Labor Imminent? Or Delayed?

When Phil came in from chores this morning, he said, "I think the cows are getting ready to calve." That had been my thought lately, too. I noticed Bethany had a swollen vulva earlier this week (and I read about uterine prolapse, which made me wake once in a cold sweat, convinced that I was going to have to stitch the baby back in side).

Bianca's back end has now also swelled up. Phil noticed a viscous fluid oozing out of Bianca this morning; that could be the mucus plug, in which case, labor is imminent. (It could be something else, I suppose, but I don't know what.)

We purchased a used commercial refrigerator on our way home from church. With the promise of milk to come, our teeny dorm fridge and the motor home small fridge are not, we hope, going to be sufficient. I had looked at cragislist at intervals for the last several months, and never saw a commercial refrigerator. Didn't see one in the local swap paper, either. This week, though, I checked rather randomly, and there was one for sale, for the exact price I had in mind. God so faithfully provides!

When we reached home, Bianca's head seemed lower than normal. She lay down, and, while we sat in the car and watched, stood up again. That's a sign of labor!

The book said to check certain ligaments for loosening. I am not sure I checked the right ligaments, but what I felt, felt relaxed. But maybe I'm just feeling skin?

In watching Bianca closely, she appears, at times, to strain. I watched her urinate, and while she did so, she panted heavily, and continued to strain for a few seconds after voiding. A contraction? Maybe. But it is so infrequent; can it be labor?

Ack! What a learning curve!

And what makes it worse is that we thought we saw two contractions about two minutes apart, right as I was on my way to a ladies' night out with women from church. So I stayed home, and spent an hour watching the cow do pretty much nothing. I hate making the wrong choice!

After a short nap, I awoke to strong fears about birth. With a 50% live rate of sheep, and with such a strong desire for healthy calves, I am fighting panic.

Farming is not for the faint of heart. But sometimes I am faint of heart.

P.S. We decided what to do about Fern, if her AI didn't take. We considered buying a bull for Fern, just in case she isn't bred, and then either keeping the bull for the cows in a few months, or killing the bull for meat for us.

I think we've decided not to purchase a bull. We might change our mind, but for now, we're within three or four months of the cows needing to be bred. If Fern's AI didn't take, maybe we buy a bull in December, and use the bull for all three cows.

I'm hoping the AI takes, though.