Many parents may not think that mixing formula too thickly will have a significant impact on their baby, and some might even believe that a thicker mixture is more nutritious. This is not the case, however.
At the Department of Pediatrics, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Professor曹励芝 (Cao Lizhi) encountered a case like this: A 2-month-old baby named Xiao Min had not gained any weight since birth. Upon careful inquiry, Professor Cao discovered the problem lay in how the formula was prepared. Xiao Min's mother had insufficient breast milk after giving birth and had to feed the baby formula. Perhaps fearing the baby wasn't getting enough nutrition, she would always add an extra scoop each time, making the formula very thick. Little did she know, this was a serious mistake.
Professor Cao explained that Xiao Min's failure to gain weight was entirely due to malnutrition, which was caused by the formula being too concentrated. If too much formula powder is added, the digestive systems of infants, who are still in a developmental stage, may not be able to handle the burden, leading to inadequate nutrient absorption and even causing diarrhea. Of course, if the formula is too diluted, it's also problematic, as this results in insufficient protein content, which can also lead to malnutrition. Therefore, it is recommended that parents always prepare formula according to the ratio specified on the packaging and not just use however much they feel like.