上古圣人有胎教之法，古者妇人妊子，寝不侧，坐不边，立不跸。不食邪味，割不正不
食，席不正不坐，目不视邪色，耳不听淫声，夜则令瞽诵诗，道正事，如此则生子形容端正
，才过人矣。故太任生文王，聪明圣哲，闻一而知百，皆胎教之能也。圣人多感生，妊娠故
忌见丧孝、破体、生理残障、贫穷之人；宜见贤良、喜庆、美丽之事。欲子多智，观看鲤鱼、孔
雀；欲子美丽，观看珍珠、美玉；欲子雄壮，观看飞鹰、走犬。如此善恶犹感，况饮食不知
避忌乎。
妊娠所忌∶食兔肉，令子无声缺唇。食山羊肉，令子多疾。食鸡子、干鱼，令子多疮。
食桑椹、鸭子，令子倒生。食雀肉，饮酒，令子心淫情乱，罔顾羞耻。食鸡肉、糯米，令子
生寸白虫。食雀肉、豆酱，令子面生 黯。食鳖肉，令子项短。食驴肉，令子延月。食冰浆
，绝产。食骡肉，令子难产。
凡生子择于诸母，必求其年壮，无疾病，慈善，性质宽裕，温良详雅，寡言者，使为乳
母。子在于母资乳以养，亦大人之饮食也。善恶相习，况乳食不遂母性。若子有病无病，亦
在乳母之慎口。如饮食不知避忌，倘不慎行，贪爽口而忘身适性致疾，使子受患，是母令子
生病矣。
乳母杂忌∶夏勿热暑乳，则子偏阳而多呕逆。冬勿寒冷乳，则子偏阴而多咳痢。母不欲
多怒，怒则气逆，乳之令子癫狂。母不欲醉，醉则发阳，乳之令子身热腹满。母若吐时，则
中虚，乳之令子虚羸。母有积热，盖赤黄为热，乳之令子变黄不食。新房事劳伤，乳之令子
瘦痒，交胫不能行。母勿太饱乳之，母勿太饥乳之，母勿太寒乳之，母勿太热乳之。子有泻
痢、腹痛、夜啼疾，乳母忌食寒凉发病之物。子有积热、惊风、疮疡，乳母忌食湿热、动风
之物。子有疥癣、疮疾，乳母忌食鱼、虾、鸡、马肉、发疮之物。子有癖、疳、瘦疾，乳母
忌食生茄、黄瓜等物。
凡初生儿时，以未啼之前，用黄连浸汁，调朱砂少许，微抹口内，去胎热邪气，令疮疹
稀少。凡初生儿时，用荆芥、黄连熬水，入野牙猪胆汁少许，洗儿。在后虽生斑疹、恶疮，
终当稀少。凡小儿未生疮疹时，用腊月兔头并毛骨，同水煎汤，洗儿，除热去毒，能令斑疹
、诸疮不生，虽有亦稀少。凡小儿未生斑疹时，以黑子母驴乳令饮之，及长不生疮疹、诸毒
。如生者，亦稀少。仍治小儿心热、风痫。
上古时期的圣人有胎教的方法。古时候，妇女怀孕时，睡觉不侧卧，坐不坐边缘，站立不踮脚尖（跸：通“蹕”，指清道或特定的站姿，此处指端正站立）。不吃不正统的味道，肉切得不方正不吃，席子铺得不端正不坐，眼睛不看邪异的色彩，耳朵不听淫靡的声音。夜晚则让盲人诵读诗歌，讲述正道之事。像这样，生下的孩子容貌端正，才华超过常人。所以太任生下周文王，聪明圣哲，听一而知百，这都是胎教的功效。圣人多有感应而生，因此妊娠期间忌讳见到丧事、孝服、身体残缺、生理障碍、贫穷的人；应当见到贤良、喜庆、美丽的事物。想要孩子多智，就观看鲤鱼、孔雀；想要孩子美丽，就观看珍珠、美玉；想要孩子雄壮，就观看飞鹰、走犬。如此善恶尚且能感化，何况饮食不知道避忌呢？
妊娠所忌讳的：吃兔肉，会使孩子无声且唇裂（缺唇）。吃山羊肉，会使孩子多病。吃鸡蛋、干鱼，会使孩子多疮疡。吃桑葚、鸭子，会使孩子倒产。吃雀肉、饮酒，会使孩子内心淫乱、情志混乱，不顾羞耻。吃鸡肉、糯米，会使孩子生出寸白虫（绦虫）。吃雀肉、豆酱，会使孩子脸上出现黑斑。吃鳖肉，会使孩子脖子短。吃驴肉，会使孕期延长。吃冰镇浆液，会导致绝育或难产。吃骡肉，会使孩子难产。
凡是选择乳母，必须从众女仆中挑选，一定要找年纪壮实、无疾病、慈善、性情宽厚、温和善良、举止优雅、少言的人，让她做乳母。孩子在母体依靠乳汁养育，也如同大人的饮食一样。善恶相互习染，何况乳食不顺从母亲的本性呢？如果孩子有病或无病，都在于乳母谨慎口腹。如果饮食不知道避忌，如果不谨慎行事，贪图爽口而忘记自身适宜，导致致病，使孩子受害，这是母亲让孩子生病啊。
