# Goat contraction/labor question



## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

You will probably think this is a dumb question, but I need to know.
How long before actual birth does a goat have contractions?
My doe is having a few contractions, but keeps on eating and doing
her regular thing. Are these contractions just getting the kids into
position for birth? 
I never realized just how uninformed I am about the birth process.
She has been getting ready for days now. Sloooowly building her udder,
loosening ligs, etc. Finally last night I can reach clear round her tail head
and her udder is very firm. This morning she ate (is still eating), had a 
contraction, stopped chewing briefly and then continued on like nothing
happened. 
Unfortunately I don't have an actual due date for her so don't know
when to start being concerned. Kids are still kicking her, but she is so
small, there is no room for them to get any lower. Do they still kick
while she is going into labor? And labor can be a while before actual birth?
She is not pushing in any way and has no goo yet.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

check her and see if she is dialated
Has she had kids before??


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

This is her third kidding. I can't really tell if she is dilated or not. Never
felt an ND before. Her vulva is pretty open. She has no discharge yet.
Her udder is not strutted, just firm, teats still soft. Right now, she is
sleeping.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Just like in humans every labor varies, even in the woman herself. Mammals also have what are called braxton hicks contractions which tone the uterus and prepare the cervic, you can have several a day, several and hour or never have any, just like in our does. 

I think this doe would be ideal for you to learn on. Clean up and go in with a few fingers, feel what a tight cervic feels like, then maybe later in the day what an opening, softening cervic feels like. Then when she pushes what a cervic...well it's not really there to feel once and 3 year old starts pushing, but feeling while she is pushing, especially if it's a correct presentation. She should have very few pushes in a doe that age before the head is nearly out.....go in, more kids? Placenta? Then after she is done, is the uterus empty of kids? AFter she passes her placenta, is the uterus empty, note the two halves of it. 

I have a few does who are wonderful teaching subjects, and others who I would never let anyone learn on, they hate me messing with them. Vicki


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

Well, I went in and felt. Felt like a jaw or hock. She pushed a few times, nothing much
showing. Terrible sinking feeling in my stomach when first thing that appears in the bubble 
is a tail.
Fished around a bit, got those back feet out and whoosh. There he was. Not even
dried off, next one out, few minutes later, next one. I didn't even have time to go 
in and check for more, they were already there. From start of pushing to finish of
third kid just over an hour. Even with the breech baby. 
Everyone was dry, fed and warm before I went to bed last night. First thing this
am, up and having breakfast (and pestering poor mom)

[attachment deleted by admin]


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

CUTE! CUTE! Thanks for sharing the pics. Glad your doe is a pro
Congrats. Tam


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 15, 2008)

I guess you learned quickly then? and also glad you went in. :handclap

I am so hoping that this year goes easily for me as I am physically prepared ( got kit together etc) to go in just not sure if my does are. I can still remember having to getting checked while having kids. I think we need a praying smiley.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Yippee. Great pile o pretties.
Glad you were there. Sounds like it all went well.
Those kids are colored up! Congrats.
Lee


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

CONGRATS! Now you have some good experience under your belt! Don't worry about the kids coming too fast, faster than you can dry them off. That is a GOOD thing! Just keep a rag handy or use your shirt to quickly wipe the goop off their noses and mouth. Do it quite roughly. Wake them up with a bit of man handling. You want to get them a clear AIRWAY before you do anything else at all (I am writing this for anyone else reading this, you obviously have got your kids up and breathing  ). You handle them "roughly" as I put it, to stimulate them. Don't be afraid to take a towel and rub them "hard' to get the goop off, they won't break. Same thing for a human baby if you find yourself delivering one. AIRWAY first! And stimulate by rubbing and smacking the feet roughly to get them to cry and take a breath and start breathing. Babies are babies. You try tp get the goop out of the mouth, goat or human, so that when they inhale for that first cry/breath, the goop doesn't go into the lungs rather than out. Go in alphabetical order...wipe Mouth first, then Nose. "M" then "N". Sorry for getting so technical and detailed, sometimes I get a little bet that way. Sometimes the old nurse in me just screams to get out :help2

Also, want to add: This is why I do hand breeding and know when each doe is going to deliver. It is too nerve-racking not to have exact due dates. And even with exact due dates, there is still a 10 day window. But each individul doe usually kids after the same number of days. For instance, doe A kids on day 146, does B usually kids on day 150 etc. So take good notes because you will not remember.


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## NWgoats (Jul 17, 2008)

You don't have to tell me about hand breeding! I bought this little gal already
bred (by accident no less) and really had NO idea when she was due. Talk about
nerve wracking! I refuse to do that again. My girls are all taken to the buck, I
write down the exact date (time and no. of breedings, even) and that is that.
When they were born, I towelled them off just like you mentioned. Cleaned
mouth first, nose, then the rest. Vigorously enough that they were hollering a
protest. :biggrin What lungs!
(I admit I did have some supervision from a more experienced goat birther
and spare hands. I didn't really do it ALL on my own. :blush)
Luckily, the doe knew what she was doing. Very calm, no fuss when we were
messing with her. Not a peep out of her and a good mama, too. She didn't even
fuss when I took them off to be blow dried. 
Thanks for the kind words and advice. Reading on DGI has made me a lot more
confident about what to do.


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## luvzmybabz (Sep 15, 2008)

Kinda of off topic the other day I was watching a elephant give birth on youtube and the baby was not responding the mother elephant litterally kicked the thing til it bounced but it finally started to breathe, I have 3 FF this year so hoping for singles at least from them cause I want time to help them be good momma's.


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