In this study we focused on sow responsiveness towards piglet screams which are proposed to have an important link to posture changes and early piglet crushing. A sow's responsiveness to screams of her piglets was investigated along the first 24h after birth, the period of highest mortality, in 15 lactating sows housed in farrowing crates. We compared the sow's response to playbacks of screams of trapped piglets to her response to a control sound during birth, 8–12h postpartum and 20–24h postpartum. We did the same with playbacks of screams of fighting piglets during nursings 8–12h postpartum and 20–24h postpartum. The sow’ responsiveness to screams of own trapped piglets was analyzed within the whole 24h and to screams of fighting piglets 30min between 8 and 12h postpartum and 30min between 20 and 24h postpartum. A sow was scored as responsive if she changed her posture in response to the stimuli. Sows had a four times higher response towards playbacks with screams than towards the control stimulus. The proportion of the sows’ responsiveness to screams (44%) of trapped piglets did not change significantly between birth, 8–12h postpartum and 20–24h postpartum. Sows responded to 28% of playbacks of fighting piglets by terminating a nursing independently from the time after birth. Playbacks and real screams of own piglets were similarly effective in evoking a response for both types of screams. There was no significant association between the sows’ responsiveness to screams of trapped piglets and piglet mortality nor between screams of fighting piglets and weight gain. In conclusion our results indicate that sows maintained their responsiveness towards piglet screams during trapping and during fighting for teats within the first 24h. Playbacks and real screams were similarly effective in evoking a response. We discuss the importance of the sound characteristics of piglet screams related to the sows’ response.