Diary of A Birth at Hum Sweet Hum

Family Picture: The Papa Greystone's Kaleidoscope and Momma Sweet Bell Loving Their Daughter

6:00 am: Check maternity group to make sure no births during the night.  All are resting.  Naomi and Dove chewing their cud.  Over two weeks past due dates for both.  No indications of births going on from them.

6:30 am: Check on maternity group and offer some alfalfa to all.  Naomi and Dove enjoy their alfalfa.  Windsong and Dulcie scarf theirs down.  Sweet Bell stays in shelter.  Not interested in alfalfa.  Hmmm, not like her turn down an extra treat.

7:00 am: Let out maternity group to big pasture.  Meander out calmly visiting others in middle pastures as they head out for the day of grazing.  Bell and Lucky Charm first ones wanting out. No signs from my imminently due alpacas of wanting to go into labor.  Go back to house and do computer work.

8:00 am: Notice Sweet Bell laying down not grazing much.  Others grazing away. 

9:00: Bell up going potty and laying right back down.  Windsong was two weeks early having her baby.  Haven't noticed Bell grazing much.  Better start watching her more.  Her energy seems off to me.   Better go out and start chores in case baby comes today.  Want raking done before I'm too tuckered out if birth happens.

9:30 Get barn area cleaned.  Notice Bell up to potty again but lays down.  Text Ann down the road, could be Bell is in labor.  My nearest alpaca neighbor and I try and be at each others births.  Try and give Ann as much heads up that labor maybe happening so she can get her chores worked and let out her herd.

9:45: Bell up and potties but then goes and lays back down.  Rubbing her head on ground before trying to go potty.  Noticed the previous two dams doing same thing when in labor.  Getting more sure we are in labor.  Continue with chores.  Text Ann again and say pretty sure we are in labor.

10:00: Need to empty wheelbarrow but see Bell up again to go potty.  Progress is moving more quickly.  Debate on emptying wheelbarrow or get my gear ready.  See Bell pushing.  Leave wheelbarrow and get birth kit and head to house to make "dipping sauce" for cria's umbilicus.  Call Ann.  She is on her way to my farm.  Definite labor!  Remember to bring towels and dipping sauce and stop by bathroom myself.

10:05: Get call from neighbor.  Is animal in labor?  Yes!  Come watch.  Grab dipping sauce and head out.  Get to barn area.  Darn.  Forgot towels.  Run back to house.  Grab towels.  Get to barn.  Darn!  Forgot to go to bathroom.  Set towels down by dipping sauce.  Watch Bell.  Back laying down.  Have time to run to bathroom.

10:07 Grab kit, towels and dipping sauce and start to head out to observe Bell in big field.  Ann arrives.  Wait for Ann.  Bell up and going to potty again pushing.  Walk out slowly to field keeping good distance.  Darn.  Forgot binoculars.  Oh well.  More pushing.  See nose coming out.

10:15 Nose and toes.  Stay about 50 feet away.  Bell comes over and sniffs Ann who is kneeling.  Uh oh.  Need help Bell?  Noes and toes are out.  Wait a bit to see what happens before seeing if something stuck.  Moose with us.  Bell wants him away.  Shoo Moose back.  Minds.  What a good dog.

Bell has Nose and Toes Out

10:20 No progress.  Still observing.  Bell walks some.  Lucky Charm and Naomi greet baby's face.  Miss Marple comes over and sniffs baby too.  Dove walks far away and doesn't want to watch.  Good Lucky Charm watching.  Maiden.  Needs to learn.

10:25.  Still no progress.  Start to worry.  Should have had more progress by now.  Talk it over with Ann.  Bell eating grass.  Give it a few more minutes.

10:27: Still no progress.  Go up behind Bell and hold feet.  Wait for push.  Hard push. Hold legs don't let legs go back in.  Little more legs come out.  Baby and Bell now grunting with pressure of pushing.  Hard push. Hold legs.  More leg comes.  Hard push.  Almost got shoulders.  Another hard push shoulders out!  Good girl Bell!  Lays down.  One more push.  Get rest of baby out.  It's a girl!!!!!  Looks rose gray or multi.  HOORAY!!!!!  Got what I hoped for.  Peel a little membrane off away from nose and face.  Baby squirming.  Good sign.  Take dipping sauce and dip umbilicus.

Cindy Assisting Bell with Delivery

10:30.  Step back and let Bell and baby bond.  Darn. Forgot camera.  All is good for now.  Run to house to get camera.  Ann watches baby.  Baby sternal.  Yay!  Take pics as baby tries for first stand. Cute.  Long legs.  Gets it after few tries.  Good girl!  Others come to greet new arrival.  Kismet is very nosy.

Kismet too nosy.  Interfering with baby and mom.  Shoo her away.  Take mom and baby to barn area so baby can figure out how to get milk.  Bell a little confused and loses baby I'm holding. Set baby down.  Still confused.  Halter up mom.  Lead mom in with baby to bond.  Bell passes placenta.  healthy looking.  Give Bell Banamine shot.  Hard delivery.  Give Bell some alfalfa and pellets.  Eats some.  Not humming much yet.

Get baby under Bell.  Several attempts finally get her to nurse. Hour after birth.  Not bad.  Good latching on.  Mom standing still.  Whew.  Relief on getting nursing started.

Ann heads home.  All looks good.  Watch mom and baby nurse again.  Hungry.  Go in for lunch.

Check mom and baby.  Baby resting nicely.  Eat lunch.  Better go out and finish chores.

