# Starting to freak out...



## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

This will be my first experience with a goat birth.

My girl is due next Sunday.
I have been binge watching goat births on youtube (much to my families delight)

It seems like everyone they have to intervene. 

How long into labor do you need to intervene? I know you only gently pull with contractions, but do you pull the bubble....do you pop it and pull... do you just pull the feet or feet and head. 

I'm starting to have actual nightmares about her dying...the kids dying...

This is her 3rd freshening. Her last kidding the owner just game home to healthy triplets and wasn't there for the actual birth. 

I have a kidding kit ready:
absorbent pads
iodine
towels
garbage bags 
gloves
Lube
bottle
molasses and raisins for mom treats


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ok what I do. For the most part they do it on their own. After the water breaks I give them a half hour of pushing. If I'm there and I see feet coming out then I'll put my finger in simply to make sure the nose is there. If not I find it right then. Same thing if you have a nose and no feet. So after a half hour if nothing then I'll go in and see what's up. You want two front feet and a nose, or two back feet. Once you get what you need there then pull just the feet. Don't pul straight out you want out and down. As for the sack/bubble I pop it. I know when I was watching YouTube as well they don't but I do. And if you run into trouble just come on here and someone will help you out.


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## heidivand (Aug 17, 2015)

You will be fine! Out of 10 does so far this year I have only had to "pull" one and rearrange two. The main thing to remember would be if you have to rearrange and bring legs forward to be gentle and if possible cover the hoof so it doesn't knick moms inside. If pulling pull down and only pull with contractions.

The rule is intervening after about 30 but if she's really struggling and I only see one hoof I go and check

You will do great!!!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I'm PMing my number, call when you see the first hard pushes and I'll talk you through it. Text me when you get the number so I can put yours in my contact list, otherwise my phone won't let you call.


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## margaret (Aug 30, 2013)

You'll do fine, very rarely do they actually need help. I pop the bubble and often pull with a contraction(you're right, just pull gently downward) Especially with FFs, they sometimes have trouble getting the head out. But with this being her 3rd freshening, you can probably just let her do it! I pull kids at birth, so they often don't even touch the ground before I remove them from the pen. I catch the kid in a towel and get it out of there pretty fast. But I finid if I wanted to I could just sit back and let the does do it all and they would be fine for the most part
And I have dreams about it too, close to kidding season... But if they are freaking you out...maybe don't watch anymore videos
Good luck to you and your doe!


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

Jessica84 said:


> Ok what I do. For the most part they do it on their own. After the water breaks I give them a half hour of pushing. If I'm there and I see feet coming out then I'll put my finger in simply to make sure the nose is there. If not I find it right then.


And that is exactly the type of info I love learning from this site. I've been reading and watching YouTube as well, but the timing wasn't clear to me.


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## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

Thanks guys, I have just seen so many scary ones lately... and then I watched this blog that was like " sometimes you need to make a split second decision if the mom dies or the babies" How would you even decide that!? 

Then one a lady went in to early to intervene and ripped the cervix.... so scary


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## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

how soon after to I dip the umbilical cord.... how do I know if it is too long and needs to be tied off?

Where do I purchase antibiotics in case I do have to reach in?
The vet was out yesterday, and said she looks good... that it very well could be triplets from her appearance.


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## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

goathiker... not seeing a PM... maybe I am checking it wrong ?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

It should be there now.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

GoatMama123 said:


> Thanks guys, I have just seen so many scary ones lately... and then I watched this blog that was like " sometimes you need to make a split second decision if the mom dies or the babies" How would you even decide that!?
> 
> Then one a lady went in to early to intervene and ripped the cervix.... so scary


Ok my two cents on all of that? If the kids don't come out they are ALL dead. To This day I still freak a bit over head only. Had a bad experience with my first kidding and I have a hard time sometimes fishing those legs out. One time it took a lot of guts to pull just by the head because I was trying to get those long legs out for far to long. It hurt mom to do so but I HAD to get it out or she would die as well. Both lived and were fine. As a rule my does always come first. They are my girls and I have more time and money invested in them even if they are not. Last year my brother broke a kids neck to get it out (seriously this is not the normal for kiddings lol) he was so upset and I told him not to worry my Suzy comes first. The only time I have thought about the kids over the doe is when I knew mom was dying of pregnancy toxemia so instead of letting her pass on her own or just put her down I put her down and as fast as I could tried to save those kids by a fast c section.
But really as long as mom is healthy, and if good size everything should be lined up ready to go and she can do it on her own. BUT you still want to keep a eye on things lol


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Relax, breathe, and don't worry about everything that can go wrong. It's good to learn, but don't stress yourself, it'll do you no good to worry. If anything look up 'normal' goat delivery videos, don't watch the ones with complications. I also think some people help when the does don't even need it...at least in some of the videos I've watched.


