What�s the
difference between
breast milk and cow�s milk?
There are
many differences between breast milk and cow�s milk / formula. Cow�s milk is not
recommended for babies until they are at least 10 to 12 months of age or older
(ask your doctor). Cow�s milk is much more difficult for an infants digestive
system to break down and is not nutritionally equal to breast milk. This goes
for all types of cow�s milk, regardless of whether it�s whole, low fat, skim,
powdered or any other form. The differences between breast milk and cows milk
are explained below.
Breast Milk
- Antibodies � Helps your baby�s
immune system gain strength, fighting off bacteria and viruses.�
When you or your baby is exposed to a virus or bacteria, your breast
milk "fights back" by producing antibodies specific to that virus or
bacteria.� Formula is exactly the same, time after time, regardless
of what your baby is exposed to.
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- Water � Your breast milk contains
the perfect amount of water to satisfy your baby�s thirst and adjusts to
your baby�s needs.
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- Fat � Breast milk contains more fat
than cow�s milk and is more easily absorbed by your baby. This is one of
the reasons that breast fed babies have different stools than bottle
(formula) fed babies. Since the baby is not excreting any wasted fats
the stool will be a yellow mustard color with a mildly sweet smell.
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- Protein � Protein that is used to
help your baby�s body grow and develop is in just the right amount and
in a form most readily absorbed.
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- Carbohydrates � Breast milk
contains more carbohydrates than cow�s milk. These carbohydrates provide
a very important source of energy.
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- Vitamins and minerals � As long as
you, the mother, eat a reasonably well balanced diet, your breast milk will contain
all of your baby�s vitamin and mineral requirements, until about age 6
months.
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- Taste - Breast milk changes in
taste, depending on the different foods the mother eats. Breastfed
babies are more likely to accept new and different foods once they start
on solids (not recommended until age 6 months) than their formula-fed
peers, because formula tastes the same every single time, while
breastmilk takes on a taste similar to the different foods a mother
eats.
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Cow's Milk
- No antibodies � Antibodies that are
in breast milk are not in cow�s milk / formula and cannot be artificially
produced.
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- Water � The amount of water in
cow�s milk / formula can�t change to suit your baby�s need the way breast milk
can.
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- Fat � The fat in cow�s milk /
formula is very
different than the fat in breast milk and your baby can�t absorb it as
easily.
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- Protein � The amount of protein in
cow�s milk / formula is at least double the amount in breast milk and is also a
different and less digestible type.
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- Carbohydrates � Cow�s milk /
formula has
smaller amounts of carbohydrates than breast milk.
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- Vitamins and minerals � Cow�s milk
/ formula
has more of some vitamins and minerals and less of others than breast
milk; it�s not the right amount for your baby.
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- There are over 100 ingredients in breast
milk which ARE NOT in formula, even the new "DHA added" formulas.�
Formula is intended as a replacement for breastmilk when breastmilk is
not available, but sadly, it does not even come close to it!
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