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• Raw Milk Baby Formula
• Variation: Goat Milk Formula
• Liver-Based Formula
• Fortified Commercial Formula
• Egg Yolk for Baby
• Homemade Whey
• Breast Milk and Homemade Formula Nutrient Comparison Chart

Raw Milk Baby Formula

Makes 36 ounces.

Our milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow's milk but leaner in casein (milk protein). The addition of gelatin to cow's milk formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.

The ideal milk for baby, if he cannot be breastfed, is clean, whole raw milk from old-fashioned cows, certified free of disease, that feed on green pasture. For sources of good quality milk, see www.realmilk.com or contact a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with a piima or kefir culture to restore enzymes (available from G.E.M. Cultures 253-588-2922 or http://www.gemcultures.com).

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole raw cow's milk, preferably from pasture-fed cows
• 1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below) Note: Do NOT use powdered whey or whey from making cheese (which will cause the formula to curdle). Use only homemade whey made from yoghurt, kefir or separated raw milk.
• 4 tablespoons lactose*
• 1/4 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis**
• 2 or more tablespoons good quality cream (preferably not ultrapasteurized), more if you are using milk from Holstein cows
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored high-vitamin or high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon regular cod liver oil***
• 1/4 teaspoon high-vitamin butter oil (optional)*
• 1 teaspoon expeller-expressed sunflower oil*
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil*
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil*
• 2 teaspoons Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes*
• 2 teaspoons gelatin*
• 1-7/8 cups filtered water
• 1/4 teaspoon acerola powder*

*Available from Radiant Life 888-593-8333, www.radiantlifecatalog.com.
**Earlier versions of this web page called for 1 tsp of bifidobacterium infantis--this was a typo.
***Use only recommended brands of cod liver oil. See our recommendations here.

Instructions

• Put 2 cups filtered water into a pyrex measuring pitcher and remove 2 tablespoons (that will give you 1-7/8 cups water).
• Pour about half of the water into a pan and place on a medium flame.
• Add the gelatin and lactose to the pan and let dissolve, stirring occasionally.
• When the gelatin and lactose are dissolved, remove from heat and add the remaining water to cool the mixture.
• Stir in the coconut oil and optional high-vitamin butter oil and stir until melted.
• Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients into a blender.
• Add the water mixture and blend about three seconds.
• Place in glass bottles or a glass jar and refrigerate.
• Before giving to baby, warm bottles by placing in hot water or a bottle warmer. NEVER warm bottles in a microwave oven.

Variation: Goat Milk Formula

Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant feeding as it lacks folic acid and is low in vitamin B₁₂, both of which are essential to the growth and development of the infant. Inclusion of nutritional yeast to provide folic acid is essential. To compensate for low levels of vitamin B₁₂, if preparing the Milk-Based Formula (above) with goat's milk, add 2 teaspoons organic raw chicken liver, frozen for 14 days, finely grated to the batch of formula. Be sure to begin egg-yolk feeding at four months.

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Liver-Based Formula

Makes about 36 ounces.

Our liver-based formula also mimics the nutrient profile of mother's milk. It is extremely important to include coconut oil in this formula as it is the only ingredient that provides the special medium-chain saturated fats found in mother's milk. As with the milk-based formula, all oils should be truly expeller-expressed.

Ingredients:

• 3-3/4 cups homemade beef or chicken broth
• 2 ounces organic liver, cut into small pieces
• 5 tablespoons lactose*
• 1/4 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis**
• 1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil*
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored high-vitamin or high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon regular cod liver oil***
• 1 teaspoon unrefined sunflower oil*
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil*
• 1 teaspoon acerola powder*

*Available from Radiant Life 888-593-8333, www.radiantlifecatalog.com.
**Earlier versions of this web page called for 1 tsp of bifidobacterium infantis--this was a typo.
***Use only recommended brands of cod liver oil. See our recommendations here.

Instructions:

• Simmer liver gently in broth until the meat is cooked through.
• Liquefy using a handheld blender or in a food processor.
• When the liver broth has cooled, stir in remaining ingredients.
• Store in a very clean glass or stainless steel container.
• To serve, stir formula well and pour 6 to 8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle.
• Attach a clean nipple and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)

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Fortified Commercial Formula

Makes about 35 ounces.

This stopgap formula can be used in emergencies, or when the ingredients for homemade formula are unavailable.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Mead Johnson low-iron, milk-based powdered formula
• 29 ounces filtered water (3 5/8 cups)
• 1 large egg yolk from an organic egg, cooked 3 1/2 minutes (See recipe for egg yolk, below)
• 1/2 teaspoon unflavored high-vitamin or high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon regular cod liver oil***

Instructions:

• Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly.
• Place 6-8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle. (Store the rest in a very clean glass jar in the refrigerator for the next feedings.)
• Attach a clean nipple to the bottle and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)

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Egg Yolk for Baby

Egg yolk should be baby's first solid food, starting at 4 months, whether baby is breastfed or formula-fed. Egg yolks from pastured hens will contain the special long-chain fatty acids so critical for the optimal development of the brain and nervous system. The whites may cause an allergic reaction and should not be given to baby until he is at least one year old.

