# Help Quickly Please!!!!! Baby won't nurse....... FF mom



## peggy

Oh my god. I woke up to find that Sabrina had kidded in the night. She wasn't due til mid Feb. and I knew that she was closer than that but not this close. So now I have a baby and a new mom. The baby was dry so had been here a while but not nursing. I put her to the teat but she didn't do anything. Now baby wants to lay down and rest. I have to hold Mom cause she is confused and doesn't stand for nursing. What should I do????? I am in the bush and have limited means. No feeding tube. Help quickly please.


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## StaceyRosado

Ok check mom's teats - are the plugs released? Does she have flowing colostrum? 

Does baby's belly feel full at all? (She might have nursed before yuou got out there)


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## StaceyRosado

Now if the baby isn't full and mom is just not feeding her you will need to milk her some and syringe feed it to the baby.

If baby's temp is lower then 100 degrees F then you will need to get the temp up first before giving milk/colostrum. 

There are several ways to do this: either bring inside wrap in warm towels (like out of the dryer) or use a heat pad. 
You can also give a mixture of karo whisky and coffee to warm her up inside (give just a couple cc of that).


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## 4kids

See if you can milk out any colostrum and offer it to the baby in either a bottle or even a syringe (minus the needle)


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## peggy

Thanks for the help guys. I have been puting baby up to the teat and she did manage a couple of sucks. I did this a couple times and she nursed for a second. Not much though. Is that enough to get started. I will go back out and keep doing that. The mom stood for her once she latched onto the teat but she still is moving around a lot when baby goes in that area. Baby is warm and moving around a bit so that is a good sign. 

Another thing..... I see, what I think is the after birth hanging from mom, just a small bit. Will this fall out on it's own?? I know that you aren't supposed to pull on it. I thought she would have passed it by now. But since I missed the birth, I don't see any sign of the after birth in the hay.


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## StaceyRosado

Give her time to deliver it on her own. You can also give her 30cc of calcium drench or CMPK to help. 

As to the kid - did you make sure the plugs were out of the teats? If she tries to suck but doesn't get anything because the plugs are still in then she might get frustrated and give up


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## peggy

I did. Thanks Stacey. Mom doesn't seem to have a lot of milk but I guess enough for one. 

I'll post pics later. she's gorgeous!!!!!


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## KW Farms

First off, congrats on the baby! I'm sure with a little TLC she will pull through just fine. 

Is the baby in a warm area? If she gets to cold, it will be hard for her to get going. You might need to take her in the house for a bit so she warms up. Get some milk from mom and if you can, bottle feed her for a bit. If baby is standing ok and walking around then you could probably leave her with mom...just be sure she will stay warm or warm up. 

As long as she gets going, she'll get hungry, and it will be easier to get her to nurse.  If she looks like she's trying to suckle, but can't quite get it. Open her mouth and place it on the teat...hold her there til she starts nursing...once she finds out this is how to get the food, she will get better and better and after a little bit she should be able to do it on her own.


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## milk and honey

Congratulations! Cant wait to see the new little one.... What a good mommy.. delivering all on her own!
Have fun - once things get regulated


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## toth boer goats

Everyone has great advice..... :thumb: 

If I am unsure.. if the kid isn't or is getting enough colostrum....I take a 12cc syringe and fill it with momma's colostrum...no needle of course... :greengrin: and slowly feed it to the baby.... :wink: :thumb:


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## peggy

Still no luck with baby. I hold Mom and she stands pretty good now while I put baby to teat. Baby butts udder and puts mouth on teat but only for a second. She makes a little sucking noise but quits. I know there is milk there and it is not plugged but baby doesn't seem to want to suckle. I put some colostrum in a bottle but she won't suckle that either. So I did managed to get a tiny tiny bit in her with a syringe. She screams bloody murder when I open her mouth. Baby sems to want to sleep. What else can I do???? Should I keep trying through the night?? I hate the thoughts of baby going all night without feeding.


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## RunAround

Do you have selenium, BoSe?


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## 4kids

When we had that situation, I did feed them in a syringe every hour or so. They were not happy about it but I kept introducing them to Mama and eventually they got the hang of it.


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## peggy

Sorry, no selenium or BoSe. I am stuck in the bush and was poorly prepared for this kidding. I am still giving her small amounts by syringe. She gets so stressed out...... I don't want to choke her, either. 

4Kids.....how long did you do the syringe thing before they caught on??? and how much do you give her.


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## 4kids

Well they were Nigerians and I gave them a small amount maybe an ounce an hour. I did check temps first (I think Stacey advised that). I also brought them out to mom maybe every hour or two. I really didn't want bottle babies nor goats to live in my house (it was winter when this happened last year). In a few days they did eventually move back out with mama. I think it depends on so many factors....


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## peggy

Hi all. Baby still not suckling. I have been feeding baby with the syringe every couple of hours. But now that night fall is here. Do I leave them be or keep going out to feed. When I go in they are sleeping together and seem so cozy that I hate to disturb them. Thanks.


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## liz

Have you noticed wether the baby has pooped or pee'd?
Can she reach the teat on her own? If you feel that she is warm and has a full belly and you are comfortable with leaving her with her mom, then I'm sure she'll be fine for you to be able to catch some sleep.


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## toth boer goats

Are you sure... that the kid.... isn't nursing on her own..when you aren't looking? 
When you go out and feed the kid..... but the kid isn't hungry.... but... has a full belly .....they will just suckle very little... when pushed to nurse or ...not suckle at all..... :wink: Check the tummy.... and next time...sneak in and see if you can catch the kid nursing... :wink:


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## peggy

I have seen her pee several times but not poop. I forget to check her tummy. Would it feel really full and round?? I will leave her for the night and check her first light. It could be possible that she nursed and I missed it but when I am there and try to get baby to nurse, Mom won't stand for her. So I am not sure if she is. But she doesn't seem hungry when I try to feed her with the syringe. Oh, I am so worried and confused. I pray that it will all work out. I'd hate to lose her.........


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## farmgirl42

Praying for your little girl ray: and that you are able to get some rest!


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## peggy

Thanks for the help and prayers guys. I am feeling much more positive this morning. I did get some more food in her with the syringe very very early this morning. But a bit later I went to check on them and she was trying to butt the udder. So I held mom and put her up to the teat and she suckled for a few seconds. Then just now I tried again and she suckled a bit longer. So I feel that she is finally getting the idea. Mom is still not steady standing for her but she is getting better. Baby seems alert and is moving around more. I see her pee and she is pooping regular. Yellow baby poop. When will that change to pellets? Like I said I feel much better today. Thanks all. I'll keep you posted and get pics today.


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## toth boer goats

Glad it is going well.... :hi5: 

with the baby...standing on the ground...feel around the flank tummy area...or pick up the kid and feel the lower tummy in the lower area...you may feel a ponch(sp)...it will feel full...or real empty....

It will be a while before you see pellets....

sounds like progress....congrats....I would keep them in a pen alone together until ...they both get the hang of each other..... :wink: :greengrin:


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## liz

Great to hear!!! Baby poop will stay yellow for a week or 2 til she starts to nibble hay, you'll see teeny tiny yellow baby berries in a clump in a few days, usually at about a week old. It will stay pasty for about a week.


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