First loss on homestead - Placenta presented first?

Tabgirl · #1 06/11/12, 10:04 AM

It's with a heavy heart that I post this. At about 9pm last night our sweet little boer (first timer) had *goo* - not a ton but a thin string (comparing to my last experience). I knew she was getting closer that morning since her udder was getting really tight and full. She labored for about 1.5 hrs and I checked her. I couldn't feel any feet, noses, nothing---just what felt like fleshy insides--so I figured the baby wasn't even near the canal yet. She labored for about another hour, didn't seem like hard labor compared to my last experience, and I checked again. Still only felt that 'fleshy' feel (felt like a firm organ)

I was so puzzled, but figured she was just going to take a while (since she was a first timer) and was still in early labor. Finally about 30-45 min later (not sure, I kind of lost track of time since my phone died) she seemed to be in full labor, contracting every minute, but there were no signs of a baby. I could see something pressing hard on her though, she was definitely pushing 'something' out! When I saw it I started to panic, I didn't know if she was pushing part of her body out (my mind was racing, was I going to have to put her down??!) So I went in again (poor thing) and tried to feel over and around the 'fleshy' part -- and I felt bone, that felt like legs.

I end up reaching in and pulling him out as hard as I could with the next contraction. He was upside down and backwards, but the placenta presented first, I had to reach around it to get him out of her. We tried so hard to revive him (not know how long he had been without o2 - his cord looked milk white). He was warm, but definitely gone. *ugh* It's going to be so hard to break the news to our boys, I know they understand about life/death...and this buck would've been food for us. But it's SO hard to lose them in birth! He was a gorgeous boy.

Know of course I want to know the HOW, WHY, and WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN?

Does anyone have any experience with a placenta presenting first? Thanks as always, you all are THE BEST!

Oh and all of this in the middle of a MOVE --- there is never a dull moment around here, and I know you can all relate.

Alice In TX/MO · #2 06/11/12, 10:08 AM

My sister was born this way. It's a complete emergency.

I'm so sorry for your loss. We know your heartbreak.

The only advice is to go in after 45 minutes. That's sort of the benchmark time frame for checking for issues.

It takes a while and some train wreck delivery experience to be able to "see" what is going on inside based on what you feel.

Hope the dam is doing OK today.

Again, I'm so sorry.

Oat Bucket Farm · #3 06/11/12, 10:45 AM

So sorry you lost the little guy. Sometimes it just happens that way.

Tabgirl · #4 06/11/12, 11:01 AM

Thank you so much Alice, you are always so helpful & kind.How scary that your sister was born that way!!!! Did your mom have a csection?

As a newbie, I am just being really hard on myself--I just sobbed hard about an hour afterwards--wondering if I could have done anything differently. I know there are just some things you can't learn without going through them. I had NO CLUE I was feeling her placenta, I was closing my eyes and praying asking "what am I feeling?!" and didn't want to injure her by *digging around* in there. Especially because she did not like me in there!

The dam is doing well this morning, she did pass the afterbirth last night and I just got her up and we walked around the yard for a nibble. She is looking for her baby though....sigh.

So now I am wondering if this is a fluke thing, or is it safe to rebreed her (when the time is right of course) will she be prone to this? I wonder if anyone knows...

Just got off the phone with my hay guy that's delivered thousands of sheep and cattle, he thinks it was a prolapsed uterus....now to see what a uterus looks like!

Alice In TX/MO · #5 06/11/12, 11:03 AM

Yes, mom had a C section, and my sis was only 2 lbs and 3 oz. She's fine today, approaching 60 years old!!

No, placenta previa is a fluke, and it's not likely to repeat. I'm evidence of that.

Ford Zoo · #6 06/11/12, 12:23 PM

Alice is right, placenta previa is a fluke. Your goat is lucky, one of the risks of vaginal delivery with it is hemorrhaging, the other is fetal death. You did all the right things, none of us would have known we were feeling previa unless we had felt it before.

Based on what you described, I'm not thinking she prolapsed. Keep an eye on her for post partum issues, but if she's doing well (no excessive bleeding, no signs of pain or infection), I'm sure she'll be fine.

