The mother and father of a newborn come in for the 2-week check-up. The mother complains of "colic" and asks if she can switch to goat's milk instead of breast milk. Which of the following should be your main concern about using goat's milk instead of breast milk or cow's milk?

Goat's milk, by itself, is not an ideal source of infant nutrition as it contains inadequate folate and iron, potentially contributing to anemia. Caloric content is actually denser than cow's milk- based formulas (about 30 kcal/oz, compared to 20 kcal/oz for formula and breast milk). Casein and whey are the protein sources in goat's milk, as they are for many formulas. Some manufacturers in different countries produce a goat milk-based formula that contains supplemental vitamins and iron. Unpasteurized goat's milk should never be used as an infant formula because of the risk of brucellosis.