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## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

How long in between births should I wait...and how long after should it take for the placenta


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Most people post about problems, not the normal everyday births. So, for every problem, there is probably hundreds of normal, uneventful births! You and the doe will do fine. (and you have TGS to help). 

One thing that does help get the kids in position (In my opinion) is exercise. I lead my does for 10 or 15 min. every day the last week of the pregnancy. It must work, I've only had a couple kids not positioned correctly, and those were delivered ok.


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## sweetlifegoats (Jan 24, 2014)

I've had goats for three years now and I remember how scared I was my first kidding. I drove my husband nuts. But now we have had about 30 does kid out and approx 70 babies and I've only had to intervene three times. 
If your giving them good minerals, good food and making sure they exercise they rarely need us. The best thing to do is meet goat people close to you who will come running if your unsure what to do. 
When I started actively trying I met people thru 4h , visiting goat sales even if I wasn't buying and just stopping by people around me that had goats. 
Almost all were willing to help. It's much less stressful if you can make contact with someone close "just in case"


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## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

What does everyone mean by exercise?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Just making sure that they do some walking around. I let mine out in the yard twice a day while I am freshening their stalls and filling their feed/water/minerals. They browse and mess around for about 1/2 an hour each time.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I have had a few kid and most have been easy as. The Doe does it herself. I have had babies born with one leg and a head and by the time I reach back to help the doe has already pushed them out. I have had them born with both legs back. I was able to realise quick enough and got both legs forward easy. I have had one horrible birth. The first baby came out with one leg back but out by himself, then the doe was really struggling. She pushed this thing out that had a massive head. I had to go in and try and flick the legs forward, which took a long time but I got there. As I was doing it I could feel the baby's bones crunching and twisting and could feel the gaps between all the bones. I had never really thought about the decision before this birth but as soon as I realised there was something not right I straight away knew I would be saving my doe over any kid. I got the legs forward and was going to help with pulling the legs but it felt like if I pulled the legs they would just break off. I ended up pulling it but the head and then around the chest. The kid was deformed and skin peeling and breaking off and none of its bones met another. The kid was dead on arrival. The doe was tired but we cared for her and she didn't really seem to realise that the dead kid was taken away before she even saw it. She just doted over her other perfect little baby. She had a course of antibiotics and the vet checked her and all was fine. But this is not normal. I have had so many births where nothing goes wrong. The kids come out I help towel them off and dip the cords and get that first drink and all is great  just make sure you have emergency numbers ready and relax  the does can feel when you are stressed and that can make them nervous too!


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## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

How far ahead of time should I shave her back side and udder?


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## sweetlifegoats (Jan 24, 2014)

I do mine a couple weeks before they are due. But depending on my timing I've done some two days before and some a month before. About one to two weeks before works best for us.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

If you clip them and you are in a cold winter area, don't clip her legs really short! I call it the puppy cut- All you are doing is making it easier to get the goo off and for the udder, clipping around the teats so the kid doesn't try and nurse long hair. 

Usually by the next day, the goo is dry and you can brush it out. I do clip the tail sides short and the udder hair on the rear really short. 

If you are in a mild winter area, clip however you like! As far as when? Whenever you want. A week is usually good. But, up to when the kid emerges works, too!


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## GoatMama123 (Sep 9, 2015)

So now that I feel slightly better about the birth it self... lets talk about the babies... Right now the plan is... The person who bred her has already reserved a doeling- if there is a second doeling I plan to retain her... any other doelings/ bucklings will be sold. 

My plan was to have them dam raise for 2 weeks. Then pull them at night and milk mom in AM and drain her in the PM once separated.

Does this sound like an ok plan. How do I wean kids that need to be sold or are going else where? My retained doe will just stay on mom at the schedule above


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