Midwifery 101, Labs

Yes, it is true, I have taken my first course in midwifery in the form of a goat birth practicum. It was really cool.

8:00 a.m. Sunday, Bethel who was on weekend duty, came to the apartment door waking me up to tell me that Frosty was obviously trying to pass something. I was pretty nervous because on Friday we had taken Frosty in with several other goats for an ultrasound to try and confirm who was and was not pregnant. Our ultrasound friend, Earl Peacock, said it looked like something very abnormal was in her uterus- a mass or infection, possibly a kid but not anything healthy, and that we would possibly need to induce a labor soon if her body didn't pass it on its own. poor thing.
So back to the story
I run, litterally, up the road to the dairy barn and see that, indeed there is something starting to make its way out of Frosty's back side, so she had apparently been working for a while. I could see her belly tighten and I could see her demeanor change when the contractions came, close her eyes, seem really focused, get down on her front knees, and I would send her love and encouraging thoughts when they came. I tried to stay back and watch without bothering her, not wanting to interrupt her hard work or frighten her in any way. I got some clean straw down in one area and she new it was for her so she went there and then man, she really started pushing it out! I was really afraid that whatever her body was laboring to get out wasn't going to be healthy or that, if it wasn't shaped like a kid, that i might have to help her get it out. I was terribly relieved when I could tell it was a little hoof and a head coming out together! Justin arrived and, of course, he thought it was gross looking. what a jerk. but then he noticed the little baby open up it's mouth and so we could tell it was alive! So exciting.
Within 5 minutes she had laid down on one side and the contractions became really productive! she started bleating really loudly and it was just seconds and he was out! She went to work immediately licking him off. I brought over some hay, she was starving!
The kid was really big for a newborn, and was completely healthy! I am so relieved that our ultrasound got it wrong!

Let me just tell you, you're lucky i didn't have my camera with me or you'd all see things that would gross out most and only very few of you would think were cool or beautiful. Today's a day off for me since i worked all day yesterday with baby and momma so maybe i'll go out and take a picture of baby Billy Jack for you to see him in all his cuteness.

HOORAY!

this is funny

don't you think?

though i think it should end with "we're here to home birth your baby with a dirty hippy midwife!"


my studying up to be a Doula is going GREAT. I am most of the way through the 5th of 6 books. that 6th book was lent out to someone about a year ago before they moved and had their baby, so we'll see if i can recover it.
I am so excited to do this mysterious and fantastic thing- to empower a woman as she works with her body performing it's most tremendous, earthquaking feat. this is going to be cool.