[littleacorn]

Could someone tell me how long a sow (4th litter) should be pushing before the arrival of the first piglet? Thanks

[HappyHippy]

It depends on your definition of pushing really 

If she's labouring (lying down panting, back leg coming up to the belly and changing position) it can be a few hours, if she's lying and actually straining (and you see the vulva bulging as she does) it shouldn't be much longer than an hour, sometimes less.
Hopefully as I type you'll be seeing piglets born, but if not you might need to think about doing an internal just to check none are stuck (remembering to give an anti-biotic jab if you do)
Good luck & HTH
Karen 

[littleacorn]

Thanks very much for your reply Karen.   
Yes she was straining and had been for a couple of hours.  We have had pigs farrow before but I have never had one go more than an hour without a piglet appearing.  I decided to get in there (never done that before either) and there was a piglet stuck, coming face first, so I tried to pull it out, but couldn't.  I called out the vet who also had a devil of a job as the piglet was upside down but eventually she delivered it - and it was alive! amazingly enough.  Vet helped the next one out too and I have just come in to get dry and have a cuppa then I am back out there!  Hopefully the rest will follow quickly and easily - for the mum's sake (and mine!).   
 

[HappyHippy]

Glad to hear she's delivered 
Hopefully all the rest will follow without any problems 

Congratulations on the first two  what breed are they ?
And if you happened to have photo's, we'd love to see them