Ingredients:

• 1 organic egg from a pasture-fed hen
• 1/2 teaspoon grated raw organic liver, frozen for 14 days Note: It is VERY important that the liver be frozen for 14 days before using.

Instructions:

• Boil egg for 3 1/2 minutes.
• Place in a bowl and peel off shell.
• Remove egg white and discard.
• Yolk should be soft and warm, not hot, with its enzyme content intact.
• If you wish to add liver, grate on the small holes of a grater while frozen. Allow to warm up and stir into egg yolk.

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Homemade Whey

Makes about 5 cups.

Homemade whey is easy to make from good quality plain yoghurt, or from raw or cultured milk. You will need a large strainer that rests over a bowl.

If you are using yoghurt, place 2 quarts in a strainer lined with a tea towel set over a bowl. Cover with a plate and leave at room temperature overnight. The whey will drip out into the bowl. Place whey in clean glass jars and store in the refrigerator.

If you are using raw or cultured milk, place 2 quarts of the milk in a glass container and leave at room temperature for 2-4 days until the milk separates into curds and whey. Pour into the strainer lined with a tea towel set over a bowl and cover with a plate. Leave at room temperature overnight. The whey will drip out into the bowl. Store in clean glass jars in the refrigerator.

Source: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, PhD.

Breast Milk and Homemade Formula Nutrient Comparison Chart

Based on 36 ounces.

These nutrient comparison tables were derived from standard food nutrient tables and do not take into account the wide variation in nutrient levels that can occur in both human and animal milk, depending on diet and environment.

* Vitamin A levels in human milk will depend on the diet of the mother. Nursing mothers eating vitamin A-rich foods such as cod liver oil will have much higher levels of vitamin A in their milk. Commercial formulas contain about 2400 IU vitamin A per 800 calories.

** Calcium and sodium values for homemade broth are not available.

*** Vitamin E values are derived from commercial vegetable oils. The vitamin E levels for homemade formulas will be higher if good quality, expeller-expressed oils are used.

Comments (2)

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Comparisons
written by John, Jan 21 2010

Molly, I have been studying up on the best replacement milk for infants and I find that sheep milk is the best milk to use; but due to the limited production of it in the US it may be hard to come by.
I think you should consider substituting sheeps milk in place of cows milk if you can find it. Other wise go with the Goats milk.

You can do a nutritional facts search for comparison on google for Goat Milk, Sheep Milk, and Human Milk. I found that the FED has a complete nutritional report on all three.
Here are the links to some nutritional facts on the three.
http://www.nutrientfacts.com/FoodPages/nutritionfacts/nutritionfacts_human_milk.htm
http://www.nutrientfacts.com/searchfood.exe?var=5&form=Goat+Milk+Nutrition+Facts
http://www.nutrientfacts.com/searchfood.exe?var=5&form=Nutrition+Facts+Sheep+milk

Blessings

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written by Molly , Dec 17 2009

Can you respond to this article found here www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17664905:

Adverse effects of cow's milk in infants.

Ziegler EE.

Fomon Infant Nutrition Unit, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.

The feeding of cow's milk has adverse effects on iron nutrition in infants and young children. Several different mechanisms have been identified that may act synergistically. Probably most important is the low iron content of cow's milk. It makes it difficult for the infant to obtain the amounts of iron needed for growth. A second mechanism is the occult intestinal blood loss, which occurs in about 40% of normal infants during feeding of cow's milk. Loss of iron in the form of blood diminishes with age and ceases after 1 year of age. A third factor is calcium and casein provided by cow's milk in high amounts. Calcium and casein both inhibit the absorption of dietary nonheme iron. Infants fed cow's milk receive much more protein and minerals than they need. The excess has to be excreted in the urine. The high renal solute load leads to higher urine concentration during the feeding of cow's milk than during the feeding of breast milk or formula. When fluid intakes are low and/or when extrarenal water losses are high, the renal concentrating ability of infants may be insufficient for maintaining water balance in the face of high water use for excretion of the high renal solute. The resulting negative water balance, if prolonged, can lead to serious dehydration. There is strong epidemiological evidence that the feeding of cow's milk or formulas with similarly high potential renal solute load places infants at an increased risk of serious dehydration. The feeding of cow's milk to infants is undesirable because of cow's milk's propensity to lead to iron deficiency and because it unduly increases the risk of severe dehydration.

I would like to feed my 2 month-old baby one of these formulas but I am a little concerned.

Thank you!

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