# Assisting Birth



## Jackalope (Mar 16, 2016)

I have a question about assisting a birth, if the kid is stuck and you need to pull should you worry about tearing her vulva? Or do you just need to focus on getting the baby out?


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## melbah1 (Jun 28, 2013)

Depends on the situation. could you feel or see the front hooves and nose? If the kid is not ccoming out after 30 min of pushing, I go in to feel for the kid and rearrange it to a position that will come out and pull it out. If the head and feet are there, but the kid is too big, then you may need to get your hand behind the head to help it past or just pull. Pull down and with contractions.

There are times when more drastic measures are called for when you are trying to save lives, but it would be rare to have a doe tear.

What happened?


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

You can run your finger around the opening, gently stretching it. Sometimes having the doe stand up will help reposition the kid. Hope it all is ok.


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## Jackalope (Mar 16, 2016)

Thanks! My doe is going to kid soon for the first time and in the event that I had to assist I wanted to know what to do before it happened.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All good advice.

If you have to assist, first make sure you can get your hand in there, if you can't, manually dilate her with your 2 fingers on the inner wall of the vulva going all the way around, gently pull outward with your finger tips going all the way around. And gradually get your hand in there. 

We want to get a kid out, but we also try not to tear the doe if at all possible. Sometimes tears happen, but if minor is OK. You however do not want to tear her internally.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't turn kids there's not enough room to maneuver on my girls. 
If head only, push head back in, one or no front feet are presented you can reach in & bring either one or both front feet up & out. She can deliver with only one leg presented. Baby hooves are very soft & will not harm the doe.
If breech I just grab the thigh & pull him on out with contraction.

If two are jamming the birth canal at the same time, push the furthest head back in & pray you have the front legs of the same kid.

Happy kidding!


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## Jackalope (Mar 16, 2016)

Awesome, thanks!


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

I just have to add USUALLY they can deliver with just one front leg out, except in cases of HUGE singles, this was my first year experiencing that. I got one hoof out with the head and when the leg became visible I said "Uh oh, WTH? This leg is HUGE!" No way was that baby coming out that way, I had to go fishing again for the 2nd front leg dang it.


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