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Transverse presentation: The fetus presents with an arm first. Let the parturient lie supine. Gently push the fetal arm back with your hand, ensuring the lower body remains straight. Then use the middle finger to palpate the shoulder, taking care not to let the umbilical cord entangle or bind it. Delivery will occur immediately.

Breech presentation (Reverse birth): The fetus presents with feet first. Let the mother lie supine. Gently push the feet back and rotate the fetus into a correct position. Delivery will occur immediately.

Asynclitism (Oblique birth): The fetal head is tilted to one side. Correct the head position using the method described above. Delivery will occur immediately. Alternatively, if the occiput of the fetal head is shifted towards the anus, gently push it upward and closer to the center. Delivery will occur immediately.

Obstructed labor: The fetal head is correctly positioned but cannot descend. This is caused by the umbilical cord becoming entangled around the shoulders during fetal rotation. Press on both shoulders of the fetus with the middle finger to untangle and release the cord. Delivery will occur immediately.

Sitting in labor: As the fetus is about to be born, the mother is exhausted and sits for a long time on a chair or cushion, obstructing the birth canal. Quickly hang a cloth belt high up, have the mother hold onto it, and gently bend her legs. After a while, the fetus will align properly, and delivery will occur.

Amniotic fluid leakage without labor (also known as bladder leakage): Amniotic fluid flows for one or two days without labor, or even for several days; this is not harmful. Simply sleep peacefully, waiting for the fluid flow to gradually decrease or stop completely. The baby will deliver spontaneously. Do not panic, and absolutely do not intervene manually. In cases where amniotic fluid is completely drained, yet Qi mechanism fails to recover, leading to dryness and difficult labor due to a dried-out fetus, one must not leave it to nature. Immediately prepare a large dose of Siwu Tang (Four Substances Decoction), approximately 2-3 jin (1-1.5 kg), decocted in a large pot within the room, so that the medicinal vapor fills the room. Inhale the vapor through the mouth and nose to nourish the body. Internally administer Jiawei Xionggui Tang (Modified Chuanxiong and Angelica Decoction). If one dose is ineffective, wait a short while and administer another dose. Continue administering until delivery occurs. This refers to the condition where the fetus is dry but has not yet expelled from the uterus. If the fetus has not expelled from the membranes, allow an experienced and steady midwife to manually remove it for safety.

Question: What is the cause of prolapsed intestine during childbirth? Answer: It is also due to excessive straining. Because the mother has deficient Qi normally, and upon labor, she strains excessively, causing all Qi and Blood to sink downward, resulting in the intestine descending with the fetus. If this happens once, the path becomes familiar, and it may happen again next time. If one could simply wait for the melon to ripen and the stem to fall naturally, how could such a bizarre symptom occur?

Question: There are cases where labor is so sudden that one is caught off guard. What causes this? Answer: This is normal physiology, nothing strange about it. When fetal Qi is sufficient, the mother and child separate, and the fetus naturally seeks to exit. Even if one wishes to retain it, it is impossible. Everyone experiences this; everyone has this moment. One only needs to endure and wait for this moment.

Statement: Midwives are unnecessary. Response: Since such people exist, they cannot be entirely unused. However, you must employ them, not be employed by them. Maintain full control over yourself; do not submit to their commands. Generally, such people are often foolish and lack understanding. Upon entering, regardless of timing or readiness, they instruct the mother to sit on the birthing stool and strain. They invariably claim the head is already present, or instruct others to rub the waist and abdomen, or insert hands into the vaginal opening to probe. This often causes injury. They insist on demonstrating their "merits" and refuse to remain quiet. Worse still, there are cunning and malicious women who exploit this situation to inflate prices and seek profit, leading to unbearable disasters. Note: In the Wu-Yue region, they are called Wenpo (steady woman); in Jianghuai, Shoushengpo (collecting birth woman); in Huining, Jieshengpo (receiving birth woman). The meanings of "collect" and "receive" imply that because they are old and experienced, they are used to receive the baby upon landing and carry the baby to bed. Originally, it was not intended for them to touch or manipulate excessively. It is common to see wealthy families keeping midwives at home in advance. When labor begins, if progress is slightly slow, they summon countless midwives through front and back doors, creating chaos and noise. As the saying goes, "The world originally has no troubles; fools create them for themselves."

