保胎以绝欲为第一义。其次亦宜节欲。盖欲寡则心清。胎气宁谧。不特胎安。且易生
易育。少病而多寿。
保胎又宜小劳为妙。试看乡间农妇。仆婢下人。堕胎甚少。以劳故也。盖劳则气血流
通。筋骨坚固。胎在腹中。习以为常。以后虽有些微闪挫。不至坏事。倘安逸不动。则
筋骨柔脆。气血不行。略有闪挫。随至堕落。然非胎后方劳。正谓平日不宜安逸耳。
若平日安逸。及孕后方劳。适足损胎。何筋骨坚强之有哉。夫敬姜百乘之家也。老
而犹绩。寻常富贵。年少力强。正宜勤事。岂可暇逸以自病乎。
孕已知觉。即宜用布一幅。六七寸阔。长视人肥瘦。约缠两道。横束腰间。直至临盆之
时。才解去。若是试痛。仍不宜解。此有二妙。胎未长成。得此则腰膂有力。些须闪挫。
不致动胎。其一常令腹中窄狭。及到解开。则腹中乍宽。转身容易。此法吾乡颇有
知者。特为广之。
倘有子肿病者。又宜渐次放松。否则伤儿。
有孕后。睡时须要两边换睡。不可尽在一边。要使小儿左右便利。手足惯熟。则产时
中道而出不难矣。
保胎药饵。诸书皆载。不必再陈。但饮食一道。殊未之及。兹略言之。饮食宜淡泊。不宜
肥浓。宜轻清。不宜重浊。宜甘平。不宜辛热。青蔬白饭。亦能养人。即在贫家。颇为不
乏。但富贵之人。平日甘肥厌足。抑令崇俭。势所不堪。酌乎其中。胪列于下。
宜食诸物 猪肚肺 鸡 鸭 鲫鱼 淡鲞 海参 白菜 菠 笋 麻
油腐衣（二味多用） 莲子 熟藕 山药 芡实
诸味总宜洁治。多用清汤。吹去浮油。饮之最佳。宜白煮。忌油煎。然此多为膏粱
之人言之耳。若藜藿之腹。正宜得肥甘而润之。何淡泊之有。但六七个月后。腐
衣麻油二物。最宜多用。不妨日日食之。麻油解毒。腐衣滑胎。且清且补。贫富皆
宜。允为上品。积食一二百张。则首生如达矣。或以麻油拌食更妙。但麻油不可熬熟。
忌食诸物 椒 姜 煎炒 野味 异味 猪肝 犬 驴 骡 马 自死
肉猪血 蟹 甲鱼 虾蟆 鳝鱼 勿多饮酒 勿乱服药
又孕妊禁忌。 一切宰杀凶恶之事。不宜看。修造兴工动土不可看。龟兔俱不可看。
保胎以禁绝房事为第一要务。其次也应当节制欲望。因为欲望少则心神清净，胎气安宁平静。不仅胎儿安稳，而且分娩容易、养育顺利，孩子生病少且寿命长。
保胎又适宜适度的轻微劳作。试着看乡间的农妇和仆婢下人，她们堕胎很少，就是因为劳作的缘故。因为劳作则气血流通，筋骨坚固，胎儿在腹中习以为常，以后即使有些微的闪失或挫伤，也不会导致坏事。如果安逸不动，则筋骨柔脆，气血运行不畅，稍有闪失，随即就会导致流产。但这并不是指怀孕后才开始劳作，而是说平日就不宜过于安逸。如果平日安逸，等到怀孕后才劳作，恰恰足以损伤胎儿，哪里谈得上筋骨坚强呢？像敬姜那样拥有百乘车马的家庭，年老还从事纺织工作。寻常富贵人家，年少力壮，正应该勤于事务，怎么可以闲暇安逸而让自己生病呢？
怀孕后有了知觉（如胎动），就应当用布一幅，宽六七寸，长度视人的胖瘦而定，大约缠绕两道，横束腰间，直到临盆之时才解开。如果是试痛（假性宫缩），仍然不宜解开。这有两个妙处：胎儿未长成时，得到这种束缚则腰脊有力，些许闪失不致动胎；其一常令腹中感觉窄狭，等到解开时，腹中突然变宽，转身容易。此法我家乡颇有知晓者，特为此广为传播。
如果有子肿病（妊娠水肿）的患者，又应当逐渐放松束缚，否则伤害胎儿。
怀孕后，睡觉时必须左右两边轮换着睡，不可总睡在一边。要使胎儿左右活动便利，手脚习惯熟练，那么分娩时从中道出来就不难了。
关于保胎的药物，各种书籍都有记载，不必再陈述。但饮食这一方面，却很少提及。这里简要谈谈。饮食宜清淡，不宜肥厚浓烈；宜轻清，不宜重浊；宜甘平，不宜辛热。青菜白饭，也能养人，即使在贫苦人家，也颇为不缺。只是富贵之人，平日对甘甜肥腻的食物已经吃够了，强行让他们崇尚节俭，势所不能承受。折中考虑，列举如下：
宜食之物：猪肚、肺、鸡、鸭、鲫鱼、淡鲞（淡干鱼）、海参、白菜、菠菜、笋、麻油、腐衣（豆腐皮，这两样可多用）、莲子、熟藕、山药、芡实。
所有食材总宜洁净处理。多用清汤，撇去浮油，饮用最佳。宜白煮，忌油煎。然而这是针对那些膏粱之人（富贵饮食过度者）说的罢了。如果是藜藿之腹（贫苦饮食粗糙者），正应该得到肥甘滋润，哪里谈得上清淡呢？但在怀孕六七个月后，腐衣和麻油这两样东西，最宜多吃，不妨每天食用。麻油解毒，腐衣滑胎（助产），既清补又适宜，贫富都适合，确实是上品。积累食用一二百张腐衣，则分娩时胎儿如顺达而出。或者用麻油拌食更妙。但麻油不可熬熟。
忌食之物：椒、姜、煎炒食物、野味、异味、猪肝、狗肉、驴肉、骡肉、马肉、自死肉、猪血、蟹、甲鱼、虾蟆（蟾蜍）、鳝鱼。不要多饮酒，不要乱服药。
另外，孕期的禁忌：一切宰杀凶恶的事情，不宜观看。修造兴工动土也不宜观看。乌龟和兔子都不宜看。
Pregnancy maintenance prioritizes the complete abstinence from sexual intercourse as the primary principle. Secondly, one should also moderate desires. For few desires lead to a clear mind and tranquil fetal qi (vital energy of the fetus). This not only ensures fetal stability but also facilitates easy delivery and nurturing, resulting in fewer illnesses and longevity.
