# Kid nurses only one side, what to do?



## littlelowefarm (Jan 15, 2013)

Flossy Mae is 3 days old and won't nurse on the right side, it is sooo swollen I have to milk it out a couple times a day but never seems enough. How do I get her to nurse that side or what do I need to do?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Good thing you are releiving pressure. You can get teat tape, I dont know if feed store carries it but place like Jeffers has it.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Milk your doe and tape the teat the kid is using with cloth athletic tape...you'll need to remove the tape once you notice the kid feeding from the other side and to keep your does production going, you'll need to milk her at least every 10 hours....what breed is she and do you plan to milk her for your use?


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## littlelowefarm (Jan 15, 2013)

Thank you got the advice! She is a Nigerian and we are unsure if we are going to or not.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I agree with the advice given so far. Hopefully the kid will catch on pretty quick.


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## littlelowefarm (Jan 15, 2013)

We watched her today, we relived pressure from that side, then tried to encourage that side she would go in for it once then stop and mom would lift leg and try to get away from her. I'm picking up teat tape today.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with the others.

Sounds like mom is sore on that side, relieve more from that side.


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## mdlopez (Feb 4, 2013)

Don't be afraid that you will milk too much. Like all mammals, the supply is based on demand... she will make enough for the baby! I had a ND doe that only had one kid and had the same problem you are having. She was producing more than the single baby needed. I taped and milked, eventually she evened out and baby nursed both sides but it took a couple of weeks of me being involved.


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## Jacob_TheGoatster (Feb 5, 2013)

My 2 little babies are only nursing on one side and it's the left too lol But when i go out there i just take them over to eat on the right side and as they eat, i just put my hand like in the middle of her udder and just squeeze over and over (without pulling down) and they eat for like 30 seconds each, just supplying the milk for them.with out stopping. And are keeping the other side milked empty all the time. And Maggie's (mother) udders are so big and low that if it is full i have to hold it up for them on the side they are not drinking on. but it is working pretty good. if they don't start nursing off the right side and keep it down then i will try to the tape. good advice. So if the tape doesn't work for you maybe try that. but you have to go out a lot to do it.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree, I do that to, I pick one kid(every time the same kid) and every time I see it on the wrong teat, I will direct it to the other. Being twins They will claim a side and singles. eventually, as they get a little older, will learn the two sides, go back and forth and thrive.  
I watch the Doe and if she needs relieved in the meantime, I will milk out enough to make her comfortable.


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## littlelowefarm (Jan 15, 2013)

She was a twin but the big buck was stillborn, so guessing thats why she stayed on the one side.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If don't decide to milk her , a kid nursing only one side will make her udder uneven and future freshenings will be affected, if she has multiples, the side that is producing for her only kid will be fuller and the side allowed to dry up won't produce as much.


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## littlelowefarm (Jan 15, 2013)

Oh we are milking the other side so it won't be so tight and so much pressure in it, I'm hoping as she gets a bit older she will start nursing on both sides. I was meaning I didn't know if we were gonna milk her long term after kid gets too old.


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## TheFaithfulFarmerMomma (8 mo ago)

Jacob_TheGoatster said:


> My 2 little babies are only nursing on one side and it's the left too lol But when i go out there i just take them over to eat on the right side and as they eat, i just put my hand like in the middle of her udder and just squeeze over and over (without pulling down) and they eat for like 30 seconds each, just supplying the milk for them.with out stopping. And are keeping the other side milked empty all the time. And Maggie's (mother) udders are so big and low that if it is full i have to hold it up for them on the side they are not drinking on. but it is working pretty good. if they don't start nursing off the right side and keep it down then i will try to the tape. good advice. So if the tape doesn't work for you maybe try that. but you have to go out a lot to do it.


This is what I do too! I push them to momma's other side. Thankful she doesn't seem to mind. ❤


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