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
Can the gelatin be substituted with bone broth? If not, should I be giving my 7 month old bone broth with her food? Like if I mixed it in?
Bone broth is fine for a 7 month old, but mix it with her pureed veggies as solid food. It would be a lot of actual bone broth to substitute for the gelatin in this recipe … so much it would make the formula very watery.
I use desiccated liver powder in the formula and it seems like, so much is left in the bottle after it’s drank. Seems like the particles are too big to fit through the nipple holes. Is there any way to fix that? Also, is the gelatin necessary?
You can try using a mortar & pestle to grind the desiccated live into smaller bits before adding to the formula. Yes, the gelatin is helpful to digestion. You may use collagen hydrolysate if baby tolerates it better. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/peptides-instead-of-gelatin/
Can I make a batch of formula and freeze it to thaw as needed for supplementation?
Sorry for all of the questions. I just found a supplier for raw cream. It is sold by the quart. I have no idea how long a quart will last. My daughter is 7 months and drinks about 32oz a day. If using the 2 Tablespoons, per the 36oz batch, how long will the quart last? What are the benefits of the cream besides the obvious good fats? Also, does goat and cow milk provide enough magnesium? Thank you.
A quart is 64 Tablespoons, so the quart of cream will make 32 batches of formula. A quart of cream is fresh for about 7-10 days, so freeze 3/4 of the quart (3 cups) for later use and keep 1 cup at a time in the fridge.
If I make the formula with raw camel milk, do any of the ingredients/measurements needs to be altered from the regular cow milk version? Also, can butter oil be substituted with ghee, since it contains vitamin K2?
Keep the ingredients the same as the cow milk recipe, not the goat milk recipe.Camel milk is high in the B vitamins like cow milk so doesn’t require the addition of small amounts of liver like the goat milk formula. Camel milk, however, is quite low in cream so it is very important to add the additional cream as directed in the recipe. Yes, you can substitute ghee if it is grassfed.
It seems as though the only place to buy lactose, in Vancouver, is at a brewery. I assume lactose is lactose?
Sorry! Me again. I have ordered goat milk lactose, and it is on its way; however, is ot scheduled to arrive until between March 8 – 12th. I would like to get my 8-month old son on the non-dairy formula asap as he is struggling so much with hard, painful, and difficult to pass stools which I know is the direct result of the commercial, sensitive formula he has been on since birth (first ingredient, corn syrup). The guilt is overwhelming me at this point and I have near anxiety over every bottle of this formula that I pour for him.
My question is, can I begin to give him the non-dairy formula without the lactose while I wait for it to arrive? Or, is there anything I can add in its place for the time being? I have all the other ingredients at the ready.
Please use cow lactose in the meantime … you really do need the lactose. Most healthfood stores carry it.
I live in Canada and thus am not able to get any raw dairy. The closest place for me to buy raw milk is across the border at a farm approx an hour away. The reality of this is it would be time consuming and not always easy. Given this, I have two options here in Canada: 1. I can purchase powdered whole goat milk (from a local farm) or 2. I can purchase pasteurized goat’s milk from farms or health food stores. What, in your opinion, is the lesser of two evils?
You have the option of shipping in raw camel milk. It is legal to ship anywhere in Canada as camel’s have feet, not hooves and as such are exempt from regulation. Here’s where to get the raw camel milk: http://desertfarms.evyy.net/c/253664/277737/4454
Neither of the options you proposed are acceptable. If you don’t want to ship the raw camel milk, then I would suggest the homemade formula using bone broth instead: https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-hypoallergenic-baby-formula/
I’m still very new at this homemade goat milk formula stuff and am wondering if you care to elaborate on why unsulphured, blackstrap molasses is “developmentally inappropriate?” The insight would be extremely helpful to me. Thank you!
Because molasses contains sucrose … this is sugar! It also contains a lot of iron, which is extremely problematic for some babies.
Breastmilk contains no sucrose. It contains lactose which is important for the neurological and digestive development of the baby. Please use lactose.
What is the recipe for the cow milk formula?
The link is in the post, but here it is again: https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/video-homemade-milk-based-baby-formula/