The Fallen Medicine Woman: The Daily Life of Chun Nuan-Chapter 372 - 214

"After childbirth is when a woman’s body is at its weakest. At this time, the most important thing is not excessive nourishment."

Weak body, yet not excessive nourishment?

What does this mean?

"Is it because the body can’t handle too much nourishment?"

Chen Xiaoyin knows there is a condition called "weakness intolerant to nourishment."

"That’s one reason; most women experience a deficiency in energy and blood after giving birth. They should consume warming foods to help restore energy and blood. Before nourishing, it’s crucial to first take medicine to dispel external cold. Otherwise, the nourishing foods can do more harm than good, possibly leading to severe issues, even resulting in death for the mother."

Zhao Minghua felt discomfort in her heart for a long time after hearing this.

Giving birth is dangerous enough, but even consuming nourishing soups and medicines can lead to death.

Why are there so many complications?

In the future, I won’t let Nuannuan give birth again.

"When the body is weak, consuming nourishing products can cause discomfort such as feeling overheated, bloating, or even abdominal pain and diarrhea."

"Master, how do you diagnose a postpartum woman’s body weakness?"

Chen Xiaoyin knows that there are various types of weakness.

"Xiao Yin, that’s a good question. Weakness can present as yin deficiency, yang deficiency, qi deficiency, or blood deficiency. Different deficiencies require different methods of nourishment.

If one does not distinguish between symptoms that lean towards yin or yang, qi or blood, or if one does not consider the nature and meridian entry of nourishing medicines and uses them recklessly, it can result in a situation where the weakness cannot handle the nourishment."

Chun Nuan explained the symptoms of various weaknesses to them.

Chen Xiaoyin patiently took notes.

This highlighted the importance of being literate and educated from a young age.

Whenever Chun Nuan discussed important knowledge, only Chen Xiaoyin could keep up with her pace, noting down what she didn’t understand.

However, Mei’er and the others found it hard to take notes on the spot due to limited literacy and inability to write many characters.

After class, they had to ask Chen Xiaoyin for her notes or inquire with her.

Chun Nuan thought, given time, Chen Xiaoyin would truly achieve great things.

"Different situations require different methods of nourishment. Medicines can be cooling or warming, among other differences. Furthermore, nourishing yin can employ the method of seeking yin within yang and nourishing yang can employ the method of seeking yang within yin..."

Chun Nuan continued speaking, and Chen Xiaoyin continued taking notes.

She truly was a good student.

Chun Nuan also mentioned the matter of not being able to bathe or wash hair.

"Because the postpartum woman’s body is weak, bathing and washing hair can easily cause them to catch cold, which can lead to very serious consequences."

Mild cases might cause issues layer by layer, but severe cases could cost a life.

Also, postpartum lochia is normal, but it must be monitored. If it continues for a long time, it’s necessary to consult a doctor.

"Master, I know about this matter."

Chen Xiaoyin immediately recalled a case.

"I heard my mother say that my little aunt had continuous lochia after giving birth and it never cleared up. She was too embarrassed to consult a doctor, and eventually, it started to smell, and her health deteriorated until no one dared to approach after her death."

Chun Nuan and the others felt very uncomfortable hearing this.

"Getting sick is not terrible, what’s terrible is the taboo against seeing a doctor," Chun Nuan said with emotion.

"But this world is very unfriendly to women; all doctors are men. Women are embarrassed to ask for a diagnosis, while men also don’t want a male doctor to examine their women, preferring them to die rather than be seen by someone else."

Chen Xiaoyin recalled her little aunt’s tragic death, as her mother lamented that her aunt was stubborn. What harm would it have been to see a doctor?

There is everything only if there is life.

Chen Xiaoyin also knew that on the day her little aunt was sent up the mountain for burial, her maternal aunt’s older sister-in-law came to persuade her little uncle to marry her own sister as a second wife, claiming that a marriage within the family would be better for the children.

And her little uncle indeed believed her nonsense and married this new wife on an auspicious day before it was even a hundred days after her little aunt’s death.

The new wife entered the household, but the little baby born by her little aunt did not receive proper care and passed away within a year.

"My little uncle and that woman have been married for three years without children." Chen Xiaoyin felt that karma had struck: "My mother said that her grandmother had her little uncle’s fortune told, which revealed that his current wife was destined to be childless. Now they are anxious again, considering a divorce to marry someone else."

"Master, after seeing so much, I truly feel that marrying is risky for a woman. Marrying poorly can even cost one’s life."

This is also the reason why Chen Xiaoyin was reluctant to follow family arrangements for marriage when she should be engaged or married at her age.

The matter of her little aunt left a shadow in her heart, making her completely uninterested in marriage.

Gaining her grandfather’s trust to study medicine with her master not only empowered her but also effectively postponed marriage, which she viewed as a great advantage.