While some pediatricians have discouraged introducing cow's milk until a certain age, it now seems there might be benefits to an earlier start.

 

A new study led by Dr. Yitzhak Katz of Tel Aviv University in Israel suggests that introducing the taste of cow's milk during the first two weeks of life may protect a child from later developing an allergy to the milk's protein.

 

The findings showed that infants who were first fed cow's milk at the age of 15 days or more had 19 times the risk of developing cow's milk allergy relative to those exposed earlier -- during the first two weeks of life.

 

Katz added that the findings should not be interpreted as discouraging breastfeeding. Rather, he recommends simply complementing it with cow's milk early on.