On baby watch

[Caroline]

As I believe I said in a previous post I separated Gracie and Eiffel a few months ago (not sure when) because I figured that she was probably to old and would never get pregnant. April 13 she weighed about 820 grams, May 19th she weighed 1011 grams and today June 3rd she is a whopping 1043 grams! Am having a hard time feeling if there are any elongated nipples.
She is by herself in a babysafe cage. It is the bottom level of a FN 142 with hardcloth attached to the outside of the cage. I have fleece on the floor of the cage with a wooden hidyhouse. The two wooden shelves are no higher that the top of the hidyhouse roof.
Ok, so now I need a shopping list to prepare for the blessed event. What is recommended? I read somewhere that I need to have goats milk on hand? If so how much? Insulin syringes, I have a few of those on hand, but am wondering how many do I really need? Also read baby food? What kind? What do I need in case Mama decides to hurt babies? Anything else?
Is there any special diet I can feed Gracie to increase milk production in case she is carrying more than two?
We are all getting very excited!

 

[Spoof]

Don't bother feeling for nipples, that doesn't always work. If she is close you'll feel kicking.

What is recommended?

Know where you can get the stuff, but otherwise don't worry.

I read somewhere that I need to have goats milk on hand?

Nah, if you know of somewhere you can get it fresh, just make contact with the person. Otherwise you could get a can of it but it goes bad fast. I've been using unsweetened almond milk and that works just as good for me as it is something I always have around and use often.

If so how much?

None, you want mom to do all the work.

Insulin syringes, I have a few of those on hand, but am wondering how many do I really need?

I've used the same one for the last 12 years.

Also read baby food? What kind?

I have baby rice cereal. I think it is fruit flavored.

What do I need in case Mama decides to hurt babies?

A shoe.

Anything else?

A peg leg, and a parrot.

Is there any special diet I can feed Gracie to increase milk production in case she is carrying more than two?

It sounds like she is plenty big on her own, I wouldn't give her any reason to have birthing complications due to fatty buildup.

The reality of kits:
Healthy babies can go for 3-5 days with no milk. If they get NO milk they lose 2-3g per day.
If they are getting at least 3ml from mom they hold steady or only lose 1g. This is ok. I do not supplement so long as they are holding as they will stimulate mom into producing more by suckling constantly. If you hand feed it allows mom to produce less. It may take her a week but she will bump up production.

Most females take 1-2 days for the milk to come in. Yes, you will see a weight loss, I don't interfere. She needs that constant suckling from hungry babies. Most people get nervous and start hand feeding right away and I'm sure it just aggravates the situation.

You know a watched chin never pops, right?

 

[Caroline]

Well I certainly don't want a parrot, will one of my chickens do? A peg leg sounds like a good idea for my little Hayley as her mama chewed off her toes as she was being born.
Please describe what the kicking feels like, little butterfly wings or a really good punch?

 

[Spoof]

Well I certainly don't want a parrot, will one of my chickens do?

Hmm, usually the parrot is used to repeat the line, "Don't worry, everything will be o.k.". If you can get one of your chickens to perform this I'd like to be on your list for fertile eggs.

Kicking will be very obvious and violent. At points you'll wonder if the Seahawk's entire defensive line isn't in there. You'll be able to observe mom's belly move up to 1/4" in and out. They usually lay on their sides a lot towards the end and look visibly miserable. I've noticed it is most violent with two kits. 3-4 are packed in there pretty tight so it will be like seismic tremors but not so much movement outwards. One kit will have a lot of movement but on a fat chin you won't see it as much, just feel it. Even the angriest of females will gladly sag into your palm if you put your hand under them towards the end.

 

[Caroline]

Haha, spoken like a true Pacific Northwesterner. We know all about the Seahawks and seismic tremers here.

 

[Caroline]

As for everything being ok, that doesn't work for me. Once you have experienced holding your dead newborn daughter in your arms you know that things can go terribly wrong during delivery.

 

[tunes]

I can only assume Tara hasn't had the misfortune of having to hand feed much in the past 12 years. Me? I go through probably 20 when I have to hand feed a kit. The rubber inside swells after a while of washing out the milk, to the point where the plunger doesn't go down smoothly and you darn near drown the kits. Aside from that, it's milk in plastic. Eventually, it will sour.

I buy a box of 100 at a time and stick them in a cupboard for when I need them. Fresh goat's milk can be bought at Wal-Mart or health food stores. I keep a can of powdered Meyenberg's goats milk in the cupboard and mix that for in the middle of the night emergencies. The next morning, I go to the store to buy fresh.

 

[Caroline]

We now have Nipples, an entire milk bar at that! Did not feel for bagging up, kicking myself for not doing so! Wondering how much longer after they develope the entire milkbar could it be before babies arrive?

 

[VolunteerChin22]

You'll know when you have babies to be honest - I don't go by nipples at all. Kicks are somewhat helpful but as stated before they can vary depending on how many - Im just satisfied knowing when we are down to the last weeks. After that you typically just find them in the morning.

And becareful handling and poking around - to feel kicks you need to lay your hand flat as you would on a human momma - don't try to palpate - some people do this to determine how many and end up injuring and killing kits.

 

[seachin]

Hi Caroline...I agree with the others. You won't know until the babies arrive. I have been almost sure the kits would arrive one day, only to be two weeks off. Do weigh them when they are dry, I normally wait until that evening to weigh newborns. Then weigh them daily around the same time. Don't rush to handfeed. 2-3 days. If you need fresh goatsmilk, the Fairwood Safeway should still sell it, but let's hope for the best and her milk will drop with no issues. Keep us posted!

 

[Caroline]

Hi Caroline...I agree with the others. You won't know until the babies arrive. I have been almost sure the kits would arrive one day, only to be two weeks off. Do weigh them when they are dry, I normally wait until that evening to weigh newborns. Then weigh them daily around the same time. Don't rush to handfeed. 2-3 days. If you need fresh goatsmilk, the Fairwood Safeway should still sell it, but let's hope for the best and her milk will drop with no issues. Keep us posted!

Hi, are you the breeder who is a teacher I met last fall at the show? I live over in the Tiffany Park area not far from Fairwood. I will check the Fairwood Safeway, I pass it everyday on the way to the barn where I board my horses. I just really want to be sure I am prepared or at least know where to get items that I will need.

 

[seachin]

Yup that's me. Like the other ladies said, goatsmilk doesn't last long so you definitely don't want to buy it until you need it. But it would be good to see where you can buy it locally and fresh. Feel free to PM me if you need anything else.
Ryan

 

[Snickers]

I have been waiting for 5 weeks for a 1st time mom. One of my mom sometimes never shows until I find a baby in the cage.

I am now editing this since I went outside 2 mins ago and found a wet baby in the cage I believe a bv.

 

[Caroline]

Baby number one is a mosaic, think baby number two is coming.

 

[Caroline]

Baby number two may be an extra dark ebony like mama, not sure yet.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Pictures! Pictures! We want pictures! How are momma and kits doing?

 

[tunes]

Since there is already another thread going with info on the kits, I'll go ahead and shut this one down.