# Contractions?



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

I have a doe in labor (I have another thread about her) her contractions are really hard to tell. How do y’all tell your goats are having contractions? I know eventually it’s not even possible to miss but the early ones are hard to see, at least for my doe. She stretches her neck in weird directions, she grunts, moans, grinds her teeth, her eyes get huge, her legs get posty, and she will immediately come up to me. What confuses me is she rarely shoots her tail up, her vulva hasn’t sunken in, and her tail bone doesn’t really arch. 
Can you describe contractions in your goats, what you look for, and/or share pictures? Thanks in advance!


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

How do you know she is in labor? They can seem to have contractions but it isn't.


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

ksalvagno said:


> How do you know she is in labor? They can seem to have contractions but it isn't.


I have another thread in her that I asked if she was in labor and everyone said she is. They said she can have contractions without the vulva sinking in but I just wanted to be able to tell when she is having one.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Early stage labor you simply may not see them. They are obvious when in active labor.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

You really didn't have to make another thread, when it is being answered there.

If she is contracting really bad, she needs help. 
This doesn't seem normal and we are not able to do hands on, it is impossible to say. What is happening.
This is your other thread. 
https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/goat-showing-signs-too-early.213485/page-2#post-2394615


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

toth boer goats said:


> You really didn't have to make another thread, when it is being answered there.
> 
> If she is contracting really bad, she needs help.
> This doesn't seem normal and we are not able to do hands on, it is impossible to say. What is happening.
> ...


Sorry I thought it was a different subject. Must have misunderstood the rules.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

* Goat Showing Signs Too Early and contractions are the same doe with the same issue. 
*


----------



## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

If you won't get a vet and don't know of anyone to help you need to glove up and go in to check your doe. If she did indeed have hard contractions, babies should have been on the ground within 30 minutes or less. Wash hands, lube and reach in . If she is open you should be able to reach in almost up to your elbow and feel what is going on. If closed, you will hit a wall.......


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

goatblessings said:


> If you won't get a vet and don't know of anyone to help you need to glove up and go in to check your doe. If she did indeed have hard contractions, babies should have been on the ground within 30 minutes or less. Wash hands, lube and reach in . If she is open you should be able to reach in almost up to your elbow and feel what is going on. If closed, you will hit a wall.......


Oh really I thought it was 30 minutes after pushing. I researched and found that contractions last 12 hours, that's incorrect? 
And if I do go in, no gloves? I have gloves I've used for fecals.


----------



## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I am very confused by your posts. If you feel she has been pushing with no kids, yes always go in. We are not there to observe your doe, so it's hard to know what you are seeing. you can go in without gloves if you wash completely and lube up. Main thing is to get those kids out if your doe is in trouble. Risk is death of doe and or babies. Please be prepared with iodine for navels, colostrum, bottles towels, etc. if necessary for babies. B-complex and Bo-Se as well if you have it....


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

goatblessings said:


> I am very confused by your posts. If you feel she has been pushing with no kids, yes always go in. We are not there to observe your doe, so it's hard to know what you are seeing. you can go in without gloves if you wash completely and lube up. Main thing is to get those kids out if your doe is in trouble. Risk is death of doe and or babies. Please be prepared with iodine for navels, colostrum, bottles towels, etc. if necessary for babies. B-complex and Bo-Se as well if you have it....


What is confusing you? 
She has been having contractions for a couple days but they aren't severe and her ligaments came back so I thought it was fake labor. This morning she started having full out contractions but no pushing or mucus plug. It's now 2:00pm and I'm starting to worry. Her ligaments went away again this morning.


----------



## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Full out contractions? Without pushing? We can't see your goat. Go in and see what is going on. A mucus plug can be lost 30 days prior to kidding. Really trying to be helpful - you just need to see what is going on with her.


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

goatblessings said:


> Full out contractions? Without pushing? We can't see your goat. Go in and see what is going on. A mucus plug can be lost 30 days prior to kidding. Really trying to be helpful - you just need to see what is going on with her.


Yes full out contractions without pushing. 
I am going in to feel what's goin on.


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

goatblessings said:


> Full out contractions? Without pushing? We can't see your goat. Go in and see what is going on. A mucus plug can be lost 30 days prior to kidding. Really trying to be helpful - you just need to see what is going on with her.


What can I use as an lubricant? I don't have vassiline.


----------



## Abby Wootan (May 7, 2020)

Well with my goats its not always the tail that says when they are having contractions. Sometimes they will lay down and stretch out their back leg and their whole body will tense.


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

Abby Wootan said:


> Well with my goats its not always the tail that says when they are having contractions. Sometimes they will lay down and stretch out their back leg and their whole body will tense.


That's what she's been doing! Sometimes she'll get tense while standing up too and stretch her neck out. I didn't know that was a thing among goats!


----------



## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

You need a sterile lubricant - can find at Walmart, etc - not vaseline.


----------



## Abby Wootan (May 7, 2020)

yeah we had the same problem with our first delivery


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

I called my vet and he explained to me what is happening and said not to intervene. Everything is normal and she’s moving through the first stages of pregnancy.


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

Green Mountain Farm said:


> I called my vet and he explained to me what is happening and said not to intervene. Everything is normal and she's moving through the first stages of pregnancy.


*labor


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I hear your concern and even you are not sure. 

If at all, we wonder what is happening, the true tail is, to wash up, or new rubber glove up, lube and go in. It only takes 2 fingers, gently go in and check. 

If you hit a wall and can't go any where, she is not ready. "Closed".
If you go through and feel a hole,"opening", she is open.

Do know, if you haven't been watching her 24/7, she may of already tried to push and was in true pushing labor. If they do that for so long, they tire out and the urge for pushing, may stop. 
She cannot proceed, if she is not dilated or the kids are not in proper diving position. Sometimes a C-section has to happen, if she does not dilate, even after manually trying. 

A quick gentle check of the doe, will tell you a lot. And if she needs help. 

If you can post a video, it may help more, so we can see what she is doing.

I know pre-labor can go on for 12 hours or so, with some does, however, you said she has been doing this for days now, way too long. IMO


----------



## Green Mountain Farm (Dec 31, 2019)

toth boer goats said:


> I hear your concern and even you are not sure.
> 
> If at all, we wonder what is happening, the true tail is, to wash up, or new rubber glove up, lube and go in. It only takes 2 fingers, gently go in and check.
> 
> ...


I tried posting a video but can only see how to do pictures. How do you do it?


----------

