely suitable food for a child up to 6 months is only mother's milk.

The high likelihood of developing allergies is the main reason why many pediatric luminaries oppose the use of cow's milk as a substitute for breastfeeding in children under 1 year old.Allergists have found that if you give cow's milk to children in the first 3 months. life, then every 4th child develops an allergy to milk and dairy products. According to experts, this is also due to the quality of feed that animals eat today, as well as the fact that the immune system of children is weakened. It is curious that many babies suffer from allergies even to mother's milk. It turned out that the main reason is that the parents, in turn, consume cow's milk.

Allergy is a cumulative thing. Each person has their own critical limit.

lactose milk obtained by adding the lactose enzyme to regular milk. It decomposes milk lactose into simple sugars, which increases its digestibility by the intestines. You can make your own lactose milk by buyingtablets or drops and adding them to regular milk. (Lactose (milk sugar) is a diasaccharide found only in the milk of mammals and humans).

Yogurt.It will be better if the child drinks yogurt instead of milk after a year. Yoghurt is made by adding a culture of the bacterium dactobacillus bulgaricus to milk. TheseThe bacteria act like intestinal enzymes, coagulating milk proteins and converting milk lactose into lactic acid. At the same time, milk proteins lose their allergenic properties. Therefore, yogurt is tolerated even by children who are allergic to milk proteins or lactose intolerant. It can be replaced with kefir. Yogurt is an ideal product for children 1-2 years old, it can be used to prepare various children's dishes: sauces, condiments, icings, puddings, creams, etc.

Goat milk.In terms of nutritional value, goat's milk is close to cow's, and its calorie content is the same.Goat milk contains more essential fatty acids and a higher content of triglycerides - fats that are much easier to digest by the body. However, it does not contain enough folic acid, which is necessary for the formation of red blood cells. When buying goat milk, pay attention to the label. It should say: "With the addition of folic acid." If there is no such indication, babies drinking goat's milk should receive folic acid from other foods (cereals, legumes, meat, fish).And it should also be given no earlier than 1.5-2 years.

Facts from history.

Although man began to eat the milk of ruminants from the moment of the formation of animal-breeding civilizations, that is, at the beginning of his economic activity, the main food of children in those distant times was still breast milk. When the mother could not feed the child, they resorted exclusively to the help of a wet nurse.

Breastfeeding fell out of favor, especially among wealthy women, mainly because it interfered with their social life. From the middleXVIIFor centuries, feeding children with animal milk has become quite common, but preference was given not to cow's milk, but to goat's and donkey's milk. Moreover, those children who did not feed on breast milk were much weaker than their peers.

What is the right way to give milk?

* do not give cow's milk to children under 1 year old - feed with breast milk and (or) infant formula

*be sure to boil the milk

*buy milk only of the highest quality and having documents on its safety, and preferably special baby milk

* give skim milk to children only after 2 years

* daily norm of milk for children 1-2 years old - 0.5 l

* be able to recognize the first symptoms of an allergy or intolerance to milk and dairy products.

AlenaParetskaya
pediatrician

Very often, for a number of reasons, young mothers cannot breastfeed, so they choose either milk. At the same time, many experts advise not to overdo it, since milk may contain a large amount of milk powder, which is harmful to the child's digestive system. So, at what age do pediatricians recommend giving milk to babies?

For babies under the age of three, nutritionists recommend specialized baby food. Store-bought milk is recommended to be introduced into the diet of a child no earlier than three years.

It is also not recommended to give homemade milk, as it contains pathogenic microflora harmful to the child's body.

Why not hurry?

There are the following reasons for this. Cow's milk has a strong effect on the baby's digestive system. Therefore, it should be introduced into the diet only after three years. Today, even children's products bought in the store cannot "boast" of good quality. Therefore, mothers should not rush to introduce store-bought milk into the baby’s diet, since there is a high risk of various allergic reactions that can have a negative effect on the child’s internal organs.

This also applies to the digestive system.

The timing of the introduction of dairy products

Nutritionists advise introducing milk and dairy products into the diet, depending on the initial feeding. And, in order not to harm the digestive system of a growing organism, it is recommended according to the following scheme. To give a child on the breast special nutrition from 1 year. Shop milk - after three years. Artificialists can try to give milk early: at about 9-.

Milk should be introduced gradually. After introducing into the diet, it is necessary to carefully monitor the reaction of the child's body to a new product. If the body reacts with an allergic reaction, then pediatricians are advised to refuse the use of milk for about another six months. However, to clarify the timing, it is recommended to contact a specialist.

If the child's body has accepted a new product, then everything went well, the time for the introduction of a new product was chosen correctly.

Cow's milk is an important source of protein and fat, vitamins and minerals. In order for this product to benefit the child's body, it is important to follow the rules and terms for introducing milk into the baby's diet.

Instruction

If your baby is on, then there is no need to introduce cow's milk up to a year. The enzyme system of babies is not yet perfect, and the early introduction of milk into the diet can lead to undesirable consequences, such as allergies, iron deficiency anemia, and kidney stress.

