Everyone knows that milk is a very valuable and important product in baby food. It contains a large number of substances that are necessary for the development and growth of children, namely: fats, minerals, proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates. And so the parents rush to introduce their crumbs to such a useful product. But it does not take into account that cow's milk is a controversial product. On the one hand, it is not at all suited to babies, on the other hand it is very useful for older children. But in fact from the nutrition in the first year of life the child depends on his further health and development.
So when do we start giving the children milk? This question arises in many parents. Sometimes the phrase slips that earlier in the villages children were fed with fresh milk if the mother had problems. But this statement strongly disagrees with the opinion of doctors. Many pediatricians claim that it is impossible to give whole milk to children under one year of age. In some countries it is allowed to give it from the age of nine months, and in Germany, for example, doctors believe that it is undesirable for children to give cow's milk until the age of two. If the mother has problems with breast milk, it is recommended to use the so-called adapted infant formula, gradually adding to the diet specialized milk, which according to taste and composition is adapted to the characteristics of the infant. In this case, we must take into account that for one-year-old children the use of cow's milk should not exceed 200 grams per day and it can be given only as a part of porridges and mashed potatoes.
Why is cow milk not desirable for children up to a year:
- In whole cow milk, there are a lot of minerals: calcium, sodium, phosphorus, chlorine, magnesium, potassium. They create discomfort for the baby's body, and especially for the not yet developed urinary system. As a result, the baby's kidneys are overloaded by 20-30%, producing cow's milk.
- In cow's milk, there is much more sodium and protein than in the breast milk. In this case, the protein is completely different composition, which can possibly cause allergic reactions. Allergists say that if a child is milked with cow's milk from the first days of life, then it is more likely that many children will have an allergy to milk and dairy products.
- In milk there is a lot of casein.
- There is not enough carbohydrate in it.
- Milk contains a very low number of important elements for the child: iodine, zinc, vitamins C and E, copper.
- Still there are very few fatty acids (a-linolenic, linolenic), which are necessary for the development of the brain, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids.
- In cow's milk, low iron content. Namely, iron is the main constituent of multiply multiplying erythrocytes of a growing child. Therefore, its deficiency leads to iron deficiency anemia.
- With daily use of cow's milk, babies may experience gastrointestinal bleeding, a high probability at the age of up to six months.
- Milk does not contain at all amino acids taurine and cystine, folic acid, and they are necessary for the development of the baby.
- Also, the early introduction of cow's milk into a baby's diet can lead to type 1 diabetes mellitus. It is necessary to completely remove cow milk from the baby's nutrition for up to a year to those who have insulin-dependent patients in their family.
"Milk" choice is not easy, because dairy products play a very important role in the nutrition of the child. When these products are introduced into a child's diet, it depends on the parents, but the health and development of the child as a whole also depends on them. That's why you need to carefully weigh all the arguments and make a decision that is right for you and your child. However parents are self-confident, sometimes it is sometimes necessary to listen to another opinion, especially to the opinion of doctors.