# New & confused about Labor



## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

hello. I welcomed my first ever goats on January 2. They are Nigerian dwarfs. I was told the doe was pregnant and would kid at the the end of January. Ok. I did my research and I'm always up for learning new things. She still hasn't had her kids. Ok the breeder was off on dates. No biggie. I began to question if my girl is really pregnant and made a vet appointment to confirm BUT the day before (last Sunday) she started discharging. I called the vet she cancelled our appt. . It was not her mucus plug and then she started acting like she was going in the first stages of labor. I could still feel her ligaments. They were soft. The next day, all signs went away. She never bagged up but her teets were starting to swell. Now 4 days later, All signs have disappeared. Her ligaments even seemed to get harder. Can someone please help me to understand what is going on. The ONLY sign I have seen is last night she was stretching and made a nest in her straw. Otherwise, completely normal. I'm sooo confused right now. Any thoughts would be appreciated. 
Thanks. ~Lisa


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'd have the vet check her and verify pregnancy.


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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

I just made the appt. Thanks.


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

I was in the same boat last year. I was told my doe was already pregnant. I waited 5 months and had a very pregnant goat by then, but no babies. Goats can't handle stress and I'm thinking that she was so early in the pregnancy when I picked her up that she lost the kids without showing any signs. I've read that the tendons can come and go within a few weeks of birth, and their udders don't always develop before they kid. Do you have any pictures of her from the top or side? Some goats have fat bellies, but the very pregnant ones that I've seen were MUCH bigger, and noticeably uncomfortable at the end of the pregnancy. 
Keep us posted on the is she/isn't she question!


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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

I have pictures. I've tried to upload them twice and can't figure it out. 
I will post as soon as I get it figured out
THANKS.


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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

Try number 3


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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)




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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

Flowerfarmher said:


> hello. I welcomed my first ever goats on January 2. They are Nigerian dwarfs. I was told the doe was pregnant and would kid at the the end of January. Ok. I did my research and I'm always up for learning new things. She still hasn't had her kids. Ok the breeder was off on dates. No biggie. I began to question if my girl is really pregnant and made a vet appointment to confirm BUT the day before (last Sunday) she started discharging. I called the vet she cancelled our appt. . It was not her mucus plug and then she started acting like she was going in the first stages of labor. I could still feel her ligaments. They were soft. The next day, all signs went away. She never bagged up but her teets were starting to swell. Now 4 days later, All signs have disappeared. Her ligaments even seemed to get harder. Can someone please help me to understand what is going on. The ONLY sign I have seen is last night she was stretching and made a nest in her straw. Otherwise, completely normal. I'm sooo confused right now. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
> Thanks. ~Lisa


I took a look at your picture, and she doesn't look pregnant to me. At least not about ready to give birth. :blue: Maybe there's something you're seeing that isn't apparent in the photo though. Goats are great at hiding what's going on in their bodies. Does her belly hang pretty low to the ground?

It is possible that she is pregnant, but still in the early months. In that case, the only way to know for sure if she is pregnant is to have a blood test done by the vet. My vet said a doe has to be at least 30 days pregnant to show a positive test so if your's comes back negative, at least you'll be able to plan for breeding and know a specific due date. I made the mistake of letting my doe run with my buck because I was told she was pregnant when I bought her. Long story short and several months later: I have a very pregnant goat, and no idea when she might drop.

With my doe, I didn't think "wow, she looks pregnant!" until she was 2.5 to 3 months along. By then, her belly was sinking closer to the ground and stuck out a bit from her body on the right side. (In case you didn't already know-the left side is where her rumen is, so that being big doesn't indicate pregnancy.)

I'm attaching some more recent photos of my doe for you to compare your doe to. The first picture is her last week, and the other is from 3 weeks ago. It may be hard to discern because of her position in the older photo, but she's gotten MUCH bigger in the past 3 weeks. She also doesn't stand up to eat hay from the feeder anymore either. I think it's just too hard physically for her. She is also breathing a bit heavier and obviously uncomfortable when she lays down. Is your doe showing any signs like these? Of course, if you feel the right side of her belly and feel someone tap dancing and head-butting, then you'll know for sure. I've had the most luck feeling babies kick when my doe lays down for the night, about 30 minutes after I feed everyone and lock them up for the night.

I know this was a super long response, but I hope at least some of it helps! Please keep us posted on what the vet says and if you have any other questions! :-D


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

Oh, I forgot to add: does often have a thick white discharge when they are in heat. Back in August, I was sure my doe was about to go into labor because she had a bunch of mucus all over her backside, just like in your picture. She wasn't even pregnant! :brickwall:

They also have discharge when they are getting ready for labor, so it isn't cut and dry. Just like most everything with goats. :faint:


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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

Thank you for responding. That means a lot to me. I FINALLY was able to get in touch with the lady I bought my lil' bits from and she told me that she must not have taken the first time she was exposed to the buck but was exposed a second time a month/month and a half later. Which means she isn't due to kid for another 2-4 weeks. Having said that, she may not have taken at all. I called the vet and she told me to wait to bring her in. I suppose we are doing the wait and see treatment. ugh. No biggie. If she is pregnant, I'd rather wait. At least the temperature won't ne quite as cold. I will keep you guys posted. Thanks again for taking your time to reply! :thankU:


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

No problem! The "wait and see" game is tedious, but in the long run it is the best thing. And just to follow up- the heavily pregnant doe in the picture I posted this weekend went into labor on Monday and only had 1 kid!


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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

Congratulations!! WOO HOO. but ONE KID?? Wow. She was huge! 
In my uneducated guess, I'm guessing my little girl is NOT pregnant at all. The woman I got her from seems a bit confused (being polite). My girl isn't getting bigger at all. Maybe her belly is getting bigger on the bottom but maybe I'm over feeding? I saw her wagging her tail a little bit yesterday. I've read they do that when in heat. I've still got my labor bag ready and waiting at the door, just in case. I will be so happy when this wait and see period of time is OVER. When you get time, post a picture of the baby. I can live vicariously through you. HAHA


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## jblynnb (Feb 9, 2016)

Flowerfarmher said:


> Congratulations!! WOO HOO. but ONE KID?? Wow. She was huge!
> In my uneducated guess, I'm guessing my little girl is NOT pregnant at all. The woman I got her from seems a bit confused (being polite). My girl isn't getting bigger at all. Maybe her belly is getting bigger on the bottom but maybe I'm over feeding? I saw her wagging her tail a little bit yesterday. I've read they do that when in heat. I've still got my labor bag ready and waiting at the door, just in case. I will be so happy when this wait and see period of time is OVER. When you get time, post a picture of the baby. I can live vicariously through you. HAHA


My doe's belly did start to hang down pretty low at about 3 months, but she got bigger in the sides at the same time. When she was in heat, she did wag her tail, but it was a bit different than a normal wag. They call it "flagging" I think. I had my labor kit ready and waiting since August, so I get where you are coming from!

Here's a picture of baby and mama the day after he was born. I'm thinking his name will be Valentine. It's his dad's nickname, plus he's got a little brown heart on his side.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

So cute.


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## Flowerfarmher (Feb 11, 2016)

Oh my goodness. Sooo adorable!!


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## BoulderOaks (Sep 24, 2014)

Did she end up being pregnant?


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