临产之月。一宜善养。勿呆坐。勿多睡。勿饱食。常食糜粥。以解饥渴。天热则择凉处。天寒则择
暖室。二宜选稳。须预请老练稳婆。备办需用之物。临产时但用老妇二人撑扶。不许多人喧
闹。三宜服药。怀孕八月。宜服保产无忧汤二三剂。临产时再服此剂。撑开道路。则儿易生。如
或连日不产。用力太早。宜服加味八珍汤。以助其力。人生人系天生人。有自然之造化。不假
人力强为。其有调护失宜而为逆产者。则命在呼吸。备列方法。以保两全。
冻产者。天寒气血凝滞。难以速生。须暖其室。浓其衣服。
热产者。暑月过热。恐头目昏眩。而生血晕。宜就凉处。若水阁风雨。更宜谨避。
横生者。儿方转身。用力太急也。产母宜安然仰睡。令老练稳婆先推儿身顺直。以中指探儿肩。不令脐
带扳羁。然后用脱花煎催之。产母努力。儿即顺生。
倒产者。儿未转身。努力太早。手脚先出也。令稳婆轻手推入。若良久不生。稳婆手入产户。就一边拨转
儿头。服脱花煎。
偏产者。儿已转身。母努力太急。逼儿头偏一边。虽露顶。非也。乃额角耳。令稳婆轻手扶正
其头。儿即下。若儿顶后骨偏注谷道。露额。稳婆轻手于谷道外旁托正。产母努力即生。
碍产者。儿转身时。脐带绊其肩。以致不生。稳婆轻手推儿向上。以中指按儿肩。脱去脐带。即生。
盘肠产者。临产子肠先出。然后生。子肠出时。以洁净漆器盛之。用蓖麻子四十九粒研烂。涂产母顶。肠
即收。急洗去其药。其肠若干。以磨刀水少许温润之。又有用麻油纸燃点灯。吹熄。以烟熏其鼻。肠即上。
交骨不开。有锁骨者。有血虚不能运达者。令稳婆以麻油调滑石。涂入产门。或用两指缓缓撑开。服加
味归芎汤、脱花煎。
产门不闭。气血虚也。八珍汤补之。如不应。十全大补汤。
胞衣不下者。因力乏不能努力。宜用物系定。再服归芎汤。即下。或血入胞衣。胀大不下。
心腹胀痛。喘急。急用清酒送失笑丸三钱。其衣自下。如不应。花蕊石散、牛膝散亦得。
In the month of impending labor, three aspects should be attended to. First, proper care is essential. One should avoid sitting motionlessly, sleeping excessively, or overeating. Regular consumption of millet porridge helps relieve hunger and thirst. In hot weather, choose a cool place; in cold weather, select a warm room. Second, selecting a reliable midwife is crucial. An experienced midwife (Wenpo) must be invited in advance, and necessary supplies prepared. During labor, only two elderly women should provide support, avoiding excessive noise and commotion. Third, medication is advisable. By the eighth month of pregnancy, it is appropriate to take Baochan Wuyou Tang (Prescription for Safe Delivery without Worries) for two or three doses. This prescription should be taken again during labor to open the birth canal, facilitating easier delivery. If labor does not proceed after several days, or if pushing begins too early, Jiawei Bazhen Tang (Modified Eight-Treasure Decoction) should be administered to boost strength. Human childbirth follows natural laws and divine creation, requiring no forced human intervention. For those experiencing dystocia (abnormal delivery) due to improper care, life hangs in the balance; therefore, various methods are listed to ensure the safety of both mother and child.
Cold Labor: Cold weather causes stagnation of Qi and Blood, making rapid delivery difficult. The room should be warmed, and clothing thickened.
Hot Labor: Excessive heat in summer may cause dizziness and vertigo, leading to blood syncope (postpartum fainting due to blood loss or stasis). Delivery should occur in a cool place; locations like water pavilions exposed to wind and rain should be strictly avoided.
Transverse Lie: Occurs when the fetus turns but the mother pushes too urgently. The mother should lie supine calmly. The experienced midwife should first straighten the fetal body, using the middle finger to check the shoulder to prevent umbilical cord entanglement. Then, Tuohua Jian (Decoction for Delivering Flowers/Fetus) is administered to induce labor. With maternal effort, the fetus will deliver normally.
Breech Presentation: Occurs when the fetus has not turned and the mother pushes too early, causing hands or feet to emerge first. The midwife should gently push them back inside. If delivery does not occur after a while, the midwife inserts her hand into the vagina to rotate the fetal head on one side, and Tuohua Jian is administered.
Asynclitism: The fetus has turned, but urgent maternal effort forces the head to one side. What appears to be the vertex is actually the forehead angle or ear. The midwife should gently correct the head position, allowing descent. If the occiput presses against the anus with the forehead exposed, the midwife can gently lift and correct from outside the anus. Maternal effort will then facilitate delivery.
Obstructed Labor: The umbilical cord entangles the shoulder during fetal turning, preventing delivery. The midwife gently pushes the fetus upward, uses the middle finger to press the shoulder, and frees the cord, enabling delivery.
Prolapsed Intestine (Placental Prolapse/Intestinal Prolapse context): The uterus prolapses before the fetus is born. When the uterus protrudes, it should be placed in a clean lacquer vessel. Forty-nine castor beans are ground into a paste and applied to the mother's vertex (Baihui point area), causing the uterus to retract. The medicine must be washed off immediately. If significant prolapse occurs, a small amount of sharpening stone water can be used to moisten and warm it. Alternatively, burning hemp oil paper to extinguish the flame and smoking the mother's nose can cause the uterus to rise.
Undelivered Pelvic Bones: Difficulty in pelvic separation may be due to skeletal rigidity or Qi and Blood deficiency failing to nourish the area. The midwife applies talc powder mixed with sesame oil into the vaginal opening or gently expands it with two fingers. Jiawei Guixiong Tang (Modified Angelica and Ligusticum Decoction) and Tuohua Jian are administered.
Non-closing Vaginal Orifice: Caused by Qi and Blood deficiency. Bazhen Tang (Eight-Treasure Decoction) is used for tonification. If ineffective, Shiquan Dabu Tang (Ten-Ingredient Great Tonifying Decoction) is prescribed.
Retained Placenta: Due to insufficient strength to push. The placenta should be secured with a string, and Guixiong Tang administered to facilitate expulsion. Alternatively, blood entering the placenta may cause swelling and retention.
Abdominal Distension and Pain, Panting: Urgently administer 3 qian of Shixiao Wan (Formula for Removing Sorrow/Pain) with clear wine to expel the placenta. If ineffective, Huarui Shi San (Flower Coral Stone Powder) or Niuxi San (Achyranthes Powder) may also be used.