It’s a girl!

Minutes old After a long night of labor, Pearl had a very easy birth of a gorgeous baby girl sometime around 6 in the morning. I’d heard her go outside after a bunch of stomping, told her to go walk it off, and laid down for a nap. She had the baby just outside the stall door. She passed the afterbirth minutes later, and the baby was up and walking with a few more minutes.

Unfortunately, she roots around and nuzzles in all the wrong places and by 10:00, still hadn’t nursed. I tried every trick I know with lambs, but could not get a sucking reflex, so called the vet. He met us out there, and we agreed that she needed to be tubed. We used the EZ milker to milk the colostrum from Pearl, which worked really well, and got a full bottle into the baby.

I’m leaving them alone for an hour or so to see if some alone time and the magic of mama’s milk will help things out before I head back. I really hope that does the trick, as I am not looking forward to another bottle baby. Pearl is dripping milk, so that’s not the issue.

I’m so tired! What a long night. Cross your fingers that she gets the hang of nursing right quick like!

Also, names! We need names. Cassie suggested Patriot, but she was born two days after the 4th of July, and Patriot isn’t that girly of a name, you know? With Prince and Pearl and them all being Percherons, I think we want something that begins with a P too. Suggestions?

If anyone has a magic wand, please send this way, pronto.

5 thoughts on “It’s a girl!”

  1. Congrats! and don’t worry the baby will be fine. personally i love the names Petra, Penny and polly but choose what fits the foal good luck

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  2. Congrats!

    Here are some P names: Pooka, Puki (little devil in icelandic), Piper, Pepper, Phoebe, Pauline, Pandora, Petunia, Pansy, Peony, Poppy, Portia, Placida, Prima, Pyrena

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  3. >>Pooka, Puki (little devil in icelandic)

    And for that matter Pandora, pretty as they may be, are not names I’d hang on something that’s going to weigh just under a ton. Horse names shouldn’t in theory carry the baggage people names do, but I’d rather not take the risk.

    I am fond of Petra though.

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  4. How about Phaedra? It’s an F-sound, but begins with a P.

    Although I do like Polly for a draughthorse. My boy is Paddy (Paddington), but I toyed with Prado – the feminine, Prada, is a bit Sex and the City for a big girl like your filly!

    Congrats. I remember how buzzed I was when Paddy was born.

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