The Benefits and Science Behind Goat's Milk Formula

I don’t know about you but I didn’t know much about goat’s milk formula until recently. Since adding another baby to the brood, I’ve returned to the realm of breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and weaning. In reality, that means attempting to get my incredibly stubborn one-year-old to eat anything that isn’t breastmilk or watermelon.

A toddler drink my toddler will actually drink

I know you guys don’t personally know my toddler but trust me when I say, she’s a fussy little so-and-so. She refused EVERY single type of toddler formula, she spits out cow’s milk like it’s got liquid arsenic in it and she throws pretty much each piece of food I feed her onto the floor.

Good thing she’s cute.

So finding something other than breastmilk that she actually drinks is BIG NEWS in my little world. It means she is getting the nutrients she needs without the risk of a tummy ache and I am one step closer to fully weaning her from the breast. #bringit

This brings me to the main reason why I wanna talk about goat’s milk formula. You see, it’s an alternative to typical toddler formula closer in composition to human milk than regular cow’s milk. But, best of all, it’s actually really good for her tummy.

In fact, it’s proven to be gentler on little tummies than cow’s milk toddler drinks.

Oli6 benefits of goats milk — Source: Supplied

The science behind goat’s milk, without the complicated terms

There’s a whole scientific process behind it. It’s all documented in the British Journal of Nutrition, but, truth be told, it’s bit confusing so I’ll attempt to break it down.

When it comes to choosing toddler milk, one of the key ingredients to look for is prebiotics. Not probiotics – this is different (also important though). Probiotics are the actual bacteria while prebiotics is the food to feed good bacteria in our guts and to protect us from the yucky bacteria.

There is a special kind of prebiotic called oligosaccharides, or oligo for short because who wants to actually say that whole word? Anyhow, oligo is awesome at feeding beneficial gut bacteria AND warding off yucky bacteria like E. coli and salmonella.

Harmful bacteria strike by latching onto the sugars in our gut lining. Once they attach and attack, our little ones are left feeling yuck.

Anyhow, oligos have the same structure as these sugars found on the gut lining. So, instead of attaching themselves to the gut wall, bad bacteria attach to the oligos and leave the gut lining alone. The harmful bacteria then get flushed out of the gut and our toddlers are left with happy bellies. Hooray!

Oli6 for better digestion — Source: Supplied

Goat’s milk formula = easier digestion

So, what did we learn today class? More oligo = better digestion. And goat’s milk comes with 6x more oligos compared to cow’s milk. In fact, researchers found that goat’s milk formula contains 14 naturally-occurring prebiotic oligosaccharides, five of which are also found in human breast milk, making breast milk and goat’s milk pretty darned similar.

Research also shows that 86% of all children under the age of two have had digestive issues.

These issues are often caused by an intolerance to cow’s protein in common formulas. Or, they could be experiencing tummy troubles simply because their tummies are not strong enough to ward off the yucky bacteria that develop in their digestive systems.

Oli6 goat's milk formula toddler milk for happy tummies — Source: Supplied

It’s nice to find toddler milk that does keep those yucky bacteria at bay and comes with lower levels of the αs1-CN protein than cow’s milk. This is the naughty protein that has been suggested to be the cause of many tots being unable to digest regular cow’s milk.

Compared to cow’s milk, goat’s milk formula also contains:

Higher quantities of phospholipids for brain development
46% more vitamin A for vision and sight
37% more vitamin C for immunity
33% more magnesium for development and growth
10% more calcium for strong teeth and bones

Goat’s milk formula also increases the growth of beneficial bacteria which is great for supporting immunity and digestive health, maintaining a healthy weight and influencing brain function.

The bottom line?

Good bacteria stays, bad bacteria gets flushed out and your toddler benefits from a drink that’s very similar to breast milk and gentler on her tummy.

So, mums, if you are on the hunt for toddler milk, it’s worth scouting out goat milk’s formula, especially if they do have a sensitivity to cow’s milk or cow’s protein or are having tummy troubles of any kind.

Every mum has a different go-to goat’s milk formula but I use Oli6. It’s made in Victoria from natural goat’s milk and with limited additives. You can buy it from Chemist Warehouse or Coles for $37 (for approx 36 serves).

It’s a tad more pricey than cow’s milk or toddler formula, but the extra nutrients and the assurance that it’s not going to end in a tummy ache are well worth it in my eyes. Have a look at the Oli6 website too as there are heaps of other mums who have shared their stories and explanations on why goat’s milk was the best choice for their toddlers. You never know until you try it, right?

This product is a toddler milk. It’s designed for children above the age of one.

For infants, if you are able, breastfeeding is best. It provides all the nutritional health benefits as Mother Nature intended. In readying for and during breastfeeding, it’s important that mums eat a healthy, balanced diet.