MIDWIFERY IN THE COUNTRY

The first time I ever delivered babies I was totally unprepared. Willing. Excited. But unprepared. We were visiting our friends over the mountain. He came running in before lunch saying one of his ewes had been in labour for far too long, she was in distress and needed help "NOW!" My husband without a second thought volunteered me, Mrs-Hippie-Organic-Doolittle. His reasoning was that I had smaller hands than the men. My friend, despite being a very capable homesteading wife was not about to stick her hands "in there"! So off we went.

The poor Dormer ewe was straining and obviously exhausted. Delivering the babies was not easy. There were three. They were literally tied up with each other. They were deformed. And they were dead. It was not a pleasant experience. In fact it might have put me off except that I cannot bear to stand idly by and watch an animal in distress. In the subsequent years I have delivered many babies, mostly sheep. Most of them survived. But the yellow coating over the newborn body is always a telltale indication of a stressful labour. I have learnt that there are a number of factors that influence a complicated birth. Lack of suitable grazing. Too high protein. Stress, being among the most common causes.

For some reason of all the livestock I have raised and worked with, the sheep are the ones that struggle in labour. Generally the sheep are also the ones that reject their babies. I've had to be nurse maid for stubborn goats who have little patience with their newborns. However only once have I actually delivered twin goats; that because the mother was mastitic due to neglect.

Farming with animals is a big responsibility. But extra care needs to be given during pregnancy, birth and the subsequent weeks, which are the most vulnerable time for the mother and babies. I ensure that their immune system is strong and they are dewormed - naturally. My goats will happily feed on olive leaf, wormwood, cloves and garlic as well as aloe ferrox. Cattle are not as finicky. Sheep are rather more complicated. I prefer chopping up aloe ferrox into the drinking water of the animals. It grows wild here and is an incredible medicinal plant. Probiotics is very important. During and following birth I give a special concoction of my own; with minerals, blackstrap molasses, salt (himalayan) and probiotics. I also like to give kombucha, which my goats will fight over.

On occasion we have had a mother reject her baby. There are any number of reasons for doing so. Poor living conditions cause a mother to either sacrifice newborns to save them suffering or to ensure her own survival. A weaker baby is abandoned but will often be restored to mama with some subsidizing. Interference with the newborn by other animals or well meaning humans also causes a mother to reject her baby. However it is possible to reunite mother and baby. Not without some effort and tricks that the old farmers used. The best being to cover the baby with the mother (or adopted mothers) afterbirth I have successfully had my goats adopt another kid using this method. It is quite remarkable to experience.

They say blood is thicker than water. But so is the instinct of love.