Now that my first doe has kidded (with a single 4 lbd. buckling), I'm beginning to milk her. I'm not taking her baby away from her, just milking AM and PM, attempting to keep her udder even and help her produce more milk. The first attempt she was 16 hrs. fresh. I milked off 6 oz. of colostrum to save for later. The next time was at 28 hours fresh and I only got a little over 2 oz. Her udder still seemed plenty full, but I couldn't get any more. Same 2+ oz. the next morning and evening. Would this be "normal"?
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I would say that the baby had probably just nursed and that was why you didn't get much milk. You can try separating the baby for about 3-4 hours and milking to see what you'll get. I have a single doeling on a FF and I separate overnight and then sometimes if I know I'm gonna be home I will separate her again at 2 o'clock and milk at 6 then leave her with mama until 8pm and put her up for the night to milk at 7:30-8am. That way I get a little more milk but the baby still gets to nurse from mama too. I don't do it every day and I am a stay at home mom so if I need more milk from her then I will but it is not a big deal if I don't cause the baby takes care of it. I started separating overnight at 9 days old but my little one was fat and happy and could handle it.
Great Marin, I am glad we have some young ladies on here still bearing children, since I know a few don't, cause it keeps things extra exciting. I was serious, you will find my phone number on my website and are welcome to call if you need anything at all. I know lots about birthing babies, and nursing them. Once, I figured up how many years of my life I had spent nursing. It was way more than I had spent pregnant of course. You know I think after that long one should have earned some kind of degree or special rank, maybe a fancy title.
Thanks Marin. I'm glad to hear that, and I love the info. on how you're handling your kids and milking.
Patty, 2oz is about all the milk I would get from my first-fresheners if they weren't being separated from their kid(s) at night.
On a separate but somewhat related note, I've separated all my kids from their mamas (we've got 18 does in milk right now, 15 NDGs and 3 LaManchas) and I'm bottle/bucket feeding all except for one. She just refused the bottle completely so I let her nurse off her mama 3 times a day for about 10-15 minutes, the first time about 2 hours after morning milking, then once in the afternoon, then again about an hour after evening milking. That particular kid has the best weight out of any of the kids (the rest are all looking really chubby) and we get a lot of milk out of her mama at milking time. This doesn't exactly relate to what you're doing, but I found it really interesting that this particular situation is working out well for us and the kid.
And Margaret, I might be hitting you up for that labour-inducing information in about two months:-)
Thanks for the info, Margaret. :) I'm all done having babies, but I wish I'd known you when each of the four refused to come within the Dr's specified time limit. ;)
Just till you get an answer from someone with more experience. My guess would be that you probably didn't get as much as the first time only because that little kid has gotten the hang of nursing better and is eating more. That would at least be a positive way of looking at it until you figure it out. A 4lb. kid is a good size too and will probably eat real well. Plus when you are talking colostrum, volume is lower than when all that milk hits. But I don't know as much about this particular phase. I know people lactation REAL well, by the way if any of you have questions on that, I will try to help. I have lots of 1st hand experience. The nurses at my hospital use to tease me about how I should be teaching their lactation classes because I knew it so well. So many people don't these days. But not so many people have had and nursed 7 kids either. Not these days. At any rate, I wouldn't worry about it right now, it is real early and I feel sure it will get progressively better. Oh yea, I also REALLY know how to go into labor if any of ya'll are 9 months pregnant and tired of waiting call me! It is all natural and will only work if your ready, but it does work! It won't hurt you!