As Alex my new and simply stunning Dexter heifer arrived …
… as Tima, the kunekune gilt, completely out of the blue, without any prior warning whatsoever, went into labour. She had no udder, was not wide or obviously pregnant. She never created a nest. She was eating and drinking like there was no tomorrow. And she kept pushing her body under straw. She slept all day like that. And it was not cold. She was in labour.
By six in the evening she was in full labour. By 6.30 I was able to help Tima by pulling that first and only piglet out, but I was too late. The piglet was dead. Still-born. And dead is dead. Dead does not come back to life. There is no reviving dead. In the end you have to lay that body in the cloth, wrap it and put it aside, then turn and start fighting for the living.
She gave birth to that sole stillborn piglet, then she began to bleed, not much, but constant, then she began to shake. I have never seen a pig shake like that. She was in shock. Her body was shuddering and her legs were out of control shaking. I wrapped her in my jacket then ran back to the house for a blanket and warmed her with that as well. I filled a hot water bottle and put it underneath her. Then lay down beside her. Slowly the shaking diminished and she drifted into a deep natural sleep, then she began to snore. And as her snores mingled with the snuffles of Tane, who had been asked to stay in the corridor for the duration, the whole barn began to breathe a sigh of relief.
By eight she expelled the afterbirth and I checked her hourly . Still she slept with her head under the covers refusing to get up. After midnight when she was clean I brought Tane back in with her. Who do you want to see at this time of your life? – someone who loves you. Of course. Luckily for Tima the one who loved her was her mate.
Tane got Tima straight up out of the bed with his nose. I brought in some corn – a rare midnight snack and after fighting over that, Tima had a good long drink of water laced with molasses. Then so did Tane. Then they rearranged the bed into a double and went to sleep. I rewrapped Tima in her pig blanket just to be sure. She said, Thank You. Tane said, where is my blanket and Tima kicked him from under the covers.
Sad that we don’t have pile of cute mini Tima babies but in the end my loyalty it to Timatanga Moana. It is sad that her baby died. But I cannot tell you how glad I am that Tima is ok.
As I walked back to the house through the dark after midnight it began to rain. Ton left the barn and ran ahead to the house. For the duration of Tima’s ordeal Ton had stood by her gate. (Boo stayed inside) Even as I moved back and forth Ton stayed outside Tima’s pen. As we jogged back through the rain that last time I wondered how he had come to the conclusion that her ordeal was over and he could join me in running for home this time.
What can we learn from these animals? I wonder. Get over stuff and get on with life? Do the job then move to the next with a smile. Toughen up!
Alex we will talk about tomorrow. She is a stunner. A wooly mammoth in miniature. She immediately made friends with Naomi and as I was working with Tima in the next stall these two laid down quietly together and went to sleep. She is not as naturally friendly as Carlos so I will have to train her over the winter. If all goes well she will be a milk cow and milk cows need training as we all know!
Losses are part of life. We know them, we bow our heads to them for a time of mourning or remembrance. But life is alive. Pick up your head – It is ALIVE – for the living, this short life of ours. Fight for it!
Thank you little piglet born still and without life. Your wee life was worth it.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
101 responses to “Stillborn”
My heart goes out to you. You take care of the practical aspects while you must and deal with the loss later. It’s life but life is yin and yang. I’m so sorry this had to happen and glad sweet Tima is holding on. Loss is so hard. It’s lovely that Tane is there to comfort and care. Animals can teach us so much. I hope you have a wonderfilled Thanksgiving in spite of the heartache. Giant squish hugs to get you through.
You are your Squish hugs!! I bet they are everyones favourite! c
Sadly C, I am not tough at all!
Have a happier day today.
🙂 Mandy xo
Oh I think you are quite tough enough, Mandy! Look at all you do – c
Oh dear, what a shock. Sending you great big comforting hugs from way over here.
Morning Veronica, a shock yes in more ways than one.. c
So sad to hear of the stillborn piglet, but so glad to hear that Tima is recovering. Nature definitely works in mysterious ways. It could be that there was something terribly wrong with the little one and Tima’s body rejected it. You never know. Alex is definitely a stunner! That dun color is my favorite… Mazel tov on the new addition to the farm! Happy Thanksgiving.
She is a gorgeous colour isn’t she and when the sun hit her yesterday she all but glowed. Now I will set to work to tame her! c
Poor Tima thank goodness she had you to look after her, poor little piglet. Your new heifer Alex looks lovely.
She is a stunner isn’t she Janet, I wonder what her calf will look like – c
This is so not the news I was expecting. Tima, however, will live to see another day. I think it safe to say that on just about any other farm, Tima would have been lost, too. It was your care that saved her, Celi. No doubt about it.
Not the outcome I expected either but it was too early.. And now we have a rainy windy dull day – perfect for my mood today..,, contemplative.. c
I’m glad you were able to help Tima. Her body must have recognized this was not going to be a normal pregnancy-no signs. I’ve had to help our dog deliver a stillborn and there is always a pang. I hope everyone stays healthy and I love the look of the new Dexter heifer.
Poor wee thing – but raising piglets into the deep winter would not have been fun for her either.. Lets hope she and tane can arrange a spring delivery next..
I’m so very glad you were there to attend to her! I wonder what you must have thought was happening to her, as her pregnancy was not apparent? No matter, you saved her. I pray for a quiet day for the whole Farm today. Just quiet and peace.
Yes, a quiet peaceful day sounds like just the thing – ! thank you carla.. c
so very sad for the wee little piglet- but so very wonderful the loving care you gave and always do give to your precious family.
Have a lovely day today – we are thankful to have you and your farmy in our lives- even if it is only via internet!
Isn’t the internet amazing! For us to be able to gather every morning like this! c
I’m glad the little piglet knew it was time to go to save Tima. Lessons and reminders in the cycle of things come at all times.
Oh, how sad! But I’m glad you still have the Mother! I love how animals communicate with each other (and us). When you are with them all the time you can understand them.
Linda
Sigh – what a night you had! I am so sorry the little piglet didn’t make it, but if it was early it was for the best as who knows what problems it could have had.
And Alex is adorable – a mini mammoth! I love the wild woolly look! I hope she settles into a sweet easy to work with milk cow for you. Did you say she is already pregnant? When is the calf due? Have a great day my dear friend, and try to get a nap or two !
Yes she is already pregnant, checked by a vet so fingers crossed. He thinks about June I think – I will have to check my diary and get back to you but it is not in the same month as Lady A which is good.. c
I know you will be watching for anything even slightly off, so I’ll just say glad it wasn’t a worse scenario and I hope that little girl recovers fully. Good job you were there.
yes i am checking her regularly but she is very active today, and doing all the normal things… poor wee thing.. c
Sorrow and Joy! So much of both these days. Many first time mothers have trouble, this spring you’ll have babies! Happy Thanksgiving from Texas.
Hopefully! thank you pat.. c
The tears keep coming here. As John said, this so not what I was expecting. I cannot begin to say how sharing the intimacies of this life you lead touches me and clearly every single one of The Fellowship. The depths of sorrow and the heights of joy. The extraordinary behavior of Tane and Ton! How extraordinarily different Boo and Ton are, yet so extraordinary in how they see their roles and act on them.
We have so much to be thankful for and I am especially thankful for you, Cecilia.
Alex really looks like a wooly mammoth, and like manicmumdays said, I’d love to bury my face in her fur.
Tane was such a star, he just waited quietly in the corridor answering her if she called out.. c