凡生产既下,不必问是男是女,恐因言语而泄气,或以爱憎而劳神。最忌大喜大怒,喜
则气散,或生红汗,怒则气逆,或生症瘕。不可独宿,恐致虚惊;不可刮舌,恐伤心气。不
可刷齿,恐致血逆。勿勤梳头,恐头皮作痛。须气血平复,方可治事。犯时微若秋毫,成病
重如山岳。
凡初产,其牛、羊、猪肉,鸡、鹅、鸭肉及蛋,并猪蹄、猪肾、绿豆、凉粉、荞麦、面
食等类,一切滞气、坚韧难化之物及生冷腻滑,皆不宜食,恐新产脾胃气虚,难于运化,易
致内伤也。
凡产逢暑月,切不可当风睡卧,最忌贪凉用扇及洗足澡浴,虽盛暑不可用冷水洗手足。
去其瘀,则正气并脱;欲止其泻,则瘀结不行。可不慎欤!治法见后泄泻门。
凡产逢冬月,宜重棉兜护其腹,虽夏月亦当复巾裹之,以免厥阴受寒。
凡产后百日内不詈骂,少劳碌,禁淫欲,终身无病,而且多子。若未满百日交合,则虚
羸百疾从此而生,必患脐下虚冷,手足腰腿酸痛等证,名曰蓐劳,最难治疗。
凡产后勿用椒、姜、艾、酒,虽血块得热流通,然新血为之不宁耳。即砂仁汤亦能动血
,咸在禁忌。
产后乳汁乃血气所成,不可食咸,咸能止血,令无乳汁,且发嗽难治。
产后,南北风土不同,江南以新产后即食鸡子,虽告之以利害,相沿成习,毫无疑惧,
且竟多安然无事者。予亦只得随俗,令其豁开,淡煮而食之,尚有养胃却痰之功也。
凡是分娩结束,无论生男生女,都担心因言语过多而耗散气机,或因爱憎情绪而劳损心神。最忌讳大喜和大怒,喜则气机涣散,可能导致红汗(血汗);怒则气机上逆,可能形成症瘕(腹内结块)。不可独自居住,担心导致虚惊;不可刮舌苔,担心损伤心气。不可刷牙,担心导致血气上逆。不要频繁梳头,担心引起头皮疼痛。必须等到气血平复之后,才可以处理事务。触犯禁忌时症状轻微如秋毫之末,但一旦发病则严重如山岳。
凡是刚生产后,牛肉、羊肉、猪肉,鸡肉、鹅肉、鸭肉以及蛋类,还有猪蹄、猪肾、绿豆、凉粉、荞麦、面食等类别,所有阻碍气机运行、质地坚韧难消化的食物,以及生冷油腻滑肠之物,都不宜食用,担心新产后的脾胃气虚,难以运化,容易引发内伤。
凡是产后遇到暑热月份,切不可对着风睡觉躺卧,最忌讳贪凉使用扇子以及洗脚洗澡,即使是盛夏也不可用冷水洗手脚。如果去除瘀血,正气就会随之脱失;如果想止住腹泻,瘀血就会凝结不通。能不谨慎吗!治疗方法见后面的泄泻门。
凡是产后遇到冬季月份,应用厚棉布兜护腹部,即使是夏季也应当用巾包裹,以免厥阴经受寒。
凡是产后一百天内不骂人,减少劳累,禁止性生活,终身无病,而且多子。如果未满百日就进行性交,那么虚弱消瘦和百种疾病从此而生,必定患脐下虚冷、手足腰腿酸痛等症状,名叫蓐劳(产后虚劳),最难治疗。
凡是产后不要用花椒、生姜、艾叶、酒,虽然血块遇热能流通,但新生的血液会因此不得安宁。就连砂仁汤也会动血,都在禁忌之列。
产后乳汁是由气血所生成,不可吃咸味食物,咸味能止血,导致没有乳汁,并且引发咳嗽难以治愈。
产后,南北方风土不同,江南地区认为新产后立即吃鸡蛋,即使告知利害关系,人们沿袭成习,毫无疑虑恐惧,而且竟然大多安然无事的人。我也只得随顺习俗,让他们打开蛋壳,清淡煮熟后食用,还有养胃祛痰的功效。
Once delivery is complete, regardless of whether the infant is male or female, one must fear that excessive speech may dissipate Qi (vital energy), or that feelings of love and hate may strain the Shen (spirit). Great joy and great anger are most taboo; joy causes Qi to scatter, potentially leading to red sweat (hematohidrosis); anger causes Qi to rebel upward, potentially forming Zheng Jia (abdominal masses). One should not live alone, lest it induce empty fright; one should not scrape the tongue coating, lest it damage Heart Qi. One should not brush teeth, lest it cause blood to rebel upward. One should not comb hair frequently, lest it cause scalp pain. Only after Qi and Blood have returned to equilibrium may one attend to affairs. Violating these taboos when symptoms are as slight as the tip of an autumn feather can result in illness as heavy as a mountain range.
Immediately after childbirth, beef, mutton, pork, chicken, goose, duck meat, eggs, pig trotters, pig kidneys, mung beans, cold jelly noodles, buckwheat, wheat products, and similar items—all foods that stagnate Qi, are tough and difficult to digest, or are raw, cold, greasy, and slippery—should not be eaten. It is feared that the Spleen and Stomach Qi will be deficient postpartum, making transformation and transportation difficult, thereby easily causing internal injury.
If childbirth occurs during the hot summer months, one must absolutely avoid sleeping or lying in the wind. It is most taboo to seek coolness by using fans or washing feet and bathing. Even in peak summer, cold water should not be used to wash hands and feet. If stasis is removed, righteous Qi will also collapse; if diarrhea is stopped, stasis will remain knotted and unexcreted. Can one not be cautious? The treatment method is described in the section on Diarrhea later.
If childbirth occurs during winter months, thick cotton should be used to protect the abdomen. Even in summer, a cloth wrap should be used to prevent the Jueyin (Liver) channel from being invaded by cold.
If one does not curse others, avoids excessive labor, and abstains from sexual desire for one hundred days postpartum, one will remain disease-free throughout life and bear many children. If intercourse occurs before the hundred days are up, deficiency, emaciation, and myriad diseases will arise from this point. Symptoms such as coldness below the umbilicus and soreness/pain in the hands, feet, waist, and legs will inevitably occur. This condition is named Ru Lao (Postpartum Consumptive Disease), which is extremely difficult to treat.
After childbirth, do not use Sichuan pepper (Zhuo), ginger (Jiang), mugwort (Ai), or alcohol. Although heat allows blood clots to circulate freely, fresh blood will become unsettled. Even Sharen Tang (Amomum Decoction) can disturb blood and is therefore included in the contraindications.
Postpartum milk is formed from Qi and Blood. Salty foods should not be consumed, as saltiness can stop bleeding, resulting in no milk production, and it may trigger coughs that are difficult to cure.
Postpartum care varies due to different geographical conditions in the north and south. In the Jiangnan region, it is customary to eat eggs immediately after childbirth. Despite explanations of the risks and benefits, this practice has become entrenched without doubt or fear, and many women remain perfectly healthy. I am forced to follow local customs, allowing them to open the eggshells and boil them plainly for consumption, which still possesses the merit of nourishing the Stomach and resolving phlegm.