Baby looks too limp.  Rush over to her.  Way too limp.  Rouse her awake.  Go nurse baby.  Mom kicks baby off.  Darn.  What's wrong?  Try again.  No go.  Baby having hard time standing.  Call Ann.  Help!  Need milk to supplement.  She has will bring it over.  Hurry.  Baby crashing on me.

Grab kit and Jump Start.  Get some energy in kid fast.  Get some in mouth.  Baby falls down.  Can't stay up.  Neck arching.  Call Ann.  Hurry.

Ann arrives.  Run to house get milk heated in bottle.  Run back.  Try giving baby little bottle.  Not much in.  Ann holds Bell. Try getting baby under her.  Kicks off.  Fights us.  Try and milk her out.  Fights harder.  Have sedative shot.  Run to house.  Give sedative to Bell.  Try more bottle on baby.  Bell's eyes drooping and see her weaving bit.  Try again putting baby under her.  Kicks off and fights us.  Damn it!  Call local Vet.  Dr. Pete can be here 45 minutes.  Keep trying bottle.

Ann suggests maybe merconium is stopped up.  Do I have enima?  Run to house.  No mineral spirits but put a little warm water in.  Run back.  Give to baby.  She tries to get up to go but too weak to stand.  Straining.  Holding her in cush position.  Baby can't stay in cushed position on her own.  Flops over and neck arches.  Hold neck and keep massaging energy in.  Feel her cramping and massage her back and tush.  Calm self and try doing energy.  Holding down my panic.  Hard to do energy in panic mode.  Holding baby.  Neck arching.  Supporting her and sending energy in her.  Please hang in there baby.  Maybe take temp?  Run to barn.  Get thermometer.  Take temp.  100.1.  Normal range.  Hard strain and gush of poo matter comes out.  Thermometer in tush helped get things passed.  Baby stands up.  Eyes look brighter.  Still wobbly but looking better.  Holy cow that was it!  Stuffed bottom.  Still weak.  No milk for couple of hours.  Need nourishment in her.  Dr. Pete said give syringe of Karo Syrup.  Run to house and get syrup. Try little more bottle.  Baby lays down but can hold a cush on her own.  Better sign.  Dr. Pete gives another sedative to Bell after exam.  Milk in sac but stress keeping her from dropping milk down.  Very little coming out.  Wait a few minutes to see if sedative takes hold.  Try putting baby under.  Nothing.  Wait a bit longer and baby tries again on her own and success!  Yeah!  Not much in Bell so try and give more bottle to baby.  Bell still not happy and kicks off baby after Dr. Pete leaves.  Not sure what else to do.  Dr. Pat calls confirming appointment for next day.  Inform him of day's events.  Maybe bring some of others in.  Stress might be because of Bell's rejection of baby.  Needs her buddies in with her.  Such a balancing act of not having interference and distraction to bond with mom and baby and keeping the from being stressed.  

Bring Dulcie and Miss Marple in.  Works.  Bell calmer and letting baby nurse more.  Sit down.  Need to cry.  Carrie and Carol arrive to see new baby.  Tell them day's events.  Help watch over baby.  Visit with them and observe.  Bring others in to be with Bell.  Almost time to feed.  Morgan comes over and finishes my chores.  Thank goodness for finding high school kid to help with chores sometimes.

Carrie and Carol leave.  Feed pellets to gang.  Start noting how often other moms nurse babies.  Baby needs to be encouraged and help to find mom but once finding mom is good to nurse on her own. Bell standing better for baby but walks away from her after nursing.  Watches baby but doesn't make baby stay near her and doesn't feel the need to stay near baby.  Bit of a concern over the bonding still.  Still not sure how much milk baby is getting.  Only short sips so far.  Baby fighting me harder when I try and give bottle.  Good sign getting stronger.

Finish feeding and baby goes to mom.  Latches on good.  Nurses two minutes.  Wonderful!  Go in and get something to eat.  Bring out to barn and eat watching baby and mom.  Resting.  Get up in about an hour and needs help finding mom who stepped away.  Point baby in right direction and baby nurses.  About two minutes again.  Go in and shower.  Feel better after shower.  About an hour since last feeding.  Go outside.  Dark now.  Sit in chair and observe resting packies.  Baby and Bell cushed outside shelter.  Double jacket seems to be keeping baby warm.  Windsong and little boy get up to nurse.  Dulcie and baby get up to nurse.  Bell stands up.  Baby stays down.  Go over and make baby get up.  Baby needs help finding mom again.  Point her in direction of mom.  Goes right under mom and nurses two minutes.  Go inside.  Check computer work and decompress some.  Go out in hour.  Baby and Bell moved under tree.  Cushed.  Sit on park bench.  Exhausted.  Lay down on park bench.  Doze off.  Hear Windsong and baby boy nurse.  Sit up.  Bell gets up.  Wait.  Baby not up.  Walk over to her.  She stands on her own and needs just a little nudge from me to find mom.  Good two minutes of nursing.  Go inside and sleep in bed.  Get up in two hours and check on them.  Bell gets up when sees me.  Baby wakes up.  Stands up on own and finds mom without me.  What a relief.  Go back to bed.  Check on them in two hours.  Same.  Baby looking much better.

Regular morning check.  Mom and baby up and nursing on own.  Baby finishes nursing and says good morning to Miss Marple.  "Wanna play?"  Off they go to the races!  Most beautiful sight to see.

Dr. Pat comes for well baby checks.  Does IgG on baby.  Collostrum count within range we want.  Baby named JuBellation!  

JuBellation Nursing!