At the age of 10 - 12 months, boil porridge in milk with water or dilute ready-made baby porridge with milk diluted with water. Milk can be added to mashed potatoes, vegetable purees, desserts.

From one and a half to two years, a child can drink up to 200 grams of milk per day, excluding fermented milk products, which should be present in the baby's diet every day. This rule should be followed up to 3 years.

Until the age of 3, let your child drink special baby milk. It undergoes strict quality control, is produced in environmentally friendly raw material areas, processed using ultra-pasteurization technology, which allows you to destroy dangerous pathogenic microflora and preserve all useful substances and trace elements. Children's milk is often additionally enriched with vitamins.

Many theorists are still discussing the benefits and harms of cow's milk for children. Due to the contradictory opinions, the majority of parents doubt the correctness and rationality of introducing milk into the child's diet.

Instruction

Opponents of this dairy product in the child's diet explain this by the high content of phosphorus in the composition, which, when exchanged in the body, is directly related to calcium. Excess phosphorus is easily excreted from the body, but in babies this process is much slower, and this also affects the calcium content in their body. A lack of calcium for babies can adversely affect their health.

The composition of milk includes all the main vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the normal development of the child. It contains the main organic and mineral elements. The proteins contained in are irreplaceable. It includes special amino acids that are involved in building cells, and immunoglobulins that protect the body from viruses and infections. The composition of milk includes almost all water- and fat-soluble vitamins.

You can give your baby a special adapted mixture that is designed for the child's body, we are talking about acidophilus milk and baby milk, and there is also special milk for babies. These dairy products are produced by dairy kitchens, and all products are designed for different age categories.

Why can't you give cow's milk if the child is under one year old?

The fact is that cow's milk contains minerals in large quantities, which cause discomfort in the child's body, especially in babies who have not yet developed the urinary system. As a result, the kidneys in babies are overloaded when this product begins to be excreted from the body.

Also, this dairy product contains sodium and protein in large quantities. This protein has a different composition, because of which the baby may have an allergic reaction, and in the future there will be problems even with the use of other dairy products.

Milk is an incredibly valuable and healthy drink for baby food, containing a huge amount of calcium. However, many parents are concerned about the time of introducing it into the baby's diet.

What pediatricians say

Most children's doctors unanimously argue that cow's milk can be entered into the list of children's food products not earlier than they reach the age of 1 year. Until this time, the main food of the baby is mother's milk, which contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals. If natural feeding is not possible, the baby is given an adapted mixture. Cow or in no case can be an alternative to the mixture.

It is necessary to introduce milk into the child's diet gradually and very carefully, carefully observing the baby's reaction to a new product. The fact is that milk protein is very allergenic and can cause various reactions of the immune system of a still fragile organism.

Which milk to choose

Children under three years of age are recommended to be fed with specialized baby food products. Therefore, you should not start your baby's acquaintance with cow's milk by buying a whole, unpasteurized drink. At first, give preference to a special one designed for children. Currently, a large number of manufacturers of dairy products have baby food in their assortment. When your baby turns 3, try offering whole milk.

Thanks to the process of pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization, milk is purified from various microbes.

Goat milk

According to popular belief, goat's milk can be given to a child from the first days of life. The Russian Ministry of Health rejects this and provides other information. Goat milk contains the main protein casein. It is heavy enough to be absorbed by the body. Therefore, before the baby turns out, and his gastrointestinal tract does not get stronger, it is not recommended to include the drink in question in his diet.

Goat's milk can cause anemia in a child if given at a very early age.

In addition to protein, milk contains fats. Goat's milk fats are digested much faster and easier than cow's. Therefore, it often happens that children who are allergic to cow's milk perfectly tolerate goat's.

The benefits of milk

A healthy drink contains not only calcium. Milk is also rich in magnesium, protein and vitamins A, D and group B: B2 and B12. In order for the milk to be noticeable, it is necessary that the baby drinks at least 350 ml of the drink per day. Milk derivatives are no less useful: fermented baked milk, kefir, cottage cheese, natural yogurt and cheeses.

Cow's milk - what does it give the baby: benefit or harm? What is the reason that it is not recommended to be introduced into the diet of children under one year of age? The answers to these questions are not as clear-cut as they might seem. Today, most experts are leaning towards excluding milk from complementary foods for a child up to a year.

Instruction

In order to answer these questions, scientists around the world conducted many experiments. The result of the research was that cow's milk and women's milk have fundamental differences. Therefore, they will create the conditions necessary for the development of their cub.

The main thing in the development of calves is rapid growth. At the age of two, they are no different from adults. While human children at this time are still very young and their needs are different. In the first year of life, children need nutrition not so much for physical growth as for brain development. And here a completely different set of substances is required. In particular, polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are enough in human milk to improve the brain of a child, which cannot be said about cow's milk.

