I have just finished delivering my first ever litter and am shattered.I didnt realise how tiring that it would be and emotionally draining.I lost the first pup as it was breech and i couldnt revive it unfortunately however went on to have 5 others (2 of which were also born breech,alive i hasten to add). I did not know that there could be 4 hours between pups, so i assumed that we hadfinished and cleaned all up only to deliver one more.I had a small time where i got very tearful as the mum was trying to give birth to her last pup and also nurse the 4 puppies she already had, she got very fretul doing both jobs at once and didnt like me moving the pups away from her feet just beside her in a heated basket.Anyway now the fun starts, i will be sleeping in the room with them for a while. might let you know how they are in a day or so...wish me luck. By the way the title to this post i think means i wouldnt like to do this again in a hurry. Far too stressful, shed a tear or two during the process...

Well done.

Just a small point.  Unless a pup is born bottom first it is not a breech.  About half of pups are born feet first and half head first.

I lost a pup in my last litter, born head first, but must have got a lot of fluid on her lungs an it was hard to get her breathing ( she gasped like a fish out of water) and I lost her the next day, -probably because the lungs never expand enough.

Sadly soem pups just don't make it.

Enjoy all the others.

Oh and occasionally a perfectly healthy pup can be delivered the next day.

It is very hard work, and sometimes heartbreaking.  Well done, enjoy your litter.

Lisa

the first pup came out tail first, i had a hard job getting hold of anything to pull.yes and probably had lung full of water. 2 other pups came out back legs first, but as i said they are ok.
Spent most of the night in the whelping box until 4.30am when i had to get couple hours sleep.
all seem fine, although bitch will not lay on her side so all pups can suckle,only using 2 teats at a time.

Well that sounds like a true breach, but even if born without this you can loose them.

I find some bitches are so intent on cleaning they make access to the teats very hard.  I would let her clan them up and then roll her over onto her side to expose all one row of teats,a and then also make sure that she uses the other side if she has a preference for lying one side.

My Lexi was the opposite she was always almost belly up so pups could get o all 10 teats.  It made it hard to get any of those nice Mum and pup pictures.  Her Mum on the other hand was not one that made things especially easy for the puppies, she was a washer.

Another reason some bitches don't roll over is they are a bit tense and worried so they don't relax enough to roll over.

With mien I find that after four days the pups are big and mobile enough and Mum careful enough to get past the crushing risk.  Crush bars are only a help with pups at the side of the whelping box, not when she flops on one in the middle.  Though they are not a heavy or clumsy breed, I did loose a pup that way on the first night after a long labour.

Sounds like you need to arrange a friend to come watch them for a few hours while you get some sleep! It does sounds like it's terribly hard work, but so rewarding too, I'm sure you will think so when they start growing and wriggling! :-)