FF doesn’t want to nurse

GrammaJenn

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New mama Nygerian Dwarf goat. Smooth pregnancy and delivery. Very attentive . Baby nursed right away. Noticed after a couple of days that mama didon’t seem to be letting baby nurse. I did hold her a few times for baby to feed, and now have a milking stand while we work this out. She was very tight and engorged, so milked her out quite a bit and then let baby feed. Baby healthy, active, appears well fed so I suppose he could be nursing when I’m not watching. The last couple of times mama tries to sit or lay down when he tries to nurse, even in milking stand. I end up holding her up for the first bit until she stands again. Doing this 3 times a day for the last 3 days. Suggestions?
 

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Alaskan

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Oops... your post must have been lost!

How are they doing now?

In my experience a situation like what you describe will settle down in a few days, a week at most.

So.... hopefully she is now letting the kid nurse just fine?
 

GrammaJenn

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I thought yesterday morning that she'd fed the baby because they were snuggled up together looking quite content, but when I got home last night, the baby was hollering like crazy, so we put mom in the milk stand and let him eat. I did the same thing this morning. The mom wants to sit when he first tries nursing, but after I prop her back up, she does fine. She's not kicking at him while he's nursing, so that is an improvement.
 

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I thought yesterday morning that she'd fed the baby because they were snuggled up together looking quite content, but when I got home last night, the baby was hollering like crazy, so we put mom in the milk stand and let him eat. I did the same thing this morning. The mom wants to sit when he first tries nursing, but after I prop her back up, she does fine. She's not kicking at him while he's nursing, so that is an improvement.
Any improvement is good!!!
 

GrammaJenn

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Hi back again 😊. So I’ve been putting the mama goat on the milking stand twice a day, occasionally three times a day. She’s happy to get up there and eat her fruit and grain. Baby nurses well. I also recently put a camera up in the barn to monitor whether or not the baby is nursing while not in the stand. The last couple of times in the stand, he nurses, but not like he’s starving. I have also observed Mom nursing while not in the stand, but not for long periods of time. Also there are multiple times where she won’t let him nurse. Is this normal? And should I stop the morning and night milk stand feedings? Mom and Bany are super loving together and the baby is definitely growin, healthy and crazily active lol.
 

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I have also observed Mom nursing while not in the stand, but not for long periods of time. Also there are multiple times where she won’t let him nurse. Is this normal?
It is normal.

I am always amazed at how fast they nurse.

With only the one kid, I would keep putting her on the stand twice a day, and milking a bit for the house....as in for you.

But... with him over a week old, and being peppy, if you do NOT want any household milk, I would stop...or maybe slowly reduce then stop over like a 4 day period.
 
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