Moderate physical exertion is also beneficial for pregnancy maintenance. Observe rural farm women and servants; they rarely experience miscarriage due to their labor. Labor promotes the circulation of qi and blood and strengthens muscles and bones. The fetus becomes accustomed to this environment within the womb. Consequently, even minor jolts or strains later on will not cause harm. Conversely, excessive comfort and lack of movement lead to fragile muscles and bones and stagnant qi and blood. Even slight jolts can then result in miscarriage. However, this does not imply starting labor only after conception; rather, it emphasizes that daily life should not be overly sedentary. If one is sedentary during daily life and begins working only after becoming pregnant, it may indeed damage the fetus, failing to strengthen muscles and bones. Consider Jing Jiang, who belonged to a wealthy family with a hundred chariots yet continued spinning and weaving in her old age. Ordinary wealthy individuals in their youth and prime should engage diligently in activities; how can they afford leisure and idleness that leads to illness?
Once pregnancy is perceived (e.g., by feeling fetal movement), a piece of cloth, approximately 6-7 cun wide and length adjusted to body size, should be wrapped twice around the waist horizontally until delivery. It should not be removed even during false labor pains (Braxton Hicks contractions). This method has two advantages: first, while the fetus is still developing, the binding provides strength to the lower back, preventing minor jolts from disturbing the fetus; second, the constant sensation of abdominal tightness makes the sudden relief upon unbinding easier for turning and moving. This practice is known in my hometown, and I share it widely.
For those suffering from Zi Zhong Bing (pregnancy edema/swelling), the binding should be gradually loosened; otherwise, it may harm the fetus.
During pregnancy, sleeping positions should alternate between left and right sides, avoiding staying on one side exclusively. This allows the fetus freedom of movement and helps familiarize its limbs, making delivery through the birth canal easier.
Regarding herbal medicines for pregnancy maintenance, various texts have recorded them, so there is no need to reiterate. However, dietary aspects are often overlooked. Here, I briefly discuss diet. Food should be bland rather than rich and heavy; light and clear rather than dense and turbid; sweet and neutral rather than pungent and hot. Green vegetables and white rice can also nourish the body and are readily available even in poor households. Wealthy individuals, accustomed to rich and sweet foods, may find it difficult to adopt frugality. Therefore, a balanced approach is listed below.
Foods Recommended: Pig stomach, pig lung, chicken, duck, crucian carp, dried salted fish (Dan Xiang), sea cucumber, Chinese cabbage, spinach, bamboo shoots, sesame oil, tofu skin (Fu Yi - consume more of these two), lotus seeds, cooked lotus root, yam, Euryale seed (Qian Shi).
All ingredients should be thoroughly cleaned. Use clear broth, skim off floating oil, which is best for consumption. Boiling is preferred; frying is prohibited. Note that this advice is primarily for those accustomed to rich diets (Gao Liang Zhi Ren). Those with rough diets (Li Hui Zhi Fu) actually benefit from richer foods to moisten and nourish them, so blandness is not always suitable. However, in the seventh and eighth months of pregnancy, tofu skin and sesame oil are particularly beneficial and can be consumed daily. Sesame oil detoxifies, and tofu skin aids in lubricating the birth process (Hua Tai). Both are clearing and tonifying, suitable for both rich and poor, and are considered premium choices. Consuming 100-200 sheets of tofu skin may facilitate smooth delivery. Mixing food with sesame oil is also excellent. Do not cook sesame oil at high temperatures.
Foods to Avoid: Pepper, ginger, fried foods, wild game, unusual flavors, pig liver, dog meat, donkey meat, mule meat, horse meat, meat of animals that died naturally, pig blood, crab, soft-shelled turtle, toad, eel. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption and indiscriminate use of medications.
Additionally, pregnancy taboos include avoiding viewing scenes of slaughter or violence. Construction work involving breaking ground should also be avoided. Viewing turtles and rabbits is also discouraged.