The Big Sister just got off the phone to my Mum. Mausie and JC don’t have any phone service at their property at Black Duck Creek at the moment. They went into town this morning and called to check in.
While we were talking, the Big Sister made it known that wanted a word with Nan, by attaching herself to me like a limpet. I eventually handed the phone over - it’s too hot here for clingy kids - and Nan told her what she and Pop have been up to since we saw them on Friday. 
This is Lucy. Well, she’s Lucy since the Big Sister named her twenty minutes ago. Lucy was born on Friday. She’s the first calf for her Mummy and they’re both struggling with their new roles.
Lucy doesn’t understand how to get milk out of her Mummy’s udder. So Lucy is hungry and her Mummy has a very swollen, and I imagine very sore, udder. I was in a similar predicament with my first calf, so Lucy’s Mummy has my sympathy.
Having gigantic norks has always been a hinderance. Learning to feed the Big Sisterwas no exception. I woke the morning after my milk arrived, caught my own nude reflection in the mirror and laughed until tears ran down my leg. What were these things that had swollen to twice the size and threatened to restrict my arm mobility?
As the day went on every nurse had a different idea about how to handle my gargantuan, rock-hard boobies. Eventually, I held the tiny, hungry Big Sister like a football and used my other hand to ensure the remainder of my massive mammory didn’t smother her.
Lucy’s Mummy has a couple of lactation consultants of her own - on the unlikely form of my Mum and Dad. JC has been milking Lucy’s Mummy - to reduce the pressure and help stave off mastitis.
Lucy’s Mummy isn’t a dairy cow, and doesn’t appreciate that JC is try to assist, so she’s being a little less grateful than she could be. Or she’s doing to JC what I really wanted to do to the fifth lactation consultant who told me something different to the four before her.
The good news is, that so far she’s missed JC. He’s got pretty quick reflexes for an old fella.
Mausie has been dipping her fingers into the Lucy’s Mummy’s milk and trying to teach Lucy to suck. I only wish I was there to watch the show.
Thanks to Mum and Dad for letting me* share these photos that they snapped and emailed to the Big Sister from their smart phone(!).
I'm pleased to say she's still partial to a drink of milk, despite our difficult first days.
do you have kids?
did milking come easily to you?
*Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission
coloursofsunset says
Just the one 5.5 year old so my memories are already hazy of that time. It didn't come naturally but I soldiered on and about 6-8 weeks later it was easy as pie. I might have LOL'd at your tears running down your leg comment. what a cracker! and what a gorgeous calf. Interesting to know animals can have lactation problems too. I always just assumed it came naturally to them - much like most human lactation consultants and pro-BFers believe!
mamagrace71 says
Oh my! Those are giant norks, or what??! And us females thought we had it bad!
Although I must say, I did feel like a bit of a cow when I had a twin sucking on each nork at the same time...
mummywifeme says
I haven't heard the word norks for years lol. Thanks for bringing it back. How gorgeous does Lucy look? I hope she and her mummy settle into a good rhythm soon enough.
Dawn Pereira says
What a lovely story and Lucy looks beautiful. Malcolm would have loved to be there with JC to help feed Lucy. He says you need to fill a rubber glove with milk make a small hole at the end of each finger and use that to teach Lucy how to drink milk.
EssentiallyJess says
I was a particularly great cow, and it all came very easily, which I now realise was a huge blessing! Lucy the cow is very cute. I hope she and her mum work it out soon.
Have a laugh on me says
Yes the rugby ball hold was how I got to feed my kids, my boob was about 3 times bigger than their head at birth, NO A WORD OF A LIE, so it was trying, think I got to a H at one stage. Those puppies have gone now and left some quite undesirable things in their place, but MEH, that is what underwise/push up bras are for. It's sad when calves and lambs don't thrive, nice to have a helping hand at times xx