Pregnant doe fully dilated but not having contractions. Safe Delivery.

[Braxis]

Since I posted this, she has safely delivered three gorgeous kids!


She is 146 days along, we know the exact date she bred. Since April 1st she has been appearing to have mild contractions on and off for a few hours, and then stops, starts the process again in a few days. She lost some white mucous around mid-march and again three days ago, stringy and white. Since then she has had some visible white discharge on her vulva but no stringiness.

As of two days ago her ligs have disappeared. I checked her cervix earlier today and it's quite open, easily to 4 fingers. I felt a pulsing umbilical cord but no kid (I didn't go in farther than my two fingers could reach). After I withdrew my fingers she seemed to give a real push (the first push I have seen) and then panted and vocalized for a few hours. Now we're back to no signs of any action.

This is her third pregnancy. She has a vaginal prolapse when she lays down. I have felt two babies kicking, one on either side of her belly. She is a naturally slender goat and she is downright enormous now during her pregnancy (not fat, just full of babies). The prolapse disappears when she stands up. I felt it from the inside and it was very soft and not obstructive of the birth canal, it just feels like a slightly swollen, soft area on the left of her vaginal canal.

No signs of infection. We have been giving her molasses water once a day which she drinks eagerly and the other goats avoid.

What would you do? I am concerned that instead of feeling a bag or a kid I felt a small, pulsing umbilical cord. Should I go in and start pulling babies out or is it alright to let things take their natural course and watch and wait?

 

[bonbean01]

I am no expert here at all...I have sheep, but think goats are similar when birthing...I personally would glove and lube up and go in farther to feel for a baby and it might help contractions begin...firstly...are you sure of her due date? Sometimes they don't take the first breeding you see and take on the second breeding which you may or may not see??? Which would put her later than you originally thought???

If she is distressed...not eating or drinking...I would worry and it would be time for a vet call.

Hope someone with more experience comes on here and gives you good advice!!!!

Wishing you the best in a happy outcome!!!

 

[Braxis]

Thank you, Bonbean. We are certain of the date as she only had a few hours with her stud though we did not observe the moment in question, she obviously concieved at that time. We have no bucks and no bucks have acess to her with the exception of that arranged stud visitation. I will go in and feel for a baby. She is not distressed currently, still eating, drinking and grazing. If I do feel a baby should I try to position it or do you think we can wait and see?

 

[bonbean01]

Okay...so you can be sure of when her due date is...for us we figure 5 days early or 5 days late as normal. Usually a doe/ewe will do the positioning themselves...has fooled me many times...fooled me again this year too...you'd think I'd learn...seemed like lambing would happen right away...grunting, lying down, getting up...farting...groaning, moving in strange ways...was up all night in the cold rain...and NOPE...she was positioning apparently...another week and she gave birth to twins no problem.

I don't want to steer you wrong...if there is a problem I would never forgive myself...but...she may be positioning her kids and not have a problem...not being in distress is a good thing. I would have no idea how to reposition babies if there wasn't active labour with obvious problems. Only once have I had to glove up and go in and find the feet when only the head presented.

I am not a vet...just giving you the best I know...if it was me and she was not in distress and you have felt a baby kicking in there...I'd do the wait and see and give her time. Usually the little babies don't kick as they are getting into position...so you may have a bit more time of waiting.

No wonder my hair is turning grey...I've been up all night many times during times like this...really hope all is well for your doe and her kidding...it can make you nuts with worry...been there...done that... and still looking forward to next year's lambing time

The goat people must all be sleeping by now...sorry you are stuck with a sheeple...I'm waiting on kids and grandkids to arrive probably around 3 am...and I'm so tired already!

Hope I'm not giving you bad advice...but if your doe is comfortable and not in active labour and not in distress...I'd say go to bed and set your alarm for early morning and go check on her. She could do this for another few days and you'll be a zombie without sleep. Good luck!!! Looking forward to cute kid photos once she kids

 

[Braxis]

Thank you again, I really appreciate your responses! I have read up on what to do with abnormal positions so I am not too concerned about being able to make the necessary adjustments, my hand should fit inside her no problem but of course I'd rather not go deeper in if I don't have to and expose her to the risk of infection. Since she seems alright, (I mean, she seems mildly uncomfortable like you said, changing positions a lot, just generally moody and wanting me to scritch her head but not touch her belly only to change her mind and have me scritch her belly but not her head) and since we have been doing the no-sleep zombie thing for days and weeks now I think I will take your advice and check her again in a few hours or toward the morning. How long would any animal stay dilated without labor? Do you know?

