Barnyard hero

Yesterday I got to be the hero in our little barnyard. Had I not been there, my kid's pet goat and her unborn babies would have died. I knew Betsy was in labor, but it was dinner time and nothing had started. We ate dinner as a family and I quickly headed to the barn to check on the pregnant momma. She had been pushing for a while and was getting tired, the baby was stuck. Baby goats are supposed to come out with the two front legs first with the head inbetween. This little one had only one leg and the head...the other leg was bent behind it keeping him from being born.

Now I knew what I needed to do since I grew up raising goats and could remember watching my mom deliver a baby one time. As a nursing student, I spent some time in obstetrics as well..not exactly the same...but close enough. I'm glad the moment of urgency overcame any disgust of what needed to be done....and I just did it. I pushed the baby back inside and found the other leg. Jake was holding Betsy, who was not very happy with me....she tried to get up but only managed to turn herslf over to the other side. Great! This caused the baby's leg to free up which allowed me to pull him out safe and sound! Soon after that his sister arrived safely on her own!

I was so blessed to be a part of this incredible experience. It is amazing the emotions that you feel when life is saved...be it a person or an animal. Yes, it is kind of gross to think about what I did, but to see two healthy little babies running around and nursing from their momma....is enough to overlook it all!

My kids were able to be there and watch the miracle of birth. God's creation is so perfect! It made me tear up to watch these little babies search for their mother's milk...God created that in them! A tiny, weak, and wet little baby goat gets up and nurses from the mother within minutes of being born....within a few minutes of nursing, those babies are perky enough to begin to play. Amazing! We have an awesome God!