Author Topic: Ewe in labour but not straining. (Read 3829 times)

Smashy and gang · « **on:** May 02, 2011, 10:01:39 pm »

One of our ewes went through a text-book first stage of labour yesterday - pawed the ground, turned round and round, stood up, sat down, sniffed the ground, licked her lips etc. After a couple of hours of this a water back popped out (she may have strained a bit for this I don't know, I was up making a cup of tea!) but then .... nothing. The water bag burst and she sat down, very contentedly and didn't move. No straining, no raising of her head, nothing. After 30-40 minutes I investigated and found a rump-first presentation which I was able to correct to rear feet first and deliver without problem (other than more blood than the others). A second lamb was head back but feet first and I managed to rope the legs and use my hand to keep the head forward and again all was well.

I'm just interested as to why she didn't strain. Is this related to bottom-first presentation? Or something else?

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** May 02, 2011, 10:13:03 pm »

There does seem to be a correlation between non-straining and dead lambs / abnormal presentation. We had quite a few lambs that simply didn't play their part this year, didn't turn around, engage, and the ewes waddled about with wet bottoms and either no straining or only the occasional squat thrust. A few hadn't even opened up and we had to 'work' the cervix to get her opened up.

Rosemary · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2011, 08:47:20 am »

That would be my (limited) experience too. We lost one lamb which was presenting badly. Lesson learned for me - if she looks she's in labour and not straining, get in and sort it.

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #3 on:** May 03, 2011, 09:36:44 am »

I am not a "birthing" expert, but I am sure I read/heard somewhere that it is the unborn foetus that releases the chemicals which cause the mother to go into labour, so perhaps if there is something wrong at their end the mother doesn't get the correct signal

Will be interested to know if this is the case

All the best
Sue

VSS · « **Reply #4 on:** May 03, 2011, 10:11:24 am »

Abscence of straining is quite common with breech presentations. You also see it with head down.

Smashy and gang · « **Reply #5 on:** May 03, 2011, 04:38:16 pm »

Thanks for the replies - another time if I had a ewe not straining I would revise how to deliver abnormal presentations before 'going in' - this time I was up to my elbow and had a friend shouting instructions from a book which was effective and comical but not a cast iron guarantee of success!

Love the 'squat-thrust' expression - I know exactly what you mean! Our experience this time did make me think that, had I not witnessed the initial birthing signs I wouldn't necessarily have known she was in labour.

Thanks everyobe.