Ebbie went into first stage of labour at 12 midnight, still no signs of straining or pushing, just lots of panting, some digging and shaking when having a contraction. You all know it's my first time, how long do I let her continue before contacting a vet - she is fine in herself except she doesn't like the fact that I won't let her on the settee or my bed!!!!!!! Today or Wednesday are her due days.

Nikki xxxxxxxxxxx

Good Luck Nikki - have you been taking her temperature? It will drop about 12 hours before actual labour starts (but it sounds to me as if it is starting anyway).

Hope all goes well - let us know!

Margot

If she's been having contractions for some time without anything more happening, you need to contact your vet, though sometimes the first stage of labour (panting, scratching, digging etc) can go on for 24 hours before proper contractions start. Are you sure you have seen contractions? Has her water bag appeared yet? I normally would call the vet if contractions have been going on for longer than 2 hours without a puppy being born. When our Cocker bitches are v near to having the first pup, they often keep straining to pass a poo - I know things are moving when this happens :-)

Good luck!

Thought I'd try and clarify contractions. The first ones are not actually "pushing" contractions but the womb contracting a little - working up to pushing. She make shake and you will se her tummy harden and "lift up a bit", these are not "pushers". I count the time from the first real pushing contraction, where the is no doubt that she is pushing. From that time a puppy shuld be born within 2 hours. If it gets to 1 hour 40 mins and still no puppy, I ring the vet and warn him I may be coming in and get the car ready with vet beds on the back seat, a bag ful of clean towels, pair of scissors and torchif its dark, box for pups with hotty botty. Try not to worry, 3 times in the last 5 years or so we have had to have a c section, one time we did not actually get to the vet for 3 hours after the first push and we had all live puppies, though I was very lucky. Good luck.

Good luck Nikki., we are thinking of you :D

Nat
xx

Good luck with the whelping ! :)

Good luck Nikki, this will be me in the next few days.

First pup was born at 8.15 pm - 3 so far - 2 gold and white girls and 1 gold and white boy, mum ok, they are feeding well. Not sure if there are any more.

Nikki xx

What breed are they???

Congrats :-)

well done-how are you coping - :D

Any more come yet???

I'm waiting up in anticipation!!

She could keep this up for 24 hours or more, or may move into serious labour anytime, on average 6 to 12 hours in my experience.

It is only time to call the vet if she has had expelling contractions for an hour and not produced a pup. they look like waves.

If you are unlucky enough to have a bitch with inertia she may not go into second stage, and Ihad to have a bitch C sectioned after two days of on off first stage labour that did not progreess, and she was overdue.

hehe
maybe ur lagged - she's had 3 already!! lol

btw I let mine go 1 3/4 hours of pushing with her first pup... there was no distress - just a big pup - although I've got to say I was giving her 10 more minutes!!! thats what i said after an hour !

Whelping is over - there were only 3 - all gorgeous, i got what i wanted a gold girl - got 2 to choose from, and little gold boy, there are gonna be some disappointed people out there, never mind. All i care about is the fact that mother and babies are doing fine - she wasn't interested in the first 2 at all, she helped a little bit with the third, but now - feeding and cleaning them, and protecting them - which is what i was worried about. Glad the whelping is over - i'm shattered, 3 nights with no sleep already, and no sleep tonight either - another night on the settee. Which is why i came on here lol.

Nikki xxx

its a bugga isnt it-welcome to the world of zombies :)

Lol i'm a zombie anyways - i come on this bloody thing and keep saying i'll log off in a second and end up on here most of the night, got to go back to work tomorrow - good job my ex is around to look after the pups - or rather not so good - could of blagged a day off - lol.

Nikki xxx

have you enjoyed it all then???? its exhausting isnt it, i think we push every push with them!! those rippling contractions make me wince :(

It was very nerve racking but i loved every minute of it - especially the what sex/colour. And yes being a mother of 2 - i did feel every one of those contractions. I don't suppose i would of found it quite so enjoyable if there had been any serious complications, two of the pups were legs first and the other was a breech, but she seemed to cope well with the labour, she didn't want the pups at first but now - she doesn't want to be apart from them.

Nikki xxx

Well done to the new mum :-) Glad all are doing well. You'll not have much sleep for a while yet - I always just doze with an ear open for at least the first week or so :D Do you have solid gold pups or particolours Nikki? Just wondering as you said your pups were gold & white to begin with? Just being nosey as I'm interested in Cocker colour genetics & I seem to remember Mum is a solid black?

Jane, I'm always interested in learning about other breeds. Is it usual to mate a solid cocker with a parti colour? Would you consider Jakiboys's pups to be mismarked solids or heavily marked roans?

Hey Congrats on finally finishing... thought i'd never get to bed

lol

so what breed are ur pups?? What did they weigh??

Mine didnt take any interest in her first pup but when the second pup arrived she decided she like the first one better lol

Sorry - I meant to say before - they are cocker spaniels, first 2 pups weighed 350gms, last weighed 280gms, they look the right size - haven't converted into ounces so not sure but they are very active and all are sucking well.

Nikki xx

IF ur anything like i was u'll be totally knackered and on high... mine gave birth 3 weeks ago yesterday she started at 4.30pm panting had the first one at 3am and 2nd one at 4am... I fell asleep at 2.30pm that afternoon and woke at 3.30 realised i had to pick the kids up from school at 3pm and panicked...

Is this ur first litter?

Congratulations - you've got what you wanted - and can choose which once you keep yourself!!! Enjoy the next few weeks whilst Mum is doing most of the work - its when she stops that your hard work begins.......

Margot, the poop picker-up!!!!

Ahhh Nikki., congratulations !!!! Well worth the sleepless nights!!

I want to see piccies ASAP !!!! :D

Nat
xx

congrats Nikki !! Julie:)

Congrats - glad all went well

Sweep x

Congratulations- hope all is still fine and going well;)

Stacey x x x

Awwww, I'm getting broody! I enjoyed my pups so much, I'm jealous, trouble is, I don't want another addition for another couple of years, and I wouldn't breed a litter without planning to keep one, but I WANT SOME PUPPIES!!
Enjoy them, they grow up too quickly!
Liz

New topic on cocker colours started here