# Help! Mama won’t lick or nurse newborn



## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Goat is a first time mom who just had a girl. So far she hasn't cleaned her or nursed her. I'm not sure when she was born. In the last 5 hours when I wasn't home.

I just got here. Placenta delivered. Baby walking around but mom hasn't cleaned her and won't let her nurse.

Help! I don't want to go in and get involved if I'll mess something up. It's 55 here and I brought them into the shelter.
View attachment 147771


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)




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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

dzt66 said:


> View attachment 147773


Hold or tie mama up so the kid can nurse several times a day for several days or until she decides to care for it. You need make sure the kid gets colostrum very soon even if that means milkin mama and bottle to the kid for now. You may need hold the kid to the teat to get it to nurse. First time mamas sometimes dont know what to do and need be taught. Sometimes it clicks and all is well, sometimes it takes more time and others mama jus wont do it. But try to get her to care for the kid unless you want a bottle baby. You also need get the kid dry.


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## The goat girl (Feb 13, 2019)

Yes, I agree.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Yes, towel the kiddo off. Is the mama scared of the baby? Also, is the baby trying to nurse? If baby is not trying to nurse, it's possible she already got a drink, but tie mama and hold baby up to a teat to see if she tries. If mama has pushed her away several times, the kid may have given up and needs some encouragement. Squirt a little milk out of each teat to clear any wax plugs. 

Make sure there isn't a physical reason why the mama won't let baby nurse. If the udder feels hot and inflamed, she will probably need to be milked out by hand to relieve pressure, and in that case you'll need to watch for mastitis. 

Best of luck! Make sure that baby gets some milk in her soon, even if you have to lasso mama and tie her to the feed rack with one hind leg held up!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Yep, what they all said! Good luck!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Update: mom is smelling baby more but not licking. She’s not rejecting it she’s just freaked out by us. If we hold the baby she starts yelling for it so that’s good. 

We held mom and gave her some feed while we held baby up there and squirted milk on her face. Baby didn’t bump around or try to nurse no matter how hard we tried. But mom stayed still allowing it all to happen. So I have hope that mom will get with it. Just need baby to. 

How long after birth do I wait until trying to give baby a bottle of colostrum?

Also I saw the baby pee twice. Is it possible I just didn’t see the baby nurse?


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

dzt66 said:


> Also I saw the baby pee twice. Is it possible I just didn't see the baby nurse?


Yes, it is possible. If she's peeing that's a good sign, but they can also pee without having nursed since there is fluid from what they digested in utero. Keep a close watch on baby and make sure she's nursing on her own before deciding she's full. If she's not hungry now, she should be in an hour.


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

I would say if you don't know when she kidded then it is quite likely that she already nursed if Mom isn't trying to get away from baby at all. Also wondering if Mama already cleaned the baby some and just thought that was good enough? Baby looks preyty dry in the pic you posted. If you can, I would just camp out in the barn for a while and see if you can "catch" her nursing. You can also feel the kids tummy to see if it feels full or skinny.

Good luck!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Thanks so much guys. I just spent 3.5 hours in barn and kept trying to get baby to nurse but she wouldn’t. I am feeding my humans and then going to milk the mom and feed the baby goat.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Do also dip her navel in iodine, and ditto feeling the tummy to see if she is full. Make sure she is warm enough - her temp should be at LEAST 100 before nursing or feeding. If she is chilled, she needs to be warmed up. Cold babies also don't feel like eating.


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

What are you doing to try to get the kid to nurse? As mentioned- do make sure the kids temp is OK, but then hold the kid up to the teat and squirt milk into the baby's mouth, try to stick the teat into the baby's mouth and then tickle/scratch the baby's tailhead (maybe that's what you are already doing). 

So stressful. I'm sorry. I hope they figure it out soon!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

I came out to find baby nursing away!!!!! So thankful. I waited and she was doing really well nursing away. Phew. Thanks so much guys. I did everything you were telling me to do and it worked.

I did dip the cord. This mama isn't licking her baby like my goat that kidded last week did. But she is smelling her and seems to be doing much better. And there talking to each other.


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## Bnw (Aug 15, 2018)

I had one of mine do pretty much the same thing. She just couldn't figure out where this tiny creature actually came from. She never ran from her, but she kept her head to the baby for at least an hour, never letting her get near her udder. Baby persisted, and I was extra patient, just watching at a distance, and sure enough, she decided this little thing was hers. Now she's a GREAT mama. I think there are times we interfere too soon. Sometimes instincts takes longer to kick in, and being patient pays off.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Awesome! They can be sneaky little monsters sometimes. Your mama goat looks healthy. 

