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Newborn infants rely on milk for life, therefore the method of nursing must not be treated lightly. (Commentary: It is not only the milk that requires caution, but also the nursemaid of the infant must be carefully selected. One must pay attention to the nursemaid's constitution [thick or thin], temperament [hasty or gentle], skeletal structure [firm or fragile], and moral character [good or evil]. The infant can perceive these through back-to-back contact, which has a significant relationship. If one is unaware of this gradual influence, over time it will shape the child's nature, just as grafting trees works naturally; thus, selection cannot be neglected.) Milk is transformed from Ying Blood (Nutritive Blood), so the nursemaid should exercise particular restraint. Once food is swallowed, the milk flow responds; when desires stir within, the milk reacts accordingly; when pathogenic qi enters, the milk becomes stagnant. If the infant receives such milk, disease will arise immediately. There will be either vomiting or diarrhea, sores or boils, aphthous ulcers in the mouth, convulsions, night crying, or abdominal pain. At the onset of illness, the infant's urine output will be very low; one must inquire into the exact cause and treat according to symptoms. If the mother is safe, the child is safe; this prevents disaster before it manifests.

Therefore, in summer, the nursemaid should not be too hot, as heat leads to vomiting and reflux; in winter, she should not be too cold, as cold leads to cough and dysentery; the mother should not be angry, as anger causes Qi to rise upward leading to mania; the mother should not be drunk, as drunkenness causes body heat and abdominal pain. Nursing while the mother is vomiting or purging leads to emaciation. Nursing while the mother has accumulated heat results in jaundice and anorexia. Nursing after the mother's new marriage leads to a lean spine and stiff neck preventing walking. Nursing after the mother has taken a bath causes vomiting and mental fatigue. Milk affected by heat causes yellow diarrhea; milk affected by cold causes green diarrhea. Improper regulation of cold and heat accumulates in the chest and diaphragm, condensing into Phlegm-Fluids, eventually forming high fever. Unrelenting high fever develops into Convulsive Epilepsy. Feeding an infant who has not yet stopped crying causes Qi reversal and stagnation, resulting in Breast Masses (Ru Pi). Nursing while pregnant leads to later jaundice, leanness, abdominal distension, and weak legs, termed "Bing" (Disease). Generally, nursing should not make the infant too full; hence the proverb: "If you want the infant to be peaceful, keep them slightly hungry and cool."

Chao Yuanfang stated: Newborns have unconsolidated skin and flesh; old cotton wadding should be used to protect their backs, avoiding excessive warmth. They should frequently be exposed to wind and sunlight so that Blood and Qi become strong and muscles dense. If kept in heavy curtains and sealed rooms, or dressed too warmly, bones and tendons become soft and fragile, unable to resist Wind-Cold, making them prone to disease. Clothing should be adjusted with temperature changes, keeping the back warm is best, but avoid sweating, lest Wei Qi deficiency allow Wind Pathogens to invade easily. Nursing should not be excessive; if there is retained undigested food, Xiao Ru Wan (Milk-Dissolving Pill) should be used. Chen's saying, "Endure three parts cold, eat seven parts full, frequently rub the belly, bathe less, keep the belly warm and head cool," are all profound truths. The nursemaid must prudently avoid the Seven Emotions, Six Exogenous Pathogens, and rich/fried foods, so that the milk remains clear and tranquil, preventing disease in the child. Otherwise, Yin and Yang become imbalanced, Blood and Qi boil, the milk spoils, and various syndromes arise. Frequent use of medicinal herbs damages Zang-Fu Yin, leading to complex refractory syndromes; how can one not be cautious? Generally, the method of protecting infants involves regulating the nursemaid before illness occurs, and treating the child after illness arises, but it is best to treat the mother concurrently.

[Attached Formula]
Xiao Ru Wan (Milk-Dissolving Pill) See under Various Syndromes of Newborns.