It's baby time!!!

Christina R. · #1 10/28/05, 09:32 AM

Yesterday afternoon Corabelle just seemed different. She didn't seem to touch the hay that I left in the am, was munching a little bit of it in the pm, but I didn't add more and she didn't balk (that in itself is amazing, she usually eats, well, like a cow). Everything was sunken in and loose in the back end. Of course the poor gal's udder has been huge for the last week (My oldest daughter says its the size fo two of me). During the night she seemed to mostly stand around, was laying down once when I went down there, seemed a little moist, but if there was any mucous, it was very slight.

This a.m. her vulva is swollen (on one side almost like a bubble). It's supposed to be a mild day (53 degrees) with a slight chance of rain, hence mostly cloudy. God is good, today is the 1st day of hunting season, and in Flagstaff that's a day off from school (I guess there were so many absences on the 1st day that years ago they decided to give the day off to everyone as a "Fall Holiday"), so I don't even need to call a sub.

Now to just check and wait, hope the chickens in the yard don't drive her nuts, and post on here every now and then.

Thanks for rooting for Corabelle and I!!!

willow_girl · #2 10/28/05, 09:37 AM

You go girl!!! and Corabelle too. Here's hoping for a heifer!

Goat Freak · #3 10/28/05, 02:23 PM

Ditto to EVERYTHING that willow girl said. Plus Good Luck.

Christina R. · #4 10/28/05, 05:23 PM

SHE'S HERE!!!!!! There seemed to be very little stage 2 labor.... Corabelle only moaned twice...had about three big pushes and out came our little girl!!!!
She was born about 12:50 pacific time, weighs about 67#, nursed right away, afterbirth is already out, she even ran a bit until she took a digger. Bottom line, another beautiful, strong, healthy heifer calf from Corabelle.

This was her second and boy oh boy what experience does. Last year, she kind of laid there like "What the heck just happened?". This year she was immediately on her feet and licking her lil' one like there was no tomorrow.

God is good and I am smitten!!! Thanks for all the well wishes. I'll try to post pics tomorrow. This is what life is all about!!

Christina R. · #5 10/28/05, 05:36 PM

One more thing... I'm planning on milking her tomorrow a.m. even though I know it will still be colostrum (and go to the chickens). Am I on the right track? With her last baby, the baby nursed at will and I milked twice a day. That's my plan again, but I wasn't sure how soon after birth to start the milking. (Again see the udder size comment in my 1st post). Thanks again everyone!

pygmywombat · #6 10/28/05, 06:10 PM

It sounds like a good plan- and is exactly what I do when my cow freshens. Congratulations on the heifer!

Trisha in WA · #7 10/28/05, 06:35 PM

Christina,
What a blessing! Praise God for healthy babies and easy delivery! Congratulations!
Blessings,

MissKitty · #8 10/28/05, 06:54 PM

Congrats!!!!!!
Was Corabelle close or on her due date???
Our milk cow is due to calf the 16th of next month...she is huge...This will be her thrid calf...LAt year she had a heifer and the one she had before we bought her was a bull...so maybe this one will be a heifer also...I just want it and Ellie healthy...Give the baby a hug for us...My cow is named Ellie Belle..lol...MissKitty

momanto · #9 10/28/05, 07:36 PM

We Need To Start A New Forum "currently In Labor"

It Will Be My Turn - 9 Months From Next Feb..

65284 · #10 10/28/05, 09:39 PM

Congrats, that is a scene I never tire of. If you dont have any in the freezer it's might be a good idea to save that colostrum, never know when you might need it. I keep some frozen and have needed it two times.

dosthouhavemilk · #11 10/29/05, 11:22 AM

Congrats on the new baby girl!
You are welcome to the name Marmalade if that is what she says her name is... we aren't likely to use it again. Just happened that she told me ehr name before we lost her at such a young age.
After losing Marmalade and Queenie this past winter, we have gone on to lose another heifer calf this year. We have seven heifer calves from this year with three animals left to calve..only one purebred Jersey heifer...

MissKitty · #12 10/29/05, 05:23 PM

Ms.Ellie Belle sure has got big...and is due the 16th of Nov.
Her lasy year calf was alittle ...well big...heifer we named Griffin's Paramount Belle Star...that will be her registered name...she is Jersey...but to us she is Star Baby...
I usually always wait until after I get to know the calf before we name it...But soon as I saw Star I knew...she had alittle white star between her eyes...and truly she is the Star Baby of the Crippled G...Can't wait to see the pics of the baby...MissKitty

Goat Freak · #13 10/29/05, 08:14 PM

CONGRATS! If you can do you think that you could post pictures of the mama and baby, I just LOVE to see pictures of little babies.

Christina R. · #14 10/29/05, 09:01 PM

My son is going to help me do the pictures tomorrow. Today has been too hectic. I think I like the name Opal for the baby. My youngest daughter thinks only a white cow can be called that, but the calf just seems like an Opal. We'll see.

Corabelle's udder is still swollen outrageously, but this evenings milking at least got the teats down some. The milk flows fine, but I still started out using towels soaked in hot water to help things out. By the end I could palpate the udder a little bit. The baby nursed a long time after I was done milking (on her favorite teat). I'm trusting it is usual to have this much swelling. I think I remember her getting quite swollen last year too. I know she was swollen before birth, but I can't remember if she continued to get so big after. I know edema can cause problems, but this seems to be similar to what happens to us after our young ones come along (thank God not to this extent!!!).

The baby is eating fine, peeing, and sleeping a lot!!! She was getting pretty frisky once the sun went down. I haven't seen Corabelle lead her over to the water bucket yet, but I bet I see that within the next few days.

Thanks for being patient with the pictures!!

JeffNY · #15 10/30/05, 12:08 AM

Well what I came up with for a name, it has an interesting ring to it, it is Greek. Phedora and it means Supreme Gift.

I love greek names.

Jeff

Christina R. · #16 10/31/05, 09:15 AM

I have the pictures transfered from the camera to my computer. Tonight I should be able to figure out how to get them onto a post. If any of you have an efficient way to accomplish that, please let me know.

The edema seems to be subsiding some (if it is even edema). Should I be able to use her milk tonight or tomorrow? It seemed to have some colostrum in it this morning.

Lastly, when can I start feeding Corabelle alfalfa hay again. I know the end of her pregnancy and the 1st few days after birth she needs to have grass hay to avoid milk fever. How long to do I have to be careful? I used the last of the grass hay this am, but can get more for the pm if I need to.

Thanks for walking me through this. Can't wait to show you how cute she is!!!

Christina R. · #17 11/01/05, 05:51 AM

I think I finally get this posting pictures thing. Unfortunately my two favorite pictures were taken as video clips without the precious photographer knowing that was what was going on.

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2...2088jl.th.jpg]

That pic is of my youngest daughter and the lil' one she babysits. Opal is a day old.

http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/3...01935sp.th.jpg

That pic is about 1 minute after birth.

I'll try posting more tonight. The ISP keeps saying server not found.

Christina R. · #18 11/01/05, 05:56 AM

Okay, the second one works barely, and the first one doesn't work at all. I'll try again later.

LuckyCharm · #19 11/01/05, 08:54 AM

She's a beauty!! Good luck and keep us updated.