# Contractions?



## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

OK so this is a dumb question but.. will you "know" when your doe is having contractions? Or is it one of them things like "Well, I'm not sure if it was a contraction, it could have been" I guess my question really is: Are contractions pretty distinct? Thanks in advance!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

What are you seeing?


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Well I thought yesterday she may have had a small one. Her rump raised a little bit for a lil while and that's what I have seen in the videos on youtube.. no more though. And this morning she's not acting like she's in labor like she was yesterday..


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Did she try pushing at all? That is when she is in true labor. And should have her first kid out within 30 minutes or less.

Sometimes they can shift their babies, because they are pushing on the spin ect causing discomfort and pain.

They can be in pre--labor for a few hours to many hours, which is stretching, standing up most the night, pushing their head into the wall or corner away from the herd, up and down a lot, throughout the day, they may eat some then lay down get up again, but do not want to be with the herd.. 

Contractions: you may see her tummy moving in a strange pattern, jumping around kinda on her right side. 
If you look at her from behind and she has dropped(almost looking less preggo) her kids are working their way to the birth canal. She will look more sunk in in the hip bone area. Her stomach will be a lot lower.
She may lay down, but have her front end up, staring upward, you may see her flip her lip up like a buck does or yawn a lot.
When she is in true labor, you may see her water break, which is a big gush of gooey clear liquid on the ground, this is not pee, she may squat as if she pee'd. A lot of nesting(pawing at the ground), getting up and down a lot. If you see an amber clear tube like long looking discharge, it will happen shortly after seeing that. She will start pushing soon. When that begins, watch for the bubble to appear and see if the kid is positioned properly. You want to see a nose and 2 hooves, it you don't she will need help to reposition the kid. 

How is her udder, is it tight or just filling?

Does she still have her ligs? 

Is her tailhead sinking in looking and her tail drooped?

Do you have pics of her?


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

I have read a lot of articles, magazines, websites, blogs, watched tons of videos, etc. I don't believe she has pushed yet, or at least I have not seen her push yet. She is stretching, up and down a lot. She is by herself, with a chain link fence between her and my other goat (he is Nubian buckling; they have been this way for around 3 months) Her udder has been filling; however I believe in the past 12-24 hours it has been getting tight. I can't find her ligaments exactly; I have tried several times but I believe they are loose or gone. It does look like her tailhead is sinking in and her tail is drooped. I could get pictures but it is hard to get pics of her & hard for me to upload them. I guess I could get some though. She is showing many signs of early labor; however one thing she is missing is discharge. She has had no discharge so far. She keeps licking/biting her sides, looking behind her, talking to her babies, standing on things with her front legs only, yawning, belly dropped, etc. I thought yesterday I saw that her stomach had gotten smaller and her vulva was opening up a little, and bulging and I thought I was going to have kids last night, but obviously nothing yet.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Wow, it is so hard to say, wish I was there to look at her. She does sound to be getting closer, her udder all of a sudden getting tight is one indication along with the way she is acting.

Sometimes you might not see a discharge until it is happening. 

It is hard work waiting, wondering and worrying about them and when they will kid. All we can do is wait and watch. 
Use your best judgment and if she seems to be under any duress, she needs help. 

Is she eating?


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Thanks! If she was really bred when the buck's owner said she was, then she's due this week.


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Yes, she is eating like a pig! Lol!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good luck.


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