As Winter gives way to Spring, I look forward to kidding season and welcoming the new babies into my herd and my heart. This year suddenly changed the way I move through this special time as COVID 19 dropped on our world. Sharing birthing experiences with new shepherds and sharing new babies with visitors to my farm is how I share my love of shepherding. COVID changed it all in a blink.
Kidding still happened but it was different. In fact, most of my daytime kidders birthed at night...like REALLY at night… after midnight at night! This shepherd who is in bed by nine was now answering the call to midwife under the light of the stars. This is how Luna and I met. Sophia, a first time mamma was in labor all day on the 7th of April. A cursory check around my bedtime told me she was close but I decided to have my husband listen to the monitor and watch the camera on her stall while I slept a bit. Just before midnight he woke me and I trekked down to the barn under the beautiful, full Strawberry Moon prepared to welcome these kids Earth side.
Her delivery was the most text book of all the does that had kidded so far with the first two sliding out head and feet first, mamma knowing how to clean them up as I stood aside giving her space to be a new mom. Soon after both kids were up and looking to nurse, Sophia squatted and delivered another package. At first, I thought it was the afterbirth but upon closer inspection, I could see that it was a wee kid still encased in the sac. Somehow, I knew this wasn’t good...just knew. I opened the sac and freed the kid...she was alive but incredibly tiny. I dried her off with Sophia’s help, but she was very frail. I moved Sophia and her three new babies into a clean stall, still trying to assess the tiny one who was still not able to stand to nurse. I could see that her tiny front legs were bent at an odd angle and had a deep feeling of concern for this tiny new baby.
I sat with them and hoped the wee one would get up, that Sophia would know something to do that I didn’t...but she didn’t. In fact, she left the wee kid and focused on the other two who were clammering for nourishment and attention. Probably my clue to leave the barn and go to bed. But instead, I gathered her wet, cold body up and tucked her inside my shirt, wrapped my coat around us and sat...warming her and waiting for some sign of what to do next. I sat there for nearly two hours listening for answers. Maybe because the moon was extra full that night, or maybe because my moon principle in Goodness, holds the animal kingdom, I couldn’t walk away. With her little body still moist, but warm now, I carried her to the house and with my husband’s help, I slid into my bed and held her while I slept, hoping she would live until morning.
I was awakened by the sweetest little whimpers and a little nose searching for food. I had brought some of Sophia’s first milk to the house in a bottle but, she was so small and weak that I used an eyedropper to give her the milk. I took her down to her mom and held her up while she attempted to nurse and gave Sophia space to lick her and be her mom. I did this every two hours for days before she was able to stand on her own. I milked Sophia and gave her a bottle every two hours just to make sure she was getting enough nourishment to thrive.
Her mama and siblings seemed to know she was special and gave her plenty of space to get strong, always treating her with kindness. As she got stronger and learned to use her bent legs she joined the herd and, in spite of her disability, she began to bounce and show off her little goat moves. Her special gifts bring joy into my life. She is my shadow as I milk and takes walks with me in the pasture, she loves to take naps on my lap while the mamma’s graze, and she loves to be held up to eat leaves on the maple tree. She still talks to me in that same sweet whimper as she waits for me to heat her bottle... saying goodbye to Luna will be bittersweet.
Many of our 13 babies have already been placed in new homes. Luna has been adopted by a special family with a heart for people with trauma. I think Luna will have much to teach them. She will be leaving our farm soon with her sister, Ava and her mamma, Sophia. She will take a piece of this shepherd’s heart as she takes her place in the world.
This shepherd’s heart loves big and is trusting Goodness to oversee the details. I’m giving Luna into the world to deliver her special gifts, hoping I did the right thing that special night under the Strawberry Moon, holding her close and loving her into Life. Such a sweet goodbye.
