It's been two days since I posted which may as well be an eternity at lambing time. When we are not tending to births, newborns and other critters, we are making feeble attempts at mundane tasks like laundry, cooking, tidying up, and treks to the hay man, feed store, etc. There have been more births since I posted the last lamb picture. Let me try to bring us up to date...
Donnagh was licking and bonding with her lamb when I noticed she was squatting and straining quite a bit. Afterbirth coming, I thought. A half hour passed by with no afterbirth and it hit me...there must be another lamb in there. I gave her a dose of oxytocin to assist with getting whatever is in there out, and nothing happened. I slid my hand in...it's so much easier when they are fully dilated and wet...and sure enough, there was the head, not fully descended. I got a hold of it, which I always try to do with the dreaded lamb pulling device, and counted legs. You have to make sure you are pulling on the front legs with the head, not back legs. There is not as much room to work with as you think. My hand takes us the whole vagina with no room to spare. I cupped the head with all five fingers and pulled down and out. The lamb and legs came without too much resistance. I was concerned that it had been so long, but he sputtered before he hit the ground. No she should get better, I thought. The long prolapse saga was over...I had a ewe and ram lamb from her, good size, considering the difficult pregnancy. I was still concerned about her ability to be strong enough to mother them. We'll find out.
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