When to introduce baby milk?
Babies should drink mother's milk or formula milk until completed first year of life, and it must be their primary source of milk in order to provide the necessary nutritional values. In this case, pediatricians or bad internet advice often cause confusion among parents, because it is particularly confusing: how can you give yogurt or cheese, but not milk.
The reason lies in the fact that cow's milk should not be introduced as a substitute for breast milk or formula for up to a year, because it does not provide your baby with enough nutritional values that the baby needs for growth and development. And if you decide to switch from mother's or formula milk earlier to cow's milk as a milk meal, your baby will not receive an adequate dose of vitamin E, iron, and there is too much protein, sodium and potassium, so it may happen that the intake is too high and it will not develop. your baby's system can handle it.
Cow's milk is not recommended for the following reasons:
- If we compare it with mother's or formula milk, cow's milk does not contain enough iron, vitamins and acids
- Cow's milk has too much sodium, potassium and protein that underdeveloped kidneys often cannot digest.
- Early introduction of cow's milk can result in microscopic gastrointestinal bleeding and blood loss in up to 40% of cases in normal babies, this risk disappears after the baby is 12 months old.
- Cow's milk causes allergic reactions in 0.3-7.5% of children
- Consuming cow's milk before the age of one is associated with iron deficiency and the development of anemia in children
Cow's milk and iron deficiency and anemia
Yes, it is true that cow's milk can cause anemia in most babies under one year of age. Milk makes it difficult for the baby's system to properly absorb iron, and iron is one of the ingredients without which a baby's diet cannot be imagined. Also, the fats from cow's milk and the protein it contains are much more difficult for the baby's digestive tract to digest.
However, as stated at the beginning of the text, the biggest effect is on the amount of iron in the baby's system. So introducing cow's milk before one year is not recommended at all.
How much milk does a child need after one year?
Children between one and two years of age do not need a large amount of milk at all, as was previously believed and recommended. Two glasses of milk a day are enough, i.e. 500 ml maximum. Children who drink more milk usually do not take in enough other nutrients.
When can a child drink skimmed milk?
Children under 2 years of age should not be given low-fat milk or skimmed milk. Children need fat for proper brain cell development.
You should always consult with your pediatrician, as with everything about the introduction of new foods.
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