How to make a nourishing homemade goat milk baby formula that mimics human breastmilk as closely as possible.
I nursed all 3 of my children exclusively until they started solid foods. In addition, I practiced extended breastfeeding, nursing each of my first two children for 2 years and the youngest for 4 years. I only used homemade formula occasionally such as after surgery.
I adored every. single. minute.
Nursing my children was a glorious experience the memories of which I will cherish forever!  I’m sure most breastfeeding mothers would report the same.
The topic of homemade formula, even the more widely accepted goats milk formula, is a highly charged and controversial subject. In reality, it is a very important option for women to consider and have available who are not able to have a breastfeeding relationship with their baby.
This is because unpasteurized, donor breastmilk is not always available from reputable sources and in sufficient quantities to meet a baby’s growing appetite. A friend of mine is dealing with this very situation right now with her adopted daughter.
While she does her best to secure quality donor milk, the truth is that it isn’t enough, and she must supplement. Her first choice depending on local farm availability is formula made with raw goats milk as it seems to be digested a bit better by her baby.
Of course, all brands of commercial formula even if organic are best avoided if at all possible. The graphic above summarizes the problems with commercial formula quite succinctly.
Why Goat Milk is Healthy for Baby Formula
With commercial formula best avoided and relying solely on donor breastmilk a risky proposition, the homemade formula becomes an option well worth consideration.
But why goats milk formula in particular?
The reasons could be as simple as the availability of goat milk versus cow milk. The homemade formula is best made with a clean source of raw milk and some parts of the country have raw goat milk far more readily available than raw cow milk.
Another reason could be the digestibility of the formula. The natural homogenization of the fat globules and different structures of the goat milk proteins do make it easier to digest for some babies.
If a baby has trouble with a homemade formula made from raw grass-fed cow milk, for instance, then the next best option would indeed be goats milk formula.
I always suggest to mothers to try homemade formula made with cow milk first.
This is because although goat milk is wonderfully rich in brain-building fats, it must be used with caution in infant feeding.
Unlike cow milk, goat milk lacks folic acid and is low in the nutrient vitamin B12 both of which are critical to the proper growth and development of a baby.
Fortunately, if goats milk formula does indeed become the necessary choice, the inclusion of small amounts of nutritional yeast and organic grated or desiccated liver in the formula easily remedies this dilemma.
Infant Formula?
Below is the recommended recipe for goats milk formula as published by the Weston A. Price Foundation and originally published in the cookbook Nourishing Traditions in 1996.
I personally know at least a dozen women who have used this recipe with great success when raw grass-fed cow milk was either unavailable or did not digest well for their baby.
*You can order all of the required ingredients for the homemade baby formula in one easy package from Radiant Life by clicking here.
Because the goat formula contains liver powder, be sure to use bottle nipples that are designed for thicker flowing liquids. You can get them here.
Homemade Goat Milk Formula Recipe
A nourishing homemade goat milk formula made from goat milk, yogurt or kefir devised and tested by Dr. Mary Enig that matches the nutritional profile of breastmilk as closely as possible.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw goat milk OR whole goat milk yogurt
- 1 7/8 cup filtered water
- 1/4 cup liquid whey
- 4 Tbl goat lactose
- 1/4 tsp bifidobacterium infantis powder
- 2 Tbl raw or pasteurized cream
- 1/2 tsp cod liver oil unflavored
- 1/4 tsp butter oil unflavored
- 1 tsp sunflower oil preferably organic
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil preferably organic
- 2 tsp virgin coconut oil preferably organic
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp raw chicken liver OR 1/4 tsp desiccated liver powder
- 2 tsp gelatin
- 1/4 tsp acerola powder
- 1 tsp molasses optional
Instructions
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Fill a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup with filtered water and remove 2 tablespoons (this will give you 1 7/8 cup water).
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Pour about half the water into a pan and turn burner on medium.
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Add the gelatin and lactose and let dissolve, stirring occasionally.
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When gelatin and lactose are dissolved, remove pan from heat and add the rest of the water to cool.
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Stir in the coconut oil and butter oil until melted.
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Put remaining ingredients in a glass blender. Be sure to use only liquid whey and never powdered whey from making cheese as it will curdle the goat milk formula.
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Add the water mixture and blend for about 3 seconds.
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Pour goats milk formula into glass baby bottles or a large glass jar and refrigerate.
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Before giving to baby, warm glass bottle in a pan of hot water or a bottle warmer (I like these). Never microwave baby bottles!
Recipe Notes
Do not substitute pasteurized milk or goat milk powder as these are heavily processed, denatured and allergenic foods. You may use plain, whole milk goat kefir or homemade goat yogurt in place of the milk portion of the milk if raw goat milk is not available in your area. Whole Foods has a quality brand of goat milk kefir available.Â
Cow lactose may be substituted for the goat lactose.
Do NOT use ultrapasteurized (UHT) cream. It is highly allergenic. Raw or pasteurized cream is acceptable.
Use only organic, unrefined, low oleic, cold pressed sunflower oil for this recipe. The brand linked to in the ingredients list is recommended.
The raw chicken liver should be frozen for 14 days or longer as recommended by the USDA for safe consumption. Â It is easiest to grate raw liver when it is frozen! Alternatively, 1/4 tsp of raw, desiccated liver powder may be substituted (find it here).Â
Collagen powder may be substituted for the gelatin in a pinch (more on peptides in baby formula in this article).
Use the optional molasses only if baby has issues with constipation. Only use as needed.
Homemade Goat Milk Formula Video
Below is an instructional video I filmed for the Weston A. Price Foundation on how to prepare a homemade formula yourself. Â Enjoy!
