Goats!

As previously stated my mother-in-law is on the crunchier side. {side note: i honestly didn’t know what crunchy meant until my midwife said it at our second appointment. i stared at her blankly and she said, “like granola” and i continued to stare blankly…my husband later explained it. such an airhead at times!} One of the first, of MANY, things I thought was weird upon meeting my mother-in-law was her love for goats and goats milk.

I had never even heard of such a thing. People drink milk that isn’t of cows and bought in the store?? NO WAY!

My mother-in-law has a friend that owns her own goats for milking purposes. (she also owns a health food store and is pretty much my first call in most situations) Merrilee milks the goats when this lady has to be away for a milking time or when she is on vacation. My mother-in-law LOVES this job. It’s therapy for her. Seriously.

Not long before I got pregnant I joined her to milk. This was a new experience for me. I was very unsuccessful.

Once SB was born my MIL filled my head with why it was better that babies be on goats milk rather than formula. I listened but i wasn’t quite ready to make the jump. When SB was 10 months I went out with her to milk. (for the life of me i cannot find the pictures!!!) This time I was very successful (guess you have to nurse to really understand milking –okay that’s kinda gross, sorry). I took home some of the milk and started giving it to SB and he loved it!!

I got some questions from my pedi about feeding my child something raw, unpasturized and from a goat….but it worked. SB was on goats milk until the goats stopped producing that year.

With Starlet, I’ve been waiting for these goats to produce. Yes, I realize there are places in the area you can get milk, but I was okay with formula. (I’m only semi-crunchy remember — oh and I’m super frugal and that stuff is PRICY!).

Last week we went out, as we do almost every year, and played with the baby goats. SB & The Negotiator had SO much fun. TN is fearless and will pick up any goat. SB on the other hand prefers to see them from afar. Starlet enjoyed some goat love too….maybe a little too much goat love.

You can really tell how much SB isn’t really into this. He quickly left to play in the barn. (LOOK at TN’s face!!! CUTE!!)

Momma Merrilee in her element!!!

The Negotiator picking up more goats….

Starlet eating a goat. (poor baby. this was 20 min before her dr visit for strep i had no idea she was so sick!!)

Why is goats milk better?? Well truly I’m not 100% sure. I know that it is easier to digest. I know that it is the closest to breast milk and that anything in its raw state is better. But for the rest google it! Here is the frist link from when i googled. LINK