# Doe in Pre-Labor - How Long Should it Last?



## SarahM (Jan 11, 2012)

We have a doe that is really keeping us guessing! She is a first freshener Alpine, and her due date was this past Thursday, though it is possible that she could have been bred a week or two later.

Late last night, she started what we thought was possibly pre-labor with . . . .

--A very full udder, though I can’t tell if it is quite strutted or not
--Ligs that are either very soft or gone (she is really not liking her ligs being felt right now!)
--Began losing what looked like her plug (thick white mucous)
--Kept standing with her front feet elevated up on something
--When standing with all four feet flat on the ground, kept shifting her back legs over and over and over
--Was restless
--Looked like she was posty

We thought she would be kidding soon and checked on her several times throughout the night . . . to find that most times she was just lying there chewing her cud.

Now today in addition she:

--has been restless and rarely lies down; most of the day she has either been standing or has kept walking around in restless circles around her stall
--has been a lot more vocal than usual
--has at times been wide-eyed
--continues to move at times to a position with her front end elevated
--seems uncomfortable
--has had more thick white mucous throughout the day (about an inch long each time)
--and we’ve seen her look back at her sides several times 

We have been checking her so much today, and would have thought that active labor would have begun by now. She is still eating fine, chewing her cud, and sometimes will lay down, but again, often seems quite uncomfortable when she does so.

How long could we expect the pre-labor to continue? When should we begin to be concerned?

Thanks so much in advance!


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Hmm, when you see amber goo she shouldl kid within a couple of hours. Sounds like she is getting ready!


----------



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Hmm ... My doe did not start pushing until we actually went in to check her, then POP! At this point, I would incert a few fingers, feel for a bubble and check if she is dialated. She may not be quite ready but she sounds super close.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

My girls never start pushing until they are in active labor either.

Is she getting up and down? Grinding her teeth? 

I would say she is still getting close. I bet you will have along night but lets hope she has them tonight for you, so you can get some sleep.


----------



## SarahM (Jan 11, 2012)

Thanks everyone! That helps to set our minds at ease. After losing one of our does last week after a traumatic labor and c-section (thankfully both of her doelings survived!), we’re just a little more anxious now. And as this has been the longest pre-labor any of our does have had, it helps to know that it isn’t concerning at this point. I guess she’s just taking her own sweet time. : )

No, Sweetgoats, she isn’t getting up and down like what a doe does in active labor, nor is she grinding her teeth. It does look like she has started streaming now, though, so that’s one step closer!

We’ll be keeping an eye on her throughout the night . . .and yes, I think it will be a long one! . . . but hopefully before long her kid(s) will arrive!

Thanks again!


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Sounds to be soon, she has been in pre-labor.  Happy Kidding


----------



## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

Let me guess.... Twin doelings?


----------



## SarahM (Jan 11, 2012)

After a night of checking on her repeatedly with no new developments, she finally ended the waiting game for us and went into active labor this morning between 7:15 and 8:00! She had a fast and easy kidding and by 8:30-9:00, both kids were born. And yes, OwnedByTheGoats, they were both doelings! : ) We were excited about that! (I attached a photo of each of them.)

Shortly after she had hers, our last doe to kid went into labor, too, and had a buckling and a doeling. Thus ends our kidding season with 7 doelings and 3 bucklings!

Thanks again everyone!

~Sarah


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

How adorable.


----------



## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

WOW, I was right on another thread, too! LOL, congrats!


----------



## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

Very cute. pixs of the last two want to see.


----------



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

beautiful..congrats...so happy everything turned out fine


----------