More Information
Homemade Nondairy Baby Formula
Why Soy Formula Even if Organic is So Dangerous for Babies
Traveling with Homemade Baby Formula
Feeding an Adopted Baby Without Commercial Formula
State Threatens to Take Baby Over Homemade Goat Milk Formula
Goat Milk Versus Cow Milk
Hi. I started giving my son sheep yogurt, per your recommendation, in place of the powder goat milk. I just have one concern, his intake went down to half. And also he eats less often. I figured it has more calories this could happen. You think it will be ok? Or should i do chalf yogurt and other half something else? I also bought goat milk from wholefoods but it’s pasteurized. I appreciate all your help. Thank you
You can try making the formula with whole milk goat kefir at Whole Foods too. My guess is that he is MUCH more satisfied with the formula made with real food (sheep yogurt) versus the indigestible and allergenic milk powder. If he’s happy and growing, if it were my baby, I wouldn’t worry.
One question, you didn’t say you were making the formula with sheep yogurt, just that you were giving him sheep yogurt … I hope you’re making the formula with it and not just giving him yogurt, correct? I don’t want to make any assumptions.
I can not find raw goat milk, goat kefir by son doesn’t want to drink. I use mtcapra goat milk powder for now because I don’t know what else to use. Yogurt seems to have less vitamins than goat powder. Im just conflicted. Help. My son is nit newborn. He is 18 months old. He was a premie and has to catch up since he is only 18lb and his twin is 24lb. I breastfeed him 1.5 year and ever since he is not tolerating any milk:( this formula I’ve been using a week now and I think it is amazing.
Please DO NOT use powdered goat milk powder as it is extremely allergenic. Here is the article on the dangers of any type of milk powder. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/milk-powder/
Use sheep yogurt from Whole Foods if need be. Here’s the brand. https://amzn.to/2oglv2l
Goat kefir is fine too. (plain … Whole Foods carries this also). Don’t rely on the label of the powdered goat milk as a guide as to nutrition! This stuff is frequently synthetically fortified!
We’ve made some substitutions. I’ve read in other recipes you can sub lactose for organic maple syrup. I don’t have sunflower oil or butter oil and didn’t do the cream or whey yet. We are doing the goat kefir. We also used dessicated liver powder. and Collegan powder. Well I’m thinking it’s the liver powder? The formula will NOT go through the bottle. We have the same bottles you recommended. The wide neck nipple Dr browns glass bottles. We used a faster flow nipple, no better. Went to the store to get a bottle in the mean time so she can eat. Tommy tippy carries a y shaped nipple for thicker liquids. I had to strain the mixture. and it was this this fatty substance with some of the liver in it. It helped but is it because I didn’t do the whey?
I am extremely concerned that you are making so many substitutions to this formula. Every ingredient is important in order to mimic breastmilk as closely as possible. The recipe was developed by a PhD in nutrition. ***Please follow the recipe exactly. Perhaps it is not flowing well because it is not mixed up well enough. Do you have a vita-mix or other good powered blender? If you don’t want to add the liver, then try another milk to make the formula. Sheep milk formula (using sheep yogurt available at Whole Foods or another source) or camel milk formula are fine. Goat milk needs to have the liver powder added. Links to these other formula recipes are in the post.
Hi Sarah. We are using the goat milk Kiefer along with dessicated beef liver powder. Baby is having a hard time sucking it through the bottle nipple. We are using a number two nipple. Any suggestions? Thank you!!
Can you get the bottle nipples especially designed for thicker liquids? Also, be sure you are blending it up really well. https://amzn.to/2LoW7QU
Hi i was wondering if the goat formula is ok for two days ? Is this vitamin proportions for one day or more or doesn’t matter?
Two days at most. The formula is best made fresh everyday or every other day.
Can this be frozen? Thank you!!
Yes.
Yes it’s terrible stuff! Anyway I was wondering if it’s ok to not include the desiccated chicken liver? It wasn’t included in the kit and I’m not sure if it’s completely necessary nutrient wise. Also I am planning on using kefir grains for pasteurized milk I get at the store since it’s more accessible where I am, we don’t have a Whole Foods or anything like that here. So when making the kefir do I just use the same ratio as I would raw milk in the recipe? Thanks for your help!
Yes, just substitute the kefir for the raw milk portion. The desiccated liver is important for the goat milk formula, as it adds folate and vitamin B12 which are very low in goat milk (they are high in cow milk though which is why this ingredient was included in the kit as most people make the formula from cows milk).
Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for this recipe! I was unable to produce enough BM for my baby and ended up switching to nutramigen formula because she had so many stomach issues but reading the ingredients on the can really makes me wonder how good it is for her. It’s first ingredient is corn syrup solids which can’t be good for her at all. So anyway I came across your recipe here and had gotten some raw goats milk from a family friend back in Missouri but it was frozen so we could travel back to Wisconsin with it. I ordered the kit for this recipe but it did not include any chicken liver with it… how important is that ingredient to this recipe? Will she be missing vital nutrients because its missing? I don’t want to hurt her and it did include everything else besides the whey in the package. Just wanted to know if it’s safe to use the frozen raw goats milk and to exclude the chicken liver? Thanks for the help!
And guess what? Those corn syrup solids in the nutramigen are GMO derived … the same GMO corn that gives animals stomach holes in research studies.
Thank you so much for this recipe Sarah. I was wondering how much of the goat milk formula per day you feed the baby. Is there a schedule or is it ‘as required’ like breastmilk. We have an eight week old baby girl. Once again, thank you!
Just feed the baby until she is satisfied and then feed again when she is hungry (about every 2.5 hours at that age). Just as you would breastfeeding 🙂 During a growth spurt, she will be hungry for shorter intervals for a few days and then it will stretch out again between feedings.
Thanks for all your help and advice Sarah! I so,appreciate you!