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The fetus in the womb receives the essence and qi (vital energy) of the parents. At one month, it forms as a "pei" (embryo); at two months, as a "tai" (fetus); at three months, blood vessels appear; at four months, the physical form is established; at five months, it can move; at six months, bones and sinews are formed; at seven months, hair grows; at eight months, the zang-fu organs (internal organs) are complete; at nine months, the "gu shen" (grain spirit/digestive function) enters the stomach; at ten months, all body parts are prepared, and the child is born. Sixty days after birth, the pupils mature, the infant can smile and speak, and begins to recognize people. At one hundred days, the Ren Mai (Conception Vessel) develops, and the infant can roll over. At one hundred and eighty days, the sacral bone develops, and the infant can stand independently. At two hundred and ten days, the metacarpal bones mature, and the infant can crawl. At three hundred days, the patella matures, and the infant can lean on things alone. At three hundred and sixty days, completing one cycle, the knee bones mature, and the infant can take steps. If the body is ruptured at birth, death ensues; if the scrotum is white, death ensues; if the penis does not erect, death ensues; if there is no anus, death ensues; if there is no flesh between the thighs, death ensues; if the mouth opens with a sound like a crow's caw, death ensues.

During the first year of life, if the cranial fontanelles remain open, teeth and hair do not grow, hands and feet are contracted, knees are thin like crane legs, the body is emaciated without flesh, or the child cannot walk or stand at four or five years of age, these are all caused by insufficient fetal qi. Conversely, those with strong sinews have great strength; those with strong bones walk early; those with abundant blood are thin but have abundant hair; those with substantial flesh rarely get sick; those with rich essence are clever, talkative, and resistant to cold and heat; those with robust qi seldom fall ill and are plump. These are all signs of sufficient fetal qi and strong innate endowment.

Lu Wancun stated: Symptoms such as delayed teething, delayed speech, delayed walking, large open fontanelles, and kidney rickets (Shen Gan) in children are all due to congenital deficiency. Since the time of Zhou, there has been recognition of deficiency diseases affecting the kidneys; tonifying from early childhood can often restore health.

Newborns rely on milk for survival. A good wet nurse should avoid feeding when too hot in summer, as heat causes vomiting and regurgitation; she should avoid feeding when too cold in winter, as cold causes coughing and dysentery. The mother should not be angry while nursing, as anger leads to rebellious qi and madness; she should not be drunk while nursing, as drunkenness causes body heat and abdominal pain. Nursing immediately after the mother has suffered from vomiting or diarrhea leads to emaciation; nursing immediately after the mother has accumulated heat results in jaundice and an inability to eat; nursing immediately after sexual intercourse leads to emaciation and crossed legs preventing walking; nursing immediately after bathing causes vomiting and damages the spirit. If cold and heat are unbalanced, stagnation accumulates in the chest and diaphragm, condensing into phlegm-fluid retention, leading to high fever. Unrelenting high fever may develop into convulsions and epilepsy. If the infant is fed while still crying, the rebellious qi does not dissipate, resulting in "Ru Pi" (breast lump/mass). Nursing during pregnancy leads to jaundice, emaciation, distended abdomen, and weak legs, known as the "Gan" disease (Infantile Malnutrition Syndrome). Generally, if an infant has sores, fever, lethargy, oral thrush (white plaques in the mouth), night crying, or abnormal stool color, there is always a cause. When the disease first appears, urine output is necessarily scant. One must investigate the cause and treat according to the symptoms to prevent future complications.

Fetal disorders are listed below.

People often moxa-apply the穴位 (acupoint) at the anterior hairline of the forehead shortly after birth, believing it can block the path of wind. This practice is only suitable for cold regions in the north; in the south and east, where the constitution is delicate and thin, it seems inappropriate.