Should You Mix Rice Porridge with Formula Milk for Babies?

Question

If a baby doesn’t like milk, can you use rice porridge as water to mix the formula milk?

Answer

It is not recommended to use rice porridge to mix formula milk. Formula milk must be mixed with water because babies under four months old do not have enough amylase to digest the starch in rice porridge. Additionally, using rice porridge to mix formula milk may cause nutrient loss and increase the risk of kidney stones in babies. When babies reach six months old, they can start introducing complementary foods such as rice congee and egg custard, but it is still not advisable to use rice porridge for mixing formula milk.