Birth and Bonding

In this country, we interferer with birth to the point of causing problems. 
The medical community could learn a lot from the animal community... and midwives.


My husband and I have a small farm, and have had many animal babies born on this farm.  We currently raise goats and sheep, so this time of year means new babies.  It is difficult to know exactly when the birth will occur, because we just do not have our farm set up for keeping the males away from the females, so...well stuff happens!


We just have to watch for the 'signs' of impending birth.

Goats and sheep do not necessarily have a nesting that occurs, and by all appearance, do not complain of  the actual labor pains and birth while it is happening.  Most of the time, they do not  birth during the day, but will wait until the sun goes down, so sometimes in the evening until early morning is when they birth.  


It has always fascinated me that they have always just delivered fine without any help...no interfering, no starting labor, no augmentation of the labor, no helping the birth, nothing!  It is very rare that they need any help at all!  


The only thing that we  notice is-we really have to watch for the signs of impending labor, so we can get them into a private stall, so they will settle down, and deliver...with out nosy other animals around them.  The only real problem we have had, is when we miss these signs, and they deliver in the herd-then often the new first time mothers will not bond well with their baby and that interferes with the nursing process as well as the continued bonding.


We have had a lot of snow and ice here this last week, and today-thankfully was a warm day...or the first little baby would not have survived.

A few weeks ago we had twin baby lambs- (see above photo)


The next mother delivered today-before we got home.  My husband and I had to examine each female sheep to see which one showed signs of having had a baby...(not easy and very frustrating for the sheep) as the moisture outside -had cleaned up all signs of blood, so a true exam was needed since there was no 'blood trail'.

We found the new mother, put her with her baby in a nursery stall, assisted in helping the baby to nurse-but this mother still wanted to reject the  baby.  After we were sure the baby had nursed to receive some colostrum, we then brought the baby into the house and fed it from a bottle.  How I hate that!
But the baby had to eat-
It did not want the artificial nipple, (smart baby)  but it did eat some, and also ate milk off of our finger...it received enough nutrition and was now acting more alert-so out to the mother again to see if she would accept her baby.   
As my husband sat there holding the mom and baby, they finally began to bond well....he was thinking, well I think it will be ok now-
then he heard a sheep enter the barn, baa a few times ...  My husband looked up and thought-that tail on that sheep looks like a face...
Out came a baby lamb!


It was the first one he had witnessed in over 3 years!  
The newest mother and baby was left alone, and she-another first time new mother-cleaned her baby, allowed it to nurse, encouraged it to stand, took care of her baby.  When left alone from humans, and other animals-a new mother does well.  


The earlier delivery, that mother was within the heard of sheep when she delivered-thus was not alone with her baby so no bonding.  I think that is why it was so difficult for her to accept her baby for so long.

So why have I went on and on about this?
Because with humans, we too need to be 'left alone' and allowed to bond.  If not, the nursing process is interrupted, the delivery of the placenta is interrupted and these things do not always go well after the interruptions....


We are considered a mammal-
GOD has a perfect design for all animals-all creatures, all mammals-a design that is to be left alone.  The birth, if you do not interfere -allow to progress as HE has designed, will often go along without any problems...in its own time.


A mother left alone (or in a quiet place -her place of safety) will progress well, and a mother and new baby left alone, will have a bonding process that assists with a wonderful nursing process.  


The Art of Birth...a GOD designed miracle...