Aggression in pig after giving birth

Question
Hello,
We recently rescued a pot belly pig who was pregnant. She had her piglets two days ago and we are now seeing a complete change in personality. She has been a very sweet and affectionate pig, but now we are seeing her get aggressive toward us. I have read that this her behaviour is normal and will that she likely return to to her usual self as soon she stops feeling the need to protect her litter so much. My question is how best to deal with Mama pig in the meantime. Should we step back and let this phase pass or should be we standing up to her so she doesn't get the impression that she's the alpha-pig?
We are totally in love with our little piggy and want to make sure we are doing our best with her.
PS - I've ordered Priscilla Valentine's book, but it won't be here for another week

Answer
Yes, pigs often have a personality change when the babies are little. It's a tricky situation, you'll have to find the balance between ignoring the grumpiness while keeping her behavior under control. She should calm down considerably in a couple of weeks, and be completely back to normal in about a month or two at most.

Usually the aggressiveness is centered around protecting her piglets. It's very important to socialize the babies, but in a way that doesn't upset Mamma pig too much. A frightened screaming baby piglet will usually make Mamma pig crazy. So move slowly around Mamma and babies, always tell Mamma what you're doing (I'm going to fill your dinner dish or here's fresh water).

If Mamma pig doesn't want to be touched or handled, it's probably ok to leave her be (I'm assuming the labor went Ok and there's no complications). But, you'll have to be able to get to her food and water dishes to feed her, so don't let her charge you while you do those chores. If she tries, get a garbage can lid or tv tray and use it as a shield so she can't attack. Don't reprimand her, just prevent her from hurting you.

Sit quietly near Momma and babies, far enough away so it doesn't upset Momma too much, and let the babies come to you, explore you and sniff you. Tell them you're going to touch them before you try, even the tiniest babies like belly rubs. Once they feel comfortable around you, in your lap and being touched, start lifting them just a little. Keep the spine fully supported! Also, it's good to let them get used to playing and exploring inside a crate or carrier.

When the babies are comfortable being held, you can start some one on one training. Keep each session short, no more than three minutes at first. Take them inside, let them explore a safe room like kitchen or bathroom while you're with them. Show them a harness, let them sniff it, then gradually try putting it on. Babies aren't really big on treats, but you can try teaching them simple commands like "come" and "spin".