My info is purely anecdotal.  I have also bred dogs for the past 12
years.  It has been my experience that when my dog is  whelping, she
will usually want me at her side.  My youngest dog was even more
'clingy' in labor.  She actually wanted to sit in my lap!  I had to sit
in the whelping box with her during her last labor (more than 10 hours
and 9 puppies later!)    However, if anyone else in my family were to
enter the room, she would stop her panting and stare at the intruder
until they left.  During a previous labor, I wanted my young son to
witness a birth.  The dog would never deliver with him in the room!  As
soon as he left, however, she would push out the pup.  I'm convinced I
was awarded the privilege of being her doula because I am the one who
provides the majority of care (feeding, grooming, training, etc.) for
the dogs and am part of their 'pack.'

Also, in the immediate post-partum days,  these new moms would only
leave the whelping box to go outside to void/stool. I vividly remember
my first dog, the ultimate mother, actually had to be carried outside
for this purpose!  Most would not even stand up to eat or drink if the
pups were nursing at the time (which was almost constantly in the first
few days).  The bowls of food and water  would have to be placed where
mom could reach it while nursing.

Now, extrapolating this to human labors and deliveries....  Wouldn't it
be nice if every labor was attended by trusted support people only, and
babies were not separated from mothers except for a bathroom break, and
nourishment was brought to the mother, etc...

Sometimes I feel that  the medical community has brought us great
advances;  but also taken us a few steps backward.

Debbie

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