 

[Braxis]

OMG I just went out to say goodnight to her and saw a really real contraction! She pooped, peed, took a few steps and squated with a bleat and her vulva contracted. YAY! Please cross your fingers that things go smoothly, we love her very much and can't wait to meet her babies!

 

[bonbean01]

My ewe Jess was like that for about a week...yeah...poor girl couldn't even fart without me running for my birthing kit

I don't know how old you are, but I'm a grandma now...and the many sleepless nights out there in the cold and rain ran down my immune system badly this January and I got nailed with an awful viral/bacteria flu infection thing...not good...took me a good 3 months to get my strength back after that...soooooooooo...since we can't afford a barn camera for just a handful of sheep, we're getting a baby cam instead for next year's lambing...not sure about your goats, but our ewes call loudly until we're out there with them before they settle into hard labour...spoilt brats, but we wouldn't have it any other way...so, we know we'd wake up and hear them if they started up hollering.

Now...not being a vet or expert...I'm going to say...go to bed...don't get run down yourself...set your alarm for early morning and then check on her...if she's fine..go back to bed for another few hours. If I'm wrong here...I won't forgive myself...but...that's what I would do.

They do get pretty uncomfortable close to birthing time...but so do we humans...and our ewes all look like some prolapsing when they are lying down in their last week before birthing, and then not when they stand up...so that seems normal to me. One thing our ewes all love when they are huge and uncomfortable before birthing is for me to massage their hips...must make them feel better...they lean into it and close their eyes and don't want me to leave. I bring a lawn chair in there for long massages...yeah...they are spoiled rotten...and I love it

Do one last check and if all is well, go to sleep sweetie...nature is pretty good at this stuff and you sound like you are ready for any problems...try to relax...you want to enjoy this experience...I hate to miss even one lambing and we've been doing this for six years. If you can crack a window open to hear if she starts calling you...do it...and sweet dreams...baby or babies soon!!!! Of course if she's like a few of our ewes...could be up to a week! Sleep while you can

 

[bonbean01]

YAY!!!! Ignore my long winded post...was posting before I read your update!!! Sounds like baby or babies are on the way!!!! Woo hoo!!!

I find every birth a total miracle of life...love it...but then I'm also into every chick that I watch hatching in my incubator...and will take on any human baby to babysit for no pay...I love life and every new life arriving!!! Be it human or critter or bird...so awesome!!!

I love all my sheepies too...you love your doe and I can totally relate

Good luck and wishing you an awesome and uneventful birthing...but if there are any complications, sounds like you have it under control!!! Good luck!!!!

 

[bonbean01]

Fingers crossed here and saying a prayer Hope I'm still awake when you get your baby or babies!!!!

 

[Braxis]

Starting at 2:30 this morning she popped out 3 babies! Here is a little narrative that I posted for my Facebook friends and thought you might enjoy it too. Thanks very much for the advice and concern, all three babies AND mom (whose name is Neegra) are doing really good!

"Neegra and three newborn babies are doing fantastic! I am calling them by their birth order. First Born, a mostly black doeling with a white star and brown knee pads and eyeshadow is 4lb 4 oz. Second Born, a mostly white doeling with black around her face and a beautiful pink nose is 4lb 8 oz. Third Born is a beautiful calico with white, black, greyish blue and brown and weighed a whopping 6 lbs! Every single one of them came out breathing and wiggling and every single one of them suckled on their own without having to be syringe fed. Neegra has a slight laceration on one of her teats which may complicate feeding three huge, hungry babies but I am leaving them alone for a little bit while I catch my breath and drink some tea. Will bring Neegra some molasses water and grass pellets in a few minutes.

At 2:30 I woke up out of a dead sleep 2 hours before my alarm was set for a goat check. Went outside, aside from posturing, Neegra was pretty comfortable and there were no apparent signs of imminent birth. I stood out there waiting for a contraction for as long as I could while getting eaten alive by mosquitos and finally gave up, went inside and crawled back into bed. 4 minutes later I heard Neegra cry out but not like she was in terrible pain, just a little bleat. Got my clothes on and went back out there...only to find a puddle of muddy baby tucked up close next to her, already mostly cleaned off (she works fast!) and breathing. After I made sure both were okay I made a bee-line for the birth shed with First Born and Neegra followed. (Neegra had broken out of the birth shed earlier in the day). Second and Third born came about 15-20 minutes apart. I had to go inside Neegra and pull Second Born out by one hoof, then had to reach in for her snout which was sort of tucked downward but Neegra actually pushed her right out after that. I ran inside to wash up because I saw another bubble coming, a baby bubble, and was scrubbing up my hand with iodine to prepare to go in for the third when SLOP out comes gigantic Third Born without any assistance!"

(edited for spelling errors)