Hi all,

Well my girly has now been in the first stage for at least 10 hours (that's when panting began). It's been a good 2-3 years since my last litter and I can't remember how long her first stage was last time! Only real memory from the birth was how fast the pushing stage was, she literally had no breathing space, all pups came very quickly!

She's alternating between nesting, pacing, panting and being generally unsettled to falling asleep with heavy breathing. Wondering what everyone else's experience of first stage is/has been?

This can easily go on for up to 36 hours, but of course vary so much between bitches.

Knew I was in for a long night! I daren't go to sleep as she was so quiet in second stage last time....luckily I'm used to night shifts!

10 hours? Is that all :-D

Hahaha thanks Tanya, you've made me feel so much better!

Just keep on with the caffeine and carbi snacks and you'll be fine :-D

>Well my girly has now been in the first stage for at least 10 hours

OMG!  It is so different to my breed.  If one of mine had been in first stage for 10 hours I would have a seizure. 

She's fast asleep now, I called her a toad! It's easy to stay awake when she's panting, not so much when she's snoring!!

>I called her a toad!

How very restrained of you!  :-)  :-)  :-)

She'll be called worse if I'm still waiting tomorrow morning!!

Just a note of caution here ..... if she's over her due date by more than 2 days, I'd get her looked at.   Inertia can happen.   First stage and that's it!   But take somebody with you in the car, and a box with a warm pad and your whelping gear - sometimes a car ride can get things moving.

Thanks mamabas, we had a really long first stage and a worryingly long first pushing stage with no sign of anything at all with pushing for an hour..I was on te phone to the vet when number one was born in a hurry!

She's since had 7 more, all live and kicking bar number 8 that was stuck fast and had to be manipulated out, she was flat so had to be resuscitated but is doing well now. I think there's at least one more to come but mums taking a break at the moment and nursing well. We do have two missing placentas, one of which I think came with a subsequent puppy and mum ate before I got to it and number 8's that was completely detached before the pup was born so will be keeping an extra close eye out for signs of retention! 

Congratulations. Now the fun begins lol

Glad to hear that she's ok.  Well done.  :-)