It's getting late after a long day with a laboring mama, but I couldn't wait to send out an update! Eight beautiful, healthy puppies! No idea on sexes yet - I choose to leave them as undisturbed as possible for the first few days. So that will have to be a surprise for later :).
Tuesday was the predicted date but Lucy has been showing signs since Friday that labor was close at hand. We almost hesitated to skip our tradition of getting our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving bc Lucy seemed agitated and was having a slight discharge. We ended up deciding to chance it with the plan to turn around should anything change. Thankfully, we made it there and back with a tree and no puppies.
Last night I was sure was going to be it. Poor Lucy was so unsettled, I knew something was happening. I spent the night on the couch to keep an eye on her. Unfortunately, all I ended up with was a sore back. But I will not complain about having birth during the day! At about 12:35 my son began yelling for me to come bc Lucy had squirted some fluid on the living room floor. I got her into the whelping box and a few minutes later, we had puppy #1.
Oddly enough, this is the exact same corner at the exact same time that I gave birth to my daughter 6 years ago! A magical corner, my midwife told me. I love it.
Labor progressed normally throughout the day, with a puppy arriving every 15-45 minutes. She had her last one right around 5pm. Just in time to get Thanksgiving leftovers on the table for the hungry and neglected family. Lucy and her pups consumed my day. But it was such a sweet and special way to spend my afternoon.
Whenever there was a lull in labor, I'd get Lucy up and walking about and shortly after there was usually a puppy. She was always reluctant to leave her pups for even a moment, proving to be an excellent mother. She's extremely attentive. The best way to get her up was to carry her puppies around a have her follow their cries. But movement was important to keep labor progressing for the safety of those remaining in the womb, even if Lucy wanted to linger with her sweet ones.
I kept Lucy going with some goat's milk and plenty of appealing snacks like eggs, turkey and stuffing. She was enjoying the pampering even through the hard work.
Well, I'm off to bed! More updates will be coming so stay tuned! And please let me know if you have any questions :)
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