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According to *Daquan* (General Collection): Women's milk is transformed from Qi and Blood. Its failure to flow is caused by deficiency of Qi and Blood and irregularity of the meridians. Some say that postpartum women must have milk; even if the breasts are distended, it appears after delivery. This applies to young women who are experiencing childbirth and lactation for the first time and have Wind-Heat pathogenic factors; they must take clearing and draining herbs to promote milk flow. If a woman has given birth multiple times but has no milk, it is due to the loss of Body Fluids (Jin Ye). She must take nourishing and tonifying herbs to assist. If there is some milk but not much, she must take herbs to unblock the meridians, still using soup as a vehicle for the medicine. Generally, women's milk relies on the connection between the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) and the Stomach Meridian. There are women who have given birth repeatedly yet always have abundant milk; this is also because their Qi and Blood are vigorous and not declining. If a woman has chronic diseases in the Chong and Ren Mai (Conception Vessel), her milk will be scanty and yellowish, and her child will be frail and prone to illness.

Chen Wuyue said: There are two types of milk failure in postpartum women: one is where Qi and Blood are excessive and stagnant, blocking the flow; the other is where Qi and Blood are deficient and weak, causing sluggish flow. Deficiency should be tonified, excess should be dispersed. For excess cases, Tongcao (Tetrapanacis Medulla), Loulu (Cimicifugae Rhizoma), and Tuguagen (Polysiphoniae Thallus) should be used. For deficiency cases, refined milk powder, pig trotters, and crucian carp should be used.

Xue Lizhai said: In the aforementioned conditions, if Qi and Blood are deficient and unable to transform into milk, the Spleen and Stomach should be strengthened. If anger stirs Liver Fire, causing breast swelling and leakage of milk, Liver Fire should be cleared. Milk is transformed from Qi and Blood; when above, it becomes milk; when below, it becomes menstruation. If a woman has had multiple births without milk, or suffers from constipation, it indicates the loss of Body Fluids. One should nourish the source of transformation. When the Chong and Ren Mai are vigorous and the Qi of the Spleen and Stomach is strong, milk will be abundant and thick; when they decline, milk will be thin and scanty, and the nursed child will also be weak and prone to disease.

*Daquan* states: Spontaneous leakage of milk postpartum is due to deficiency of Stomach Qi; it should be stopped with tonifying medicines. If milk leaks spontaneously before delivery, it is called Ruqi (Milk Weeping); children born under such circumstances often fail to survive. If a postpartum woman, due to overwork, experiences gushing downward flow of milk, this is due to Yang Qi deficiency leading to Jue (Cold Reversal); Dushen Tang (Ginseng Decoction) should be used to tonify.

Xue Lizhai said: Whenever a woman's Qi and Blood are flourishing, causing breast distension, or if there is no infant suckling, resulting in painful distension accompanied by aversion to cold and fever, use 2-3 liang of fried Maitai (Fried Hordei Fructus), decocted in water and taken orally, which will dissipate immediately. Such is its ability to scatter Qi and Blood. Why then is it widely used in formulas for Spleen and Stomach weakness and indigestion? Another view holds that Maitai most easily damages Kidney Qi. If Qi and Blood are deficient and milk leaks spontaneously, Shiquan Dabu Tang (Comprehensive Great Tonifying Decoction) should be used.