The composition of cow's milk contains an amount of salt, calcium and phosphorus, which is three times higher than their concentration in a woman's milk. In such a number of these substances, the baby's body does not need. Therefore, the child's still unstrengthened and undeveloped excretory apparatus works with overload. The kidneys carry out more work than they are designed for.

The difference in the composition of these two types of milk is huge. Cow's milk does not contain amino acids such as taurine and cystine. These amino acids have a positive effect on the heart and liver, respectively. It also lacks folic acid. And this substance is very important in development.

What kind of milk is better to give a child?

Our opinion is that it is mandatory to use only home-made milk in feeding a baby, from a milk machine or from a farm, which, bypassing all competitors and intermediaries, is delivered directly to you, and does not lie on store shelves indefinitely. Of course, if the child is not allergic to milk. Studies have shown that milk from a milk machine is perfectly preserved, and during storage it is slowly mixed, which makes it possible to stir the cream without whipping the butter.

Since this is a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of cow's milk and MR, it is almost impossible to use the principles of evidence-based medicine, based mainly on the results of randomized clinical trials.

Unfortunately, this evidence base is almost inappropriate for most nutrition-related topics. Undoubtedly, evidence obtained in randomized placebo-controlled trials should be cited, but such studies are difficult to conduct with the participation of young children, observing all the requirements of evidence-based medicine and the principles of bioethics.

The results of such studies often lead to incorrect conclusions, especially because of the inevitable errors. Thus, no study of this kind suggests that there are no harmful effects when cow's milk is consumed in children aged 1 to 3 years, or that special formulas and MPs do not play an important role because they do not have health benefits.

Today, the only way to assess the respective benefits and risks of the two types of milk is to assess the quality of the nutrients obtained from their use and compare with the custom daily intake or with the average daily requirement in this age group.

A study conducted in France in 2005 showed that children aged 12 to 24 months who consumed only cow's milk (360 ± 24 ml/day) and dairy products with cow's milk (156 ± 14 g/d) and did not consume infant formula or MR, compared to the recommended daily intake in France, often had excessive protein intake (3-4 times more than safe), low in essential fatty acids, iron, zinc and vitamins C, D and E.

A high percentage of these children consumed dietary iron (59%), zinc (56%), vitamin C (49%), vitamin E (94%), and vitamin D (100%) at the lowest average daily requirement, and linoleic acid ( 51%) and -linolenic acid (84%) - within the minimum allowable limits recommended in France. The reason for this situation was the use of cow's milk.

While cow's milk and dairy products with cow's milk accounted for 43% of the mass of food consumed per day, 35% of total energy and 44% of protein for these young children, only 17% of linoleic acid came from these products. , 24% - linolenic acid, 11% - iron, 41% - zinc, 8% - vitamin C, 16% - vitamin E and 24% - vitamin D per day from recommended. The nutritional value in cow's milk based diets for this age was often insufficient compared to the required intake.

Obviously, in order to talk about the risks of such nutrition and its long-term consequences, a significant number of various studies, including clinical studies, should be carried out.

It would seem that breast, that cow - all this milk. The cow also feeds her cubs with milk, and we remember the famous line from childhood: “Drink milk, children, you will be healthy.” Yes, there are many useful substances in cow's milk, some even more than in breast milk. But do not forget that during heat treatment they are destroyed.

More doesn't mean better

Each type of milk was originally designed to feed certain types of animals and has the appropriate properties. For example, cow's milk contributes to the formation of a strong skeleton in calves. A person does not have such a need for this. And the large amount of micro- and macronutrients in cow's milk has a high impact on the baby's kidneys: it is five times stronger than if you drink breast milk. There are exactly as many vitamins and minerals in mother's milk as the baby needs at every stage of his life. The same can be said about protein: in mother's milk it is less than half, but it is better absorbed. Differs in quality and the fat contained in cow's and breast milk. Its amount is approximately the same, but the child absorbs it much better from mother's milk. And this affects the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system.

When is it possible?

All pediatricians advise not to rush to finish breastfeeding. It is best if it lasts two years - so the child will be able to get all the necessary substances in the most natural way created by nature, and therefore in the most useful, right way. However, there are situations when a woman is simply not able to breastfeed her baby. Yes, and accustom the child to regular food is also gradually necessary. It is not recommended to rush with milk. On ready-made mixtures, which, although they are very expensive, you will have to sit at least until the age of nine months. Before this period, doctors forbid giving cow's milk. At this age, the child needs only 100-150 milliliters of milk. In its pure form, it is better for the baby not to drink it yet, therefore, in milk diluted with water in a one-to-one ratio, for now, you can cook porridge.

If a child of acquaintances has been drinking cow's milk since three months, this does not mean that your child will also tolerate this product well. Milk can cause allergies, anemia, dehydration, disruption of the digestive tract. And if you decide to introduce milk into complementary foods at a more suitable age, buy only full-fat milk from trusted manufacturers in the store.