Question: Can experienced herbal formulas be used during labor? Response: No. Formerly, the most famous miraculous formula was Shushen Tubrao Wan (Mouse Kidney and Rabbit Brain Pill). Currently, the most prevalent is Huisheng Dan (Life-Returning Pill). It is not that they are ineffective and thus unused; rather, they are simply unnecessary. Since no force is exerted, no manual intervention is made, and sleep methods assist, the baby will deliver naturally. Why use medicine? Even if complications arise, sleeping is the best strategy.

Question: Does taking medicine do good without harm? Response: How can there be no harm? The Mouse Kidney and Rabbit Brain pills greatly consume Qi and damage Blood. Huisheng Dan greatly breaks Blood and damages Qi. These pills typically contain aromatic and penetrating herbs. During labor, the meridians are dispersed, and Qi and Blood are deficient. Taking Qi-scattering drugs means that after the baby is born, the aromatic properties linger, causing significant harm. Furthermore, it opens the pores, inviting Wind pathogens inward, leading to unspeakable disasters. Huisheng Dan uses Dahuang (Rhubarb) and Honghua (Safflower) as chief ingredients, with other ingredients being mostly digestive and draining agents. Since Blood is already depleted, further breaking Blood leads to postpartum fever and other diseases, leaving endless troubles. People attribute these issues to improper postpartum regulation, rarely blaming the medicine. Considering these formulas, which are regarded as divine treasures in ancient and modern times, cause such harm, one can imagine the effects of others. Those providing the medicine act out of goodwill but know only the perceived benefits, not the harms.

Question: Is there truly no usable medicine? Response: Yes. Only Jiawei Xionggui Tang (Modified Chuanxiong and Angelica Decoction) and Foshou San (Buddha's Hand Powder) are needed, and they are inexhaustible. During pregnancy, sufficiency of Blood is paramount. Once Blood is sufficient, like a boat having water, why worry about movement? The fear lies only in the mother's Blood deficiency or premature rupture of membranes leading to dryness. Both formulas heavily use Xiong (Chuanxiong) and Gui (Danggui/Angelica Sinensis), instantly removing stale Blood and rapidly generating new Blood. The ingredients are easily obtained everywhere. They strengthen the body and prevent postpartum illness, truly doing good without harm. These were created by sages who thoroughly understood Yin and Yang principles, formulating these divine elixirs to benefit future generations. Alas, people value hearsay over direct observation, considering them ordinary and unused, seeking only strange medicines. They prioritize strangeness over benefit or harm. Is this not lamentable?

Question: Based on this, does no difficult labor exist in the world? Response: Occasionally, yes. It may be due to the mother being extremely deficient, insufficient fetal Qi, or incomplete Qi and Blood. Or it may result from Heat-Toxin damaging the fetus after the mother suffered from Shanghan (Cold Damage). Or it may be due to excessive sexual intercourse, causing Desire-Fire to damage the fetus. Or habitual consumption of pepper, ginger, fried, and hot foods, causing Fire-Toxin to damage the fetus. Also, falls and injuries can lead to difficult labor, often resulting in intrauterine fetal death. Apart from these, there is no difficult labor. Additionally, in severe cold weather when water freezes, poor households may have insufficient warmth, causing Cold-Blood coagulation and preventing delivery. However, this is also due to going into labor too early and sitting bare/cold for too long. If the mother had stayed warm under blankets and waited for the proper time, this trouble would not have occurred.

In cases of difficult labor, or cold weather where the newborn does not cry or appears dead, quickly wrap the infant in clothing. Use a paper wick soaked in sesame oil to slowly burn the umbilical cord. Warm Qi enters the abdomen, and the infant gradually makes sounds and revives. If the cord is cut first, the infant will die.

Question: What should the diet be like during labor? Response: At this time, the mind is anxious and doubtful, abdominal pain is present, and mental fatigue sets in, with loss of taste. Good dietary nourishment is essential, but avoid overly rich and greasy foods. If unable to eat, drink clarified chicken broth, duck broth, or meat broth frequently. This can also boost spirit and strength. Food is life for humans; how can one go without food for a day?