In my previous post, I shared my ups & downs with breastfeeding and the struggles with choosing formula. Here’s ultimately why I chose Goat Milk Formula.
As a follow up to my previous breastfeeding post, here’s the one ALL about formula.
By the way, I encourage you to read the previous post that leads up to this one. Please forward it to any new mothers or mothers-to-be that you know.
How I Landed On Goat Milk Formula
We purchased cow’s milk formula first, then switched to soy, and ultimately went with goat milk. Goat milk formula was the choice that has made me feel the most content.
First of all, I didn’t like the idea of cow’s milk formula, but in a desperate situation we chose that. Cow’s milk is major growth hormones designed to turn a 65-pound calf into a 700 pound cow as quickly as possible. The is the reason I don’t like cow’s milk. “Casein, which makes up 87% of cow’s milk protein, promotes all stages of the cancer process,” says Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of the well-regarded book, The China Study.
Anyways…I’m not here to preach about that or tell you that you’re right or wrong for whatever it is you choose, but the cow’s milk thang just didn’t feel right for me.
Moving on to soy…I didn’t feel great about this either, but at the time, it felt better than the cow’s milk. What I disliked so much about soy was that I could not find an infant formula that wasn’t packed full of cane sugar and palm oil!
I had heard people mention goat milk formula, but I had NO CLUE about it, and it just seemed really foreign to me. I didn’t dismiss it, and the thought just kind of lingered in my head over the months.
The Book That Changed It All
I was reading The Vaccine Friendly Plan book a few months ago (which I highly recommend), and Dr. Thomas says “soy formula is baby junk food.” He said not to even consider it.
Now, I am not one to just believe everything that I read, but when I read this, my gut feeling told me that he was right. I mean, come on…it’s packed with cane sugar?? I had thought this was absurd all along. Candy and processed foods contain sugar. It shouldn’t be in baby food. (I assume that it’s a top ingredient in soy formula because there isn’t natural sweetness like cow’s milk?)
He also said exactly what I said earlier about cow’s milk, it’s designed for calves not human babies. (Not that goat’s milk is designed for human babies, BUT baby goats don’t turn into 700 pound cow in a hot minute).
Dr. Thomas is 25 year + pediatrician. One who believes that nothing is better than breastmilk for your child, but he does offer his medical suggestion on formula because let’s be honest, it’s a REAL topic!
His quote: “In the case where your milk supply does not meet your baby’s needs, you should not feel bad. This happens. If you’ve made a heroic effort, but need to supplement, you should add donor milk or formula with no shame or regrets.”
Look for a formula that:
- Is sweetened with organic brown rice tested for lack of arsenic. Most other formulas use corn syrup solids, which are a by-product of the GMO corn industry and should not be a baby’s first food.
- Does not contain palm oil, which forms soaps in the baby GI tract.
- Contains water extracted DHA & ARA. Most formulas use neurotoxins to to extract DHA & ARA.
- Does not contain carrageenan. Carrageenan causes inflammation in the gut. It is banned in all European formulas. Manufacturers in America use it so that you don’t have to shake the formula.
- Does not contain synthetic preservatives or synthetic nutrients.
I Talked To A Professional
Shortly after reading this book, I spoke to an intelligent and educated breastfeeding consultant. She actually said the next best thing to mother’s milk would be milk from a goat (not even formula…like actual milk from a happy goat on a farm).
I found a website, Formuland, who sells European formula directly to USA customers. They sell a variety of different brands, and after comparing many, I finally ended up deciding that Nanny Care and Bambinchen were the best ones (in my opinion).
They seemed to meet most (or all) of the requirements that Dr. Thomas stated, and given that they are European formulas, I knew they would be healthier for babies than formulas produced here in the states.
Right now I’m only using Nanny Care Goat Milk Formula. I used the Bambinchen initially, but I ended up going to NannyCare because it was (a little) less expensive. They are both great though, and it looks like they have almost exactly the same ingredients.
So there ya have it! The goat milk formula run down.
So, please share this with anyone you think it could help! I am so grateful for your support, and happy that I can help shed some light onto this topic. I know it can be very stressful and confusing.
Also, please leave your comments and questions below.
Lastly, I have to share something funny… Lily’s new nickname is Lilygoat! Ya know how all us moms give our babies silly names?! Well, while I was feeding Lily her first bottle of the goat milk formula, I mad some sort of joke about billygoats and then it turned into Lilygoat (not surprisingly haha). So….yeah…she’s my little Lilygoat.
See y’all tmw for Tea Tuesday (really great tea recipe coming up). Xo!
