Presentation: Normal Nose Between Toes

Head and front feet first. When the baby begins to pass through the vulva you will most likely see two hooves first. As the doe continues to push you will start to see the babies nose. This indicates that the baby is properly positioned. You may see the baby’s tongue, don’t worry, that is normal and the baby is okay.

What to do:

In short, nothing. Once you have identified that the baby is properly positioned let the doe do her thing and be ready to clear the baby’s airway when it hits the ground. If you would like, you can grab the feet and gently pull as the doe pushes, this will help her not lose progress, but its not necessary.

Presentation: Normal, but Big

Sometimes you might have a baby that is presented properly (nose between toes), but because the baby is so big the doe is struggling to deliver. Hard labor may be lasting longer than it should and you can tell the doe is struggling.

What to do:

If you can see that the baby is positioned properly, but the doe is struggling to deliver there are a few things you can do to help.

1. Gently pull the legs with contractions. Extending the legs helps free up some room for the head to pass.
2. If the doe is having a hard time passing the head, you can lubricate around the vulva with KY jelly. This will help the big head pass through more smoothly. Run your fingers with lubricant in a circle around the vulva and the baby’s head. This will stimulate it to open up more. You may also see the baby’s head bulging through the doe’s pelvis  and you can gently push the baby’s head down and out. (see the video above for more detail).
3. If the doe has passed the head but is struggling to pass the shoulders, try pulling one shoulder through and the other should easily follow.