when can my baby drink raw goat's milk??

[handzfull]

My LO is just 2 months old and I bf him. But, he stays with a sitter once a week and gets 1 bottle during that time. I am aware of Sally Fallon's formula recipe in NT made with goat's milk. My question is, if it's only one bottle a week, I really didn't want to mess with making formula. Can my baby take a bottle of just goat's milk once a week? It seems like it'd be okay, at least better than conventional formula. What do you all think? (BTW I could pump, but am really busy homeschooling the older 6 children and can't figure out a good time to do it, besides, I never get as much as he'd drink anyway). TIA!

[Sailor]

Well, goat's milk was used "way back when" as a formula when there was no nursing woman around. Which sometimes happened.

I personally wouldn't use it. But, I have a very bad dairy allergy - and, sadly, it encompasses all dairy. So, this obviously colors my opinion!

Could you pump while breastfeeding? And then just save that milk in the freezer for when you need it?

[alegna]

I would not be comfortable with it much before a year.

-Angela

[Drummer's Wife]

I would either pump or buy formula.

[Koalamom]

My babe is 8 weeks old and I only feel comfortable giving him goats milk if it is kefired an a finger lick just for the probiotics. I just got some Villi raw yogurt starter from dogmoms store and I may consider giving that if i had too, but I don't think so before 6 months. Cows milk- no way, but maybe goats. 2 months is still really young to give a whole cup of it at a time.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

I don't think I would personally do it. Could you just try pumping some during that time you're away from him? Or maybe just a couple ounces before bed at night a few nights a week? I would maybe be ok with trying it if it was no more than half and half (goat milk to breast milk).

[snowbunny]

I wouldn't do it except as a very, very last resort. I think that, despite the effort, you should pump. It's one bottle a week - not like you're pumping several bottles daily because you work FT, you know and even that is completely worth the time and effort. Have you tried pumping one side while feeding on the other? It's totally doable at that age and you can take advantage of your letdown. You should really, really wait until at least 6 months to supplement breast milk with anything.

[poppymum]

I had a bad infection that led to my inability to nurse my third child (long story, but massive amounts of sulfa drugs left my milk tasting like a burned match dipped in rotten egg...and her discerning palate refused.) So around 3 months we started feeding her a mixture of raw goat milk and a the expressed breast milk of a dear friend. When our friend's milk supply decreased, we went exclusively to raw goat milk. I felt so much better feeding that than formula, which frankly frightens me. We felt it was the next best option to human milk. She grew fine and is healthy. Although her head is a little triangle shaped and we like to tease that she got it from her "goat mama."

[Koalamom]

I wonder if I as asked "formula" or "raw goats milk, what I would say. There is so much crap in formula that I just shudder thinking of giving it to my babe. I think if I didn't have milk, I would try for donation milk first than make my own with cultured goats milk and other nutrients, perhaps even some carrot or green juice too, but I would consider formula last even if it required more work for the other milks prep. I am just so glad and blessed that I can make something so good for my baby.