When to give cow's milk to the baby

At present, there are differences about the age at which it is recommended to introduce cow's milk in the diet of infants in developed countries. In most of them, it is recommended to wait until 12 months of age, but some, such as Canada, Sweden or Denmark, propose their introduction at 9 or 10 mont

When to change breastfeeding for cow's milk

For an infant breast-fed, it is clear that cow's milk is not necessary as long as an adequate supply of breast milk is maintained and, according to WHO, it should be maintained, at least, until 2 years of age. However, combining cow's milk and breastfeeding, when the supply of breast milk is not enough, is also possible.

When the baby is fed formula milk, it is when an age of introduction of cow's milk can be proposed, that is, changing the formula for cow's milk as the main milk supply.

Formula milk tries, as much as possible, to resemble breast milk as much as possible, since it is the most appropriate and recommended milk to feed an infant, however, breast milk, like milk of cow, from approximately 6 months, does not provide sufficient amounts of iron to the infant, it being necessary to provide this mineral through supplementary feeding. The formulas, when fortified and elaborated 'a la carte', contain higher amounts of iron.

Why delay cow's milk in infant feeding

In this way, the main reason for delaying the change of formula milk by cow's milk is the prevention of possible deficiencies in iron, since cow's milk is a very poor source of this mineral. In fact, iron deficiencies have been observed in infants in which cow's milk was the only milk supply and its main food, especially when the change was made at very early ages, around 6 months. The iron reserves of the infant come from the accumulated during pregnancy and are favored by a late clamping of the cord, ensuring the necessary iron until 6-12 months, depending on each individual case.

In addition, cow's milk has a very low content of linoleic acid, although the ratio linoleic acid / alpha linoleic acid is more favorable than in formula milk. The relationship linoleic acid / alpha linoleic acid seems to be the reason why children who drink cow's milk have docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels more favorable than those who drink formula milk, although, again, when they are elaborated ' a la carte ', can be supplemented with DHA (omega3).

In summary, cow's milk is poor in iron, and formula milk, except for specific fortifications, poor in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. In breastfed infants, cow's milk is not necessary, and although it may be offered to the infant, it does not have any benefit with respect to breast milk. If the infant is fed formula milk, the introduction of whole cow's milk can be done at some time between 12 and 18 months, not before the infant consumes a diet rich in iron, or what It is the same, never before introducing red meat.