乳母杂项忌讳：夏天不要在炎热暑气时哺乳，否则孩子偏阳而多呕吐逆气。冬天不要在寒冷时哺乳，否则孩子偏阴而多咳嗽痢疾。母亲不要多怒，怒则气逆，哺乳会使孩子癫狂。母亲不要醉酒，醉则阳气发散，哺乳会使孩子身热腹满。母亲如果呕吐，则中气虚弱，哺乳会使孩子虚瘦羸弱。母亲如果有积热，因为赤黄色为热象，哺乳会使孩子变黄且不进食。新婚后房事劳伤，哺乳会使孩子消瘦瘙痒，小腿交叉不能行走。母亲不要过饱时哺乳，不要过饥时哺乳，不要过寒时哺乳，不要过热时哺乳。如果孩子有泻痢、腹痛、夜啼的疾病，乳母忌讳吃寒凉发病的食物。如果孩子有积热、惊风、疮疡，乳母忌讳吃湿热、动风的食物。如果孩子有疥癣、疮疾，乳母忌讳吃鱼、虾、鸡、马肉等发疮的食物。如果孩子有癖积、疳积、消瘦疾病，乳母忌讳吃生茄子、黄瓜等物。
凡是刚出生的婴儿，在尚未啼哭之前，用黄连浸泡汁液，调和少许朱砂，轻轻涂抹口腔内部，以去除胎热邪气，使疮疹稀少。凡是刚出生的婴儿，用荆芥、黄连熬水，加入少许野猪胆汁，给孩子洗澡。即使后来生出斑疹、恶疮，最终也会稀少。凡是小儿未出疮疹时，用腊月里的兔头连同毛骨，同水煎汤，给孩子洗澡，除去热毒，能使斑疹、各种疮疡不生，即使有也会稀少。凡是小儿未出斑疹时，喂喝黑色母驴的乳汁，长大后不生疮疹、各种毒症。如果生了，也会稀少。同时治疗小儿心热、风痫。
The sages of ancient times had methods for prenatal education. In antiquity, when women were pregnant, they did not sleep on their sides, did not sit on the edges of seats, and stood upright (bì: standing properly). They did not eat improper flavors; if meat was not cut square, they did not eat it; if the mat was not laid straight, they did not sit. Their eyes did not look at evil colors, and their ears did not listen to licentious sounds. At night, blind men were made to recite poetry, narrating righteous matters. By doing so, the child born would have a dignified appearance and surpass others in talent. Thus, Tai Ren gave birth to King Wen of Zhou, who was wise, sage, and profound, understanding one thing to know a hundred; all this was due to the efficacy of prenatal education. Sages are often born through spiritual influence; therefore, during pregnancy, one should avoid seeing those involved in funerals or wearing mourning clothes, those with physical deformities, disabilities, or poverty. One should instead see virtuous people, joyful events, and beautiful things. To desire wisdom for the child, observe carp and peacocks; to desire beauty, observe pearls and jade; to desire strength, observe flying eagles and running dogs. If such good and evil influences can affect the fetus, how much more so if dietary taboos are ignored?
