Cow’s Milk or Goat’s Milk: What I Decided for My Toddler

I breastfed my daughter for 14 months. And between months 10 and 14, I exclusively breastfed her. My husband and I were extremely happy I could do so with her for that long. Eventually, we agreed that it was time to start weaning her. However, I was wary about the transition between breast milk and cow’s milk. Why? Because from what I had been reading about cow’s milk and learning on my journey toward a healthier lifestyle, cow’s milk is not the best choice for toddlers.^3,5 And if it’s not organic — even worse.⁶ Here, I’ll share why I chose the goat’s milk route for my daughter instead.

Why We Decided Against Cow’s Milk

My husband and I decided against cow’s milk for my toddler because:

• Cow’s milk is tough for babies to digest.⁷
• It contains high concentrations of proteins and minerals. This can stress a baby’s kidneys and even contribute to illnesses in their bodies later on.⁵
• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), cow’s milk lacks the proper amount of iron, vitamin C, and other nutrients that babies desperately need during their early development stages.^2,8,9
• It can irritate their stomach lining and be especially upsetting for toddlers with lactose intolerance.^9,10
• The AAP also states that cow’s milk doesn’t contain the healthiest form of fats that babies need to develop and grow.⁹
• When it’s not certified organic, it can contain harmful additives such as antibiotics and growth hormones.⁶

Why We Chose Goat’s Milk Instead

Growing up, my mom gave my little brother goat’s milk. As a toddler, he had trouble keeping any kind of milk down and always got tummy aches and weird reactions when drinking it. It just so happened that one of our cousins is a goat farmer and a lover of all things healthy. So, when my brother was experiencing these troubles, my mom gave him goat’s milk straight from our cousin’s farm instead. He loved it — and his tummy did, too!

When it came time to wean my daughter, I consulted my aunt about the benefits of goat’s milk for toddlers and did more research on my own. From what we learned, my husband and I agreed to give her goat’s milk instead.

The Benefits of Goat’s Milk

Here’s why we decided to go the goat’s milk route:

• Goat’s milk can be easier to digest.^1,4,11
• It contains fewer allergenic proteins than cow’s milk.^4,11,12
• Goat’s milk contains higher levels of minerals, vitamin A, and vitamin C than cow’s milk.^1,4,12,13
• It has a better protein makeup than cow’s milk, making it easier on toddlers’ tummies.¹
• Goat’s milk is higher in calcium and magnesium and lower in cholesterol than cow’s milk.^1,4,12,14

I’ve found that organic goat’s milk options are always best, as well as goat’s milk straight from a farm that grass-feeds their goats and doesn’t use antibiotics or hormones on their herd. Since my husband and I lived eight hours away from my cousin’s farm, we researched online and found a local farm that sold goat’s milk. They had a mom-and-pop store out in the country, adjacent to acres of land populated with healthy goats grazing a green pasture. This farm used no additives, hormones, or anything foreign with their herd. And every Tuesday, I would show up first thing in the morning and snag a freshly squeezed gallon. Our daughter, just like my little brother, absolutely loved it, too!

The Bottom Line

Any doctor will tell you to avoid giving your baby any kind of milk (outside of breast milk) before 12 months.⁵ However, when it’s time to start weaning your baby and replacing their milk options with something else as a toddler, organic or farm-based goat’s milk is a great option to consider!