# Looking for parent advice on what to do with baby while milking



## jrm0906 (Mar 14, 2017)

Hi All!
I am wondering if any parents out there has a suggestion of what to do with a 6month old baby (human  )while I am milking my goats. I don't want to wear her because of the possibility of her getting kicked. Do you have any suggestions? I know this is kind of an off question...


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## Realtree2429 (Feb 4, 2017)

I was going to suggest wearing her....do you have an exersaucer or something like that she could hang out in while you milk?


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## Retiredokjusttired (Jun 26, 2016)

Long shot answer... I had a horse I had to Dr daily when my boy was about 7 months old and it was cold out. I brought the horse to me. The way my house was set up there a large add on room with a concrete floor we stained and lots of windows. I would step outside, holler for the horse, he would come up, I would let him in the back yard and tie him on my porch. I put the boy in a rolling walker or bouncy and could see him in the house and hear him...crying half the time, only because he could see me. It worked for the couple of weeks I had to do it. 
My thinking is can you move your stand or tie her closer to your house.
This is tough one for longer term.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Play pen is probably the best invention ever. I had 3 of them so I didn't have to keep moving them around. One down at the corral for when we brand or have to work cattle, one in the back yard when I had to do anything with the goats and one in the house. Just make sure it is not in the pen with any animals. You may have to move things around or make your set up a little different but it works. The main thing I liked about the play pen was when they were really small it was like a bed and when they got older I just threw a ton of toys in there and kept them busy.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Lay a blanket on the grass and set her on it. Unless she can already crawl. If you have a small and easily portable bouncer you could put her in that. 

You can move your stand around to wherever. If you already have some means of containing your baby outside then just move the stand near it.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Many years ago, when I had small children; I used a playpen the most. Wearing, even on the back, was too cumbersome. 

(Just do not go in the house and forget where you left her. I did that once with my son and panicked when I could not find him in the house. I panicked my husband yelling, "I CAN'T FIND THE BABY!!!!" Then went out to find him giggling and cooing in the playpen totally oblivious to the chaos that has just transpired.")


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Play pen or clean dog crate! I used to show Shelties for a lady that put her son in a dog crate when we were in the ring. That was back before you got in trouble for stuff like that. ( 1970's).


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## Steampunked (Mar 23, 2015)

I carried my kidlet even into 2s and 3s on my back in a proper supported system - that way you're between baby and harm.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great suggestions.


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## PippasCubby (May 13, 2015)

I love all the ideas and support.

I ended up getting up a little earlier than the kiddo and leaving him in his crib to sleep, then take his radio monitor with me so I could listen to him while I milked. 

When he got older, my plan was to have a swing set up next to (or near me) to put him in while I milked. I milk on our covered back porch, so it would've been easy to hang the swing from one of the rafters. We ended up not doing this because of other circumstances, but I still have that plan on back-up for kiddo #2!

Goats Rock...your comment reminds me of being at a goat show last summer. I was so, so, SO tempted to put my son in the dog crate for his nap. He has always been super happy to play in his crib and read for a while before falling asleep, and I knew he'd likely do the same in the crate. BUT, I also knew it probably wouldn't go over well with the majority of the rest of the population!!! Thankfully my mom was helping out so she was able to hang out with him while he slept


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I would just keep an extra packnplay type thing near where the goat is being milked and plop the little one in there for milking. You can carry all your supplies in a 5 gallon bucket in one hand the the baby on the hip to go back and forth.


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

Playpens are great. You can buy, or make, special covers for them to keep them clean inside if they are out in the barn (like to keep bugs from falling in when not in use). If she only uses it during milking, and has some special toys in there, she should be pretty content for that short time. 

Getting kicked in a baby carrier is a valid concern. I won't be wearing my 2-month-old when my girls freshen. I got kicked while trying to trim hooves at about 7 1/2 months pregnant. Thankfully she got me in the ribs, but it was hard enough that a few inches lower could have caused real problems.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I dog cage isn't that much off from some of the things that there really are for kids lol like a leash. Sure it's a cute little monkey that straps onto them but it's still a leash. And you betcha I had my son on the end of one of those when he was 2 and I was too fat to chase him down and ready to pop with his sister lol I've also locked my kids in a horse trailer many times when things got a little sketchy and I worried they would get harmed from a cow or horse. City people just don't get it. 
Really though anything that you can place your baby in that will keep it safe will work. As long as there are no choking hazards and it's not snowing on them or they are not under the hot sun they will be ok. You will be right there I would just have them on the other side of the fence while you are working


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

I plan on going out to milk with a baby monitor while my girls are sleeping or wearing my baby on my back so I am between her and the animals the whole time.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I have always had my kids in the barn with me while I did chores. My 2 oldest were littles in the horse barn with me. My 2 youngest grew up in the cattle barn when I had a cattle and goat dairy. I brought a crib and playpen to keep in the barn for them. 

My (now ex) husband wanted kids but didn't want to do any actual caring of them, so I had to bring them to the barn with me if I wanted to get anything done. When I worked the horses, they were in a baby buggy. 

If someone ever asked my kids "Hey, you, were you raised in a barn?" they can honestly reply-yes.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

I was raised in a barn too! From 2 on, I "helped " my dad in the dairy barn way back in the early '60's. He had a spare calf pen I was in while he milked. My best friends were calves and cats! Mom was busy with 2 little brothers. (3 kids in 31 months!) I can remember all that. Cherished memories, for sure!


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## jrm0906 (Mar 14, 2017)

Great Suggestions! Thanks all! I love that we all get the struggle lol! I think my favorite was the dog crate! LOL! Unfortunately I didn't have an extra laying around SO.... I went with the pack and play. It works great! Thanks again for all the suggestions!


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## Robinsonfarm (Jul 17, 2015)

If I had to take a little one with me to milk I put them in a jog stroller and they could sit and watch, most of the time he was pretty content to just sit there watch me or he'd fall asleep.


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