Taboos during pregnancy: Eating rabbit meat may cause the child to be mute and have a cleft lip. Eating goat meat may cause the child to suffer from frequent illnesses. Eating eggs and dried fish may cause the child to develop many sores. Eating mulberries and ducklings may cause breech presentation. Eating sparrow meat and drinking alcohol may cause the child’s heart to become lustful and emotions chaotic, disregarding shame. Eating chicken meat and glutinous rice may cause the child to grow tapeworms (cunbai chong). Eating sparrow meat and bean paste may cause dark spots on the child’s face. Eating turtle meat may cause the child to have a short neck. Eating donkey meat may prolong the gestation period. Drinking iced beverages may lead to sterility or difficult labor. Eating mule meat may cause dystocia.
When selecting a wet nurse, one must choose from among the female servants, seeking someone who is young and vigorous, free from disease, kind-hearted, generous in nature, gentle, elegant, and taciturn. The infant relies on milk for nourishment, just as adults rely on food. Good and bad habits are imitated; how much more so if the milk does not align with the mother’s constitution? Whether the child is sick or healthy depends on the wet nurse’s caution regarding her diet. If she ignores dietary taboos and acts imprudently, indulging in tastes that harm her health, causing illness that affects the child, it is the mother who causes the child’s sickness.
Miscellaneous taboos for wet nurses: Do not breastfeed during hot summer weather, as this makes the child overly yang-prone and prone to vomiting and regurgitation. Do not breastfeed during cold winter weather, as this makes the child overly yin-prone and prone to coughing and dysentery. The mother should not be angry, as anger causes qi to rebel; breastfeeding under these conditions may cause the child to suffer from epilepsy or mania. The mother should not be drunk, as drunkenness disperses yang energy; breastfeeding while intoxicated may cause the child to have fever and abdominal fullness. If the mother vomits, her middle jiao becomes deficient; breastfeeding then may cause the child to become emaciated and weak. If the mother has accumulated heat (indicated by redness and yellowness), breastfeeding may cause the child to turn yellow and lose appetite. Sexual activity shortly after marriage causes exhaustion; breastfeeding then may cause the child to be thin, itchy, and unable to walk without crossing legs. The mother should not breastfeed when too full, too hungry, too cold, or too hot. If the child suffers from diarrhea, dysentery, abdominal pain, or night crying, the wet nurse should avoid cold-natured foods that trigger disease. If the child has accumulated heat, convulsions, or sores, the wet nurse should avoid damp-heat and wind-stirring foods. If the child has scabies, tinea, or skin infections, the wet nurse should avoid fish, shrimp, chicken, horse meat, and other "fa-wu" (hair-raising/triggering) foods. If the child has accumulations, malnutrition (gan syndrome), or wasting diseases, the wet nurse should avoid raw eggplants, cucumbers, etc.
For newborn infants, before they cry, soak Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian) in water, mix with a small amount of Cinnabar (Zhusha), and gently apply inside the mouth to clear fetal heat and pathogenic qi, reducing the incidence of rashes and sores. For newborns, decoct Schizonepetae Herba (Jingjie) and Coptidis Rhizoma (Huanglian) in water, add a little wild boar gallbladder bile, and use to bathe the infant. Even if rashes or severe sores appear later, they will ultimately be sparse. For infants before the onset of rashes, boil rabbit heads and bones (with fur) collected in the twelfth lunar month in water, and use the decoction to bathe the infant. This removes heat and toxicity, preventing rashes and various sores; if they do appear, they will be sparse. For infants before the onset of rashes, feed them milk from black female donkeys. As they grow, they will not suffer from rashes or various toxins. If they do occur, they will be sparse. This also treats pediatric heart heat and wind-induced epilepsy.