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Chao Yuanfang stated: When a newborn is first born, the skin and muscles are not yet solid. It is appropriate to protect their back with old cotton wadding, avoiding excessive warmth. They should also be frequently exposed to wind and sunlight so that their blood and qi become strong and their muscles dense. If kept in heavy curtains and sealed rooms, or dressed too warmly, their bones and sinews will become soft and brittle, unable to withstand wind and cold, making them prone to illness. Clothing should be added or removed according to the temperature; keeping the back warm is ideal. One should also avoid causing the infant to sweat, as this may lead to exterior deficiency and make them susceptible to wind pathogens. Breastfeeding should not be excessive. As Chen Shi said, "Endure a third of coldness, eat until seventy percent full, frequently rub the abdomen, bathe less, keep the abdomen warm while the head and chest remain cool." These are profound truths. Furthermore, the nursing mother must carefully avoid the Six Evils (wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, fire) and Seven Emotions (joy, anger, worry, thought, grief, fear, fright), as well as rich flavors and roasted or fried foods. This ensures the milk remains clear and tranquil, preventing disease in the child. Otherwise, yin and yang may become unbalanced, blood and qi may boil, and the milk may spoil, inevitably causing various diseases. Frequent use of medicinal tonics can damage the yin of the zang-fu organs, often leading to critical conditions; how can one not be cautious? Generally, the method for protecting infants involves regulating the mother before illness occurs and treating the infant prudently after illness begins, but it is best to treat the mother concurrently. Infants who have arbitrary dietary preferences will inevitably fall ill, as sweet and palatable foods consumed in excess ultimately cause disease; this requires extreme caution. Wang Yinjun once said, "In my childhood, I was extremely fond of sweets. One day, I saw an earthworm sticking its head out of the candy, and since then I dared not eat sweets. Only later did I learn that elders had placed them there intentionally." This serves as a clever method for curbing such cravings.

For a newborn, gently pinch the head and touch the chin. If the infant does not cry, they are free of disease. Even if sick, probing the mouth with a finger: if the infant cries but calmly sucks their finger, the illness is mild. If the infant cries immediately without sucking the finger, and the complexion is mixed blue-red and purple, this indicates severe cold contracted at birth, signifying a serious condition requiring urgent differentiation of form, color, and excess/deficiency for treatment. If the jaw is tightly closed and refuses milk, or is hard rather than soft, the condition is extremely severe. This is caused by shock-pathogens invading the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian, requiring urgent treatment to ensure recovery.

1. Newborns who are obese, have tender pale skin, and appear increasingly attractive daily, possess weak constitutional roots, which is a bad omen and makes them highly susceptible to pathogens. Pathogens entering the fu-organs typically manifest on the second or third day, presenting as spitting up milk, night crying, and abdominal borborygmi, all signs of fetal shock (Tai Jing). However, these are superficial and easy to treat. Pathogens entering the zang-organs typically manifest on the sixth or seventh day, presenting as neonatal tetanus (Qi Feng), lockjaw (Jin Feng), or puckered mouth (Cuo Kou Feng). These are deep-seated and difficult to cure. Cases with loud screaming, locked jaws, enlarged tongue, and phlegm obstruction are incurable, as the pathogen has transmitted to the Heart, Lung, and Spleen meridians within five to six days. This results from overwhelming wind-pathogen accumulation without outlet, manifesting in the throat and affecting speech. Incurable signs include cyanotic-black forehead, cyanotic-black fingernails/toenails, and cyanotic-black umbilicus. Parents who are obese should not give birth to obese infants, nor should thin parents. Neonatal obesity requires medication to consolidate the flesh and turn the complexion slightly yellow for a favorable outcome; otherwise, it is ominous. Frail newborns require medicinal support. If an infant becomes suddenly fleshy within seven days, illness is certain. Gradual weight gain thereafter is not concerning. Treatment for obesity should focus on resolving phlegm-dampness, clearing fetal toxins, and preventing wind-pathogens, avoiding overly harsh drugs that damage spleen qi. One must assess the infant's yuan qi (original qi): those with abundant qi rarely fail, while those with deficient qi rarely survive. Mortality varies because some diseases are true and others false. For frail infants, the primary treatment should be tonifying the Spleen and Kidney.