Rose is Hero of the day

Noah looking up at Rose.

After Rose kidded, Noah asked if Rose is a hero. Having experienced natural childbirth myself firsthand, although never triplets and all by myself) I replied: Rose is certainly a hero, the hero of the day.

 

We checked on the does last night before going to bed, then again around 4 a.m., 7a.m. and finally came downstairs around 8:30. If I had watched for ten minutes instead of two, I probably would have noticed the contractions, but as I didn't we had a surprise waiting for us as we got up. Avery and I sat on the couch looking at Rose on the goat cam. Every time I turned on the cam/tv last night Rose was standing still, looking like she was sleeping on her feet. I thought we'd better watch her for a while before turning on Sesame Street. As we sat and watched Rose, she leaned forward and started pushing, and a black blob shot out. I yelled up to Dustin and raced to get my clothes on and get down to the doe stall. As I entered, Rose was licking the new baby. I saw that there was a buff/light red kid against the wall in a pile of goop (the back wall is just out of range of the camera). This is the first kidding we weren't waiting with hands outstretched to catch the kid as it came out. The buff kid on the floor was cold and wet. I immediately piled both kids next to each other and started wiping off the goop and drying the kids off. The buff one was trying to stand and nurse but Rose was getting ready to push another kid out. 

As Rose started pushing a good size head pops out, dangit. I debate whether to see if she can push it out or go grab some lube and gloves. I race into the house in a frenzy, impatient as D draws a bowl of warm water for me. Then I race down the slippery slope to the milk area and grab gloves and sprinkle some lubricant powder into the water. As I enter the kidding stall, I see Rose on her side, legs flailing in the air, her two kids near her belly about to get squished, and another buff wet kid sprawled out behind her.

Dustin was inside watching. He said that Rose gave such a big push that she fell over sideways and he thought that she was going to fall on her first two kids. This is the first time that we've had a goat deliver a kid head first. After the first year of having a kid get stuck there for hours till the vet showed up, we go right in for the legs when a head presents first. 

After all the kids are dried off, we work on making sure everyone gets several good sucks and nurses until they aren't interested anymore. I took Rose warm molasses water, grain and fresh hay. We let Rose eat her afterbirth as it is full of vitamins and minerals- and she gobbled it down. The first doeling is weaker than she should be. She still hasn't had the strength to stand up and nurse on her own. So I have been holding her mouth open while I squirt milk down her throat. She weakly swallows, but has a strong cry. We are going to keep a close eye on her and continue getting the milk into her.

Rose has been great, caring for her kids, licking and cleaning them, standing still why they bumble about looking for the source of nourishment. This is her fourth kidding, one buck her first year, one doeling/one buck her second year, three bucklings last year, and this year: two doelings and a buckling - Yeah! We've been tossing around Briar and Bramble for the doelings. But nothing set yet. We will most likely sell the black and white doeling. We will to wait until some more kids are born, but I would love to keep a light red doeling out of Rose and Xoro. 

Good job Rose, you are my hero today.