Sorry for your loss.

luvzmybabz · #7 06/11/12, 12:30 PM

With placenta previa it was going to happen one way or the other. It has to do with where the placenta attaches itself to the mother's womb. This happened early in development. So if it was placenta previa there was no indicators really and only c section could have helped. I had one human child that was considered high risk they thought at first placenta previa but it was not exactly but very very close I was able to deliver naturally but went a few weeks early induced so all the doctors could be avaliable if necessary. Did not need them. However that is when I found out Pitocin the devil drug. And I hate giving the goats oxytocin because I know it is painful!!!!

mrs.H · #8 06/11/12, 12:40 PM

I'm so sorry you lost your boy. I hope you doe continues to be fine.

andabigmac · #9 06/11/12, 02:47 PM

Sorry about your baby. It's rough. My second son was a placenta previa baby. He was born c-section. I had a mare do the same thing. She started hemorrhaging though. Luckily I was there and had a super horse vet on the phone talking me through pulling the baby. The filly died but we were able to save the mare. It was touch and go for a while though. I'm glad your doe is okay. It will probably never happen again so try again.

Goat Servant · #10 06/11/12, 07:48 PM

Everyone has said it so well, sorry for the loss.

The Tin Mom · #11 06/11/12, 09:17 PM

Wow, is this your first year? You did an amazing job! I had to have a friend force me to go in on a girl that we knew we probably couldn't save, either way.

I am so sorry for your buckling, but it sounds like you did everything possible - from the other posts, it appears that your doe would have been lost as well, except for your quick thinking. Don't beat yourself up, you did good!!! The loss of the buckling is really hard, but it could have been so much worse except for your response to the situation!

Zilli · #12 06/11/12, 09:40 PM

I am sorry for your loss.

I wonder if a round of antibiotics for mom would be a good idea?

anita_fc · #13 06/11/12, 11:30 PM

Wow. There is no end to the new stuff one can learn on this forum. I've never heard of this condition before. Thank you for sharing; kudos for your response; and so sorry for your loss. :-(

noeskimo · #14 06/12/12, 12:30 AM

My placenta previa is 31 yo old now. Both of us almost died, and I took a lot of transfused blood fix it.I know we're fortunate. My "premie"-almost 2 months early, was 7lb 11 oz, and almost 24 " long. He's 6'6 3/4" now.

Sherry in Iowa · #15 06/12/12, 07:51 AM

I'm sorry for your loss..but I have to say that you did an excellent job. Maybe you could have gone in earlier..I probably would have. BUT..if the cord was white..I am going to guess that the baby was dead for a while before momma went into labor. It felt warm because momma's body kept it that way.

Again..you did great. You learned a lot! Keep on keepin' on!

Minelson · #16 06/12/12, 07:53 AM

I'm so sorry for your loss

((hugs)))

where I want to · #17 06/12/12, 08:44 AM

It's so hard to know what to do when you are new to something. I'm usually dithering about what is better- doing nothing or doing something I have never done.
You have my sympathy for the loss. And my thanks for posting this as I never heard of it either.

Squeaky McMurdo · #18 06/12/12, 11:37 AM

In people, placenta previa is usually accompanied by a lot more bleeding in the pushing stage then the regular amount that comes with the cervix stretching. Is the same true for goats?

Tabgirl · #19 06/17/12, 08:40 PM

Well now that our move is done (just in the unpacking chaos phase now) I can finally THANK YOU all for the encouragement, love & support. You all brought me to tears, and comforted me more than you will ever know.

This was such a hard thing to go through, especially in the midst of a very stressful move. It's so hard to move, let alone move livestock (all 7 goats, one horse, one jersey cow and a berkshire pig) and we had some of the worst thunderstorms with torrential downpours. When it rains it pours, literally!!

Our sweet little Piper is doing great....I didn't do a round of antibiotics as I like to allow the body to fight off infection, but have kept a very close eye on her. She had a small tear at the top of her vulva, I gently cleaned it and treated it with betadine. It's healing beautifully.

She cried for the first day or two (looking for him I think) but as soon as we got moved into our new place (which is just stunning, grass covered 5 acres of livestock and people HEAVEN) she has totally calmed. She is very clingy with me now, always wants to snuggle up and talks to me so sweetly. I feel like we have a very special bond now. I think we will supplement her with some kelp and try to rebreed her in the fall. I know she will be a wonderful mama.

I am so thankful to God above that we didn't lose both of them, I know it could've been so much worse. It was hard enough to bury that sweet little boy....

Thanks again all, you are a blessing!!!

Ranger · #20 06/17/12, 08:55 PM

I'm so sorry about your baby. No, it doesn't sound at all like a prolapse. I had to deal with that on a friend's goat this year, and it was totally different. You did a fine job with what you had and what you knew.