One thing I'd do though, is I'd remove that wooden pallet from the stall for now. It looks like there's a gap just the right size to trap a baby's foot and she could break a leg. Once they get bigger I don't worry about stuff like that too much because they're much more aware of where to put their feet, but little bitty ones can be kinda clumsy.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Damfino said:


> Awesome! They can be sneaky little monsters sometimes. Your mama goat looks healthy.
> 
> One thing I'd do though, is I'd remove that wooden pallet from the stall for now. It looks like there's a gap just the right size to trap a baby's foot and she could break a leg. Once they get bigger I don't worry about stuff like that too much because they're much more aware of where to put their feet, but little bitty ones can be kinda clumsy.


Thanks I'll move it tonight!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Bnw said:


> I had one of mine do pretty much the same thing. She just couldn't figure out where this tiny creature actually came from. She never ran from her, but she kept her head to the baby for at least an hour, never letting her get near her udder. Baby persisted, and I was extra patient, just watching at a distance, and sure enough, she decided this little thing was hers. Now she's a GREAT mama. I think there are times we interfere too soon. Sometimes instincts takes longer to kick in, and being patient pays off.


That's exactly what this new mama was doing. I literally watched her just stare at the baby forever. I'm hoping she becomes a good mama too!


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## Bnw (Aug 15, 2018)

dzt66 said:


> That's exactly what this new mama was doing. I literally watched her just stare at the baby forever. I'm hoping she becomes a good mama too!


Sounds like she will. Standing and letting it nurse is definitely a good start!!!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Also.... how often to newborns need to nurse? Because here I am at 3:30 am in the barn checking on things and having baby eat again just to be sure. I couldn’t sleep! Lol


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Aw, Hugs to you. Get some sleep.
They nurse a little bit very often when they are awake and finally figure things out. When they sleep, they REALLY sleep and it can be scary. 

I used to wake them to make sure they eat enough. "What if they haven't eaten enough and are dying from weakness?????!!!!!" 

I'm more laid back about it now...


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

The kid on the first picture above has, as far as I can see, been licked - by a newbeginner! :inlove: I cannot imagine that a kid that is standing up, not crouched (word?) could possibly be without colostrum. And the mother looks somewhat astonished, like "What is happening?"

It happens sometimes that the delivery hormones do not click in exactly, especially in first kidders who have a hard delivery. Congrats that they have figured out how it functions! On the second photo it seems as if the kid has been more licked. I can see several spots of red on the straw, which makes me imagine that the mother has been moving around during labour, for sure wondering what was going on. Next time she will know!

Very nice photos! Welcome to our gang of nervous midwifes!


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

mariarose said:


> I used to wake them to make sure they eat enough. "What if they haven't eaten enough and are dying from weakness?????!!!!!"
> 
> I'm more laid back about it now...


That is exactly what I thought when I woke up and went out there! Lol. Now I can't fall back asleep and I have to take my kids to school in two hours. Sigh.


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## dzt66 (Apr 9, 2018)

Trollmor said:


> The kid on the first picture above has, as far as I can see, been licked - by a newbeginner! :inlove: I cannot imagine that a kid that is standing up, not crouched (word?) could possibly be without colostrum. And the mother looks somewhat astonished, like "What is happening?"
> 
> It happens sometimes that the delivery hormones do not click in exactly, especially in first kidders who have a hard delivery. Congrats that they have figured out how it functions! On the second photo it seems as if the kid has been more licked. I can see several spots of red on the straw, which makes me imagine that the mother has been moving around during labour, for sure wondering what was going on. Next time she will know!
> 
> Very nice photos! Welcome to our gang of nervous midwifes!


Well I dried the baby off with a towel because she was shivering and the mom did nothing but smell her. But you are right - mom was like what in the world just happened. lol. But mom is doing much better now. Every time her baby moves a muscle she's right there. And doin great at letting her nurse.

This midwife stuff is stressful! I'm tired!


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

dzt66 said:


> That is exactly what I thought when I woke up and went out there! Lol. Now I can't fall back asleep and I have to take my kids to school in two hours. Sigh.


Lol! It started to rain last night, and I went to check on goats about an hour ago (all fine lol!) and there is no hope for me falling back to sleep!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug:


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