Dangers of cow's milk for children under 1 year

Cow's milk should only be given to the baby after he is 1 year old, because before that his intestine is still too immature to digest this milk, which can end up causing problems such as diarrhea, allergies and low weight.

Until the first year of life, the child should only drink breast milk or consume special milk formulas, appropriate for the age, according to the guidance of the pediatrician or nutritionist.

Problems that cow's milk can cause

Cow's milk has complex and difficult to digest proteins, which end up attacking the intestinal cells and causing problems such as:

Malabsorption of nutrients; Intestinal bleeding, there may be visible blood or not in the stool; Diarrhea or very soft stools, which do not improve in texture; Anemia, especially by reducing the absorption of iron in the intestine; Constant colic; Allergy to milk and its derivatives; Low weight, as the baby is unable to have the necessary calories and nutrients for growth.

In addition, cow's milk does not have a good fat composition for this stage of the baby's life, and it is also very high in sodium, which can end up overloading the child's kidneys. Know how to have more milk to breastfeed the baby.

Difference between Infant Formula and Cow Milk

Although they are normally made from cow's milk, infant formulas are prepared in order to facilitate the baby's digestion and meet all of its nutritional needs. They are made with the aim of looking like breast milk, but no infant formula is as good and suitable for the newborn as breast milk.

If necessary, the infant formula should only be used according to the pediatrician's guidance, it is important to pay attention to the product label, which should have the word formula instead of milk.

Vegetable milks should also be avoided

In addition to avoiding cow's milk, it is also important to avoid giving your baby vegetable milks such as soy milk, oats or almonds, especially in the first year of life. These milk do not contain all the nutrients necessary for the child's proper growth and development, and may impair his weight gain, his height growth and his intellectual capacity.

However, it is important to remember that some infant formulas are made with soy, having a special composition that fits the baby's needs. They must be prescribed by the pediatrician, and are usually necessary in cases of allergy to milk.