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Trouble with Starlight's doeling

Posted by Patty Meyer on May 3, 2014 at 9:25pm in Kidding

He all,

I'm having some trouble with Starlight's new doeling.  She hasn't been thriving since her birth, and I think I figured out why.  She wasn't nursing, even though Starlight is the most patient and loving of mothers, usually able to feed triplets fine.  She became increasingly unhappy and unsteady on her feet today, so  I decided to give her a bottle.  She sucked down three ounces, but I noticed when she did that her tongue was sticking out the side of her mouth, not formed around the nipple as it should have been.

Tonight she nursed off of Starlight twice, both for quite long.  This was directly after I had milked Starlight, and I left plenty for the kids and know it was flowing nicely.  The first time she stayed completely unsatisfied, and her tummy didn't feel very full.  The second time it felt more full and she seemed more happy.  I don't really think she's nursing eficiently.  Anyone have any experience with anything like this?  If so, did the situation improve?  Did the kid learn to nurse correctly?

The buckling is sucking down plenty of food, and doing well.

Thanks! :) 

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Replies

  • Deborah Niemann-Boehle May 4, 2014 at 12:05pm

    Glad to hear she's improving! 

  • Patty Meyer May 4, 2014 at 8:14am

    Thanks for sharing, Julia!  That was pretty much our experience.  Today the little girl is bouncy and happy, though I feel like it still takes her a longer nursing period to get satisfied.  Hopefully things continue to improve before Starlight starts to limit their nursing time.  Right now she'll stand there as long as they want.  Good mama. :)

  • Julia @Woody Glen Farm May 4, 