A Very Difficult Delivery

Raising livestock is hard enough without those tricky deliveries that need human intervention. 

Ivy Rose

Friday morning, I found both Wendy and Ivy's ligaments "gone", signifying it wouldn't be long before they started kidding.

If Mocha's breech baby wasn't enough, Wendy decided to do the same: birth triplets with the first being breech. I once again had to get in there and pull the legs back. She delivered a precious little doeling that looked just like the sire.  Then two little bucklings followed that are beautiful roan like her.  All babies are doing well. (Names in a bit!)

Wendy's triplets: Starburst, York, and Milk Dud

But that wasn't enough either! Ivy also went into labor and decided she was going to give me an hour of intense intervention in fixing babies that in no way would have made it had I not been there to help. Neither would Ivy for that matter. 

We watched her closely all day and she was clearly in labor.  I contacted the vet who told me what to look for.  By 6:20pm, she was finally pushing hard.  After a few contractions I knew something wasn't right.  I gloved up and found that Ivy's first baby had legs in the birth canal, but the head was folded back.  I tried continuously to push back and pull the head forward, but every contraction would fold the head back again while legs were still presented.  I tried and tried repeatedly, Ivy hollering in pain.  

I finally yelled for the kids to get my cell phone as I was crying that I was going to lose my special girl, Ivy.  I didn't care about the babies dying, but I didn't want Ivy to go since her mom died after a miscarriage two years ago.  Once I got the phone, I called the vet.  At some point, Al came in and started helping.  I eventually had to tie the feet together so I could pull them out of her, but not worry about them slipping back. The kid's head was determined to stay back and I knew by the feel of things, it was dead.  I persisted and finally after about 30 minutes, I was able to get the face presented with the feet.  On a contraction, I pulled.  The baby (a beautiful tan combo, doeling) was quickly put in a towel and set aside.  

I asked the vet if I should go in to see if another kid was there.  She said I should make sure it was presenting well.  The second kid was already presenting.  I felt feet, reached back, and felt no head.  It too was folded back.  Frustration was already mounted high, my hands were in intense pain from the constant contractions pressing on my hands.  I had to help again.  I put the string around those legs and did the same thing.  Over and over, I pushed the baby back in, pulled the head forward, only to have it fold back again.  I was sure it was dead too. 

Then I felt it move.  I remember saying, "It's alive!" But still I couldn't get the head forward.  Minutes went by, Ivy hollering, Al and I trying every which way to get things to move.  I finally had the idea and asked for the vet's go ahead, "What if I pushed back and turned the baby to breech position?"  She answered, "If you think you can do it, go for it."  

After untying the legs, I tried hard to get that baby to turn.  It took several minutes and intense concentration, and finally I had that little kid turned around.  At this point, I was sure it was dead.  I pulled the baby through and with a contraction, pulled out a little boy.  He was alive, but very weak.  I rubbed him down and warmed him up as the temp was pretty cold outside.  After several minutes, he was making noise and attempting to get up.  Ivy was licking him, but in excruciating pain. 

The little buckling was taken to the house to warm up.  He was definitely hypothermic, but he warmed up nicely.  I took him out to nurse, but Ivy was just too weak to stand still.  So I milked her and brought him back in.  He maintained his temp perfectly and ate twice before bed.  He slept in his basket the whole night, not a peep.  In the morning, I fed him another bottle.  

I worried that Ivy had not made it, but was fearful to go out.  I also felt horrible middle of night that I never brought water to her last night.  I knew there was absolutely NO way she could have gotten to the water.  Al went out to give her some and I knew by the way he knelt by the dome she was alive and doing well.  He came back and got the little buckling, then took him to her.  

Ivy is a very attentive mom, though I am watching closely to make sure she is okay, and the buckling is eating.  She is extremely swollen in the back, and definitely in unimaginable pain.  She can get out of the dome, but not back into it.  She is eating well and producing plenty of milk, too.  Praise be to the Father!

Meanwhile, I am hurting physically from the whole ordeal, but I am so thankful I am able to assist these animals when they need it.  Ivy is on antibiotics as well as pain meds. Oh, and I am so proud of the kids who stood by, helped where they could, and stayed strong despite loving Ivy like I do.  

So, the names:

Juniper and Jersey's babies (heads left to right): Snickers, Jujubee, Rolo, Milkyway

Juniper's Kids:

1. doeling - Snickers

2. doeling - Jujubee

Jersey's Kids:

1. buckling - Rolo

2. buckling - Milkyway

--1 buckling died

Mocha's babies: Mr. Goodbar and Tootsie Pop

Mocha's baby: Kit Kat

Mocha's Kids:

1. doeling - Tootsie Pop

2. doeling - Kit Kat

3. buckling - Mr. Goodbar

Wendy's Kids: Picture at top of blog

1. doeling - Starburst

2. buckling - York

3. buckling - Milk Dud

Ivy's baby: Oh Henry

Ivy's Kids:

1. buckling - Oh Henry

--1 doeling died

Totals: (bucks/does)  7/6