# Babies sucking off just one teat



## sandraH (Mar 1, 2013)

What do I do about this. One teat is a little bigger than the other. Started out the same but guess it got overloaded with milk. I did milk that teat a few times to relieve her.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 30, 2013)

I would go out and keep switching the baby to the other side so it knows that the milks just as good on the other side. Or you could tape its favorite teat until its hungry enough to eat off the other one.... once the baby grows it will need to eat off both sidesto fill itselfup.


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## sandraH (Mar 1, 2013)

I tried that but babies are 5 days old and have gotten conditioned to that side. I was afraid to tape it as They would have to go all night without eating.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Pick one kid, every time the same kid and teach it that teat. You may have to milk out out just a bit, so, it is smaller in size to allow the baby to latch on. Just keep at it, the kid will catch on. Anytime you see the kid on the wrong teat, correct it, by putting it on the teat that is big. 

Unless this teat is over sized, ballooned and a kid just can't ever latch on, is it that way? If not, then it will just take a short time and working with a kid to do so.


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## sandraH (Mar 1, 2013)

Well it does look bigger but not sure what ballooned looks like. I tried putting kid on it but the kid fights me. It wants to do it by itself. Mom encourages them to suck on small teat. She won't let me milk that one but will let me milk the larger one. Go figure.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Strange for sure.

A balloon teat is so big, that the kid can't get his/her mouth on it. 

Work with the kid anyway, open the mouth, squirt a little milk in the mouth, then, let the kid go, watch that it keeps to that teat, if it needs couching, tickle the tailhead area, it stimulates the kid to go to that teat. Repeat and go out every couple of hours or so, and keep working with the baby. If the kid is full don't force it to feed. But to teach and train the kid, open the mouth insert teat and squeeze a little milk in the mouth, release the kid. Anytime you catch the kid on the wrong teat, show the kid that teat, be persistent. 
The kid will eventually catch on, it takes a little time.


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## sandraH (Mar 1, 2013)

Thanks I did get it to nurse that teat. Will try again in the morning. Its not too big for his mouth. They are ND. Small teats anyway.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good to hear. Keep up the good work. :grin:


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