4 Types of Milk for Babies
There are different types of milk for babies. Among them, the most important is breast milk for its various nutritional and digestive properties. However, there are other alternatives that you should know.
Cow’s milk is the most common, abundant and accessible option. It’s also rich in proteins. Through an industrial dilution process, this milk is made to be as similar as possible to that produced by mothers.
This dilution should only be used during the first month. Later, it will ascend gradually to two parts of milk and one of water. F inally, at six months, you can give the baby pure milk.
Types of Milk for Babies
There is a good amount of milk types on the market for babies with very specific characteristics. Each of them seeks to satisfy the most special needs of infants. We’ll show you the most popular below:
1. Goat Milk
To give the baby this type of milk, it must necessarily be passed through the dilution process. U ndulant fever, also called brucellosis, spreads easily if ingested through raw milk. Therefore, it’s always advisable to boil it before consuming.
2. Lamb Whey
Some specialists recommend its use in artificial lactation. This serum is composed of 25% of water with 10% sugar, 25% of sheep’s milk and 50% of sheep’s whey.
It usually contains more protein and the same proportion of lactose as cow’s milk, or even less. It requires certain special care to prevent the bacteria from spreading, so conserving it plays a very important role in maintaining its good quality.
3. Cow’s Milk
There are a few types that derive from cow’s milk, which are:
- Condensed milk: This, although it retains very few vitamins, is recommended for artificial lactation. It should be used fresh, as it’s dangerous to store in the summer when it’s hot. As a general rule, you should combine equal portions of boiled water and condensed milk. Among the types of baby milk, it’s the least common.
- Powdered milk: It’s evaporated by various methods, such as Krause’s, for example. This causes you to lose vitamins and, in general, it’s necessary to add sugar.
The whole milk should be given to the baby once your specialist has given his or her approval about it. This type of milk has a high fat content. Babies may not assimilate to it correctly, depending on their age.
4. Special Milks
In specific cases of premature babies, as well as when they have some type of allergy or don’t tolerate the high fat content of processed or whole cow’s milk, soy milk should be supplied.
This type of milk is of vegetable origin and will nourish the infant very well. This way, it will be protected from colic and other stomach upsets.
Some children develop allergies to dairy proteins from the moment they’re born. In these cases, you should give them so-called hypoallergenic milks. They’re ideal because they don’t contain this substance.
“Whole milk powder is high in fat. Babies may not assimilate to it correctly, depending on their age.”
For those who are premature or who have low birth weight, your doctor will prescribe special formulas with high caloric content and minerals. The reason is that their needs in this regard are greater than those of average babies.
Other formula milks that are thickened with rice starch are used in babies who suffer from reflux constantly and who fail to gain weight as they should.
5. Mother’s Milk
This type of milk, obviously, you cannot get in the market. But when it comes to baby food, it’s impossible to stop mentioning it.
Breast milk is described as the single most complete type of milk. This food is the only one that the baby needs from the moment of birth to six months old.
One of the characteristics of breast milk is that the ratio between fats and sugars is two to one. This makes it excellent for the little one’s nutrition.
The milk that the mother produces includes a series of substances that help digestion. As if that weren’t enough, it also contains immunizing substances that will collaborate in the defense of the baby’s organism against diseases.
When it comes to the health and well-being of our babies, we should always look for the best options. Their food isn’t something that can be left to chance, so you should always consult with a specialist to choose the best option.
Fortunately, there are many alternatives in the market regarding milk, with very specific specifications for the needs of each child. If necessary, when breast milk is definitely not an option for any reason, you can have these alternatives as an ally.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Choosing an infant formula. Septiembre 2020.
- Asociación Española de Pediatría. Leches de crecimiento, una opción complementaria en la dieta después del primer año. Enero 2020.
- Harton A, Myszkowska-Ryciak J. Types of Milk and/or Its Substitutes Given to Children (6–36 Months) in Nurseries in Poland: Data from the Research and Education Project “Eating Healthy, Growing Healthy”. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 2789; doi:10.3390/ijerph15122789.
- Unicef UK. A guide to infant formula for parents who are bottle feeding. The Health Professional’s Guide. 2-19. [Avaiable online].