Scant breast milk

Also breast milk stoppage. Insufficient milk to suckle the infant. Scant breast milk is due to postpartum depletion of qì and blood or to liver qì depression. The latter is easily distinguishable by the presence of distension and fullness of the breasts.

Patterns

Qì-blood vacuity (气血虚弱 qì xuè xū ruò) causes scant breast milk by causing insufficiency of the source of milk transformation (i.e., reduced milk production). The chief characteristic is absence of pain and distension in the breast. Other signs include white lips, low food intake, and fatigue.

Medicinal therapy: Treat by the method of supplementing qì and nourishing the blood, assisted by freeing breast milk. Use Lactation Elixir (通乳丹 tōng rǔ dān).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on ST and LR. Main points: CV-17 (Chest Center, 膻中 shān zhōng), ST-18 (Breast Root, 乳根 rǔ gēn), and SI-1 (Lesser Marsh, 少泽 shào zé). For qì-blood vacuity, add BL-20 (Spleen Transport, 脾俞 pí shù) and ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), needling with supplementation.

Liver depression and qì stagnation (肝郁气滞 gān yù qì zhì) is characterized by fullness, distension, and pain in the breast, sometimes associated with generalized heat and oppression in the chest.

Medicinal therapy: Course the liver, resolve depression, and free milk. Use Free Wanderer Powder (逍遥散 xiāo yáo sǎn) plus pangolin scales (Manitis Squama, 穿山甲 chuān shān jiǎ) and vaccaria (Vaccariae Semen, 王不留行 wáng bù liú xíng).

Acumoxatherapy: Use the main points listed above, and add PC-6 (Inner Pass, 内关 nèi guān) and LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng), needling with even supplementation and drainage.