答曰。将产坐卧。须顺四时方面。并避五行禁忌。若有触犯。多令产难。或因漏胎去血脏燥
。或子脏宿挟疹病。并触禁忌。或觉腹痛。产时未到。便即惊动。秽露下早。致子道干涩。
产妇力疲。又有横逆不顺者。皆难产也。或有子上逼心者。皆繇妊娠之人。失于将养也。大
抵临产之际。腹痛而腰不痛者。未产也。若腹痛连腰甚者即产。所以然者。肾候于腰。胞系
于肾。故也。诊其尺脉转大。如切绳转珠者。谓之离经。日中觉。夜半生。若腰痛甚者。即
产也。愚谓横生逆产者。皆因少母未经生育。将产之时。不肯忍痛。务欲逼下为妙。殊不知
时候未到。胎气未至。其子未能翻身。受逼不过。只得一任离胎迳下。以至倒生。其有横生
者。其子离胎。将欲翻身投下。半中之间。被母逼紧。转身不及。以至横下。古人云。瓜熟蒂
落。粟熟自出。自然之理。凡有横逆。皆繇母不能忍痛也。
乌金散。治横生难产。及催生。(此方救子母于顷刻)
百草霜 香白芷
上等分为细末。每服二钱。以童便醋各少许调。更以热汤化下。未愈再服。
乳香丸。治难产。
乳香(一两研为细末)
上用猪心血和作十丸。每服一丸。煎乳香汤化下。
出衣法。治妊娠胎死腹中。衣不出。及产后猝有别病。欲至野狼狈。
若胎衣未下腹满。宜水一盏半。煮猪脂一两。煎五七沸。和脂服下之。寤生丸。治难产。
枳实(六两一本枳壳) 桑白皮(干六两)
以上二味。入大铛内。以长河水煮半日许。候枳实透软。去桑白皮不用。取枳实去穣。薄切
作小片子。焙干。再入后药。
木香(半两) 甘草(炙半两)
上四件和为细末。炼蜜丸桐子大。晒干每日空心日午临卧。各用温米饮送下三十丸。加至五
七十丸。日三服。怀七个月后服。
Answer: Regarding sitting and lying postures before delivery, one must conform to the directions of the four seasons and avoid taboos related to the Five Elements. Violations of these taboos often lead to difficult labor. It may also be due to leakage of the fetus causing blood loss and dryness of the uterus, or because the uterus harbors chronic conditions such as rashes, compounded by violating taboos. If abdominal pain is felt before the time of delivery, panic and agitation may cause premature rupture of membranes (leakage of amniotic fluid), leading to a dry and slippery birth canal. Combined with maternal exhaustion and malpositions such as transverse or breech presentations, these constitute dystocia. Cases where the fetus presses upward against the heart are generally caused by improper care during pregnancy.
Generally speaking, during the onset of labor, if there is abdominal pain but no lower back pain, delivery has not yet begun. If severe abdominal pain radiates to the lower back, delivery is imminent. This is because the Kidney manifests in the lower back, and the uterus is connected to the Kidney. Palpation of the Chi pulse becoming large and slippery, resembling rolling ropes or pearls, is termed "Li Jing" (Departing from the Canon) pulse. If this pulse is perceived during the day, delivery occurs at midnight; if severe lower back pain is present, delivery happens immediately.
I believe that transverse presentation (Heng Sheng) and breech presentation (Ni Chan) occur primarily because first-time mothers, unable to endure pain during labor, attempt to force the fetus downward prematurely. They fail to realize that the timing is not yet ripe and fetal Qi has not descended, preventing the fetus from turning. Unable to withstand the pressure, the fetus exits directly without turning, resulting in a breech birth. In cases of transverse presentation, after the fetus detaches, it attempts to turn downward but is squeezed tightly by the mother's efforts midway, preventing it from completing the turn, thus resulting in a transverse exit. As the ancients said, "When the melon is ripe, it falls from the vine; when millet is ripe, it drops out naturally." This is the principle of nature. All instances of transverse or breech presentation stem from the mother's inability to endure pain.
Wujin San (Black Dust Powder): Treats transverse dystocia and promotes labor. (This formula can save both mother and child in an instant.)
Baicaoshuang (Soot from Hundred Herbs), Xiang Baizhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix).
Grind the above two herbs into fine powder in equal proportions. Take 2 qian per dose, mixed with a small amount of fresh urine (Tongbian) and vinegar, then swallowed with hot water. Repeat if necessary.
Ruxiang Wan (Frankincense Pill): Treats dystocia.
Ruxiang (Frankincense Resin, 1 liang, ground into fine powder).
Mix with pig heart blood to form ten pills. Take one pill per dose, dissolved in a decoction of Ruxiang.
Chuyi Fa (Method for Expelling the Placenta): Treats retained placenta due to intrauterine fetal death during pregnancy, or sudden illness requiring urgent travel postpartum.
If the placenta has not been expelled and the abdomen is distended, boil 1 liang of pork lard in 1.5 cups of water until it boils five to seven times. Consume the liquid along with the lard.
Wusheng Wan (Awakening Birth Pill): Treats dystocia.
Zhishi (Immature Bitter Orange Fruit, 6 liang; some versions use Zhike/Ripe Bitter Orange Fruit), Sangbaipi (Morus Alba Root Bark, dried, 6 liang).
Place the above two herbs in a large pot and boil in river water for approximately half a day until Zhishi becomes soft. Remove and discard Sangbaipi. Take the Zhishi, remove the pith, slice thinly, and bake until dry. Add the following herbs:
Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix, 0.5 liang), Gancao (Licorice Root, honey-fried, 0.5 liang).
Grind all four herbs into a fine powder. Mix with refined honey to make pills the size of paulownia seeds. Dry them. Take 30 pills per dose with warm rice broth on an empty stomach in the morning, at noon, and before bed. The dosage can be increased to 50–70 pills. Take three times daily. Begin taking this prescription after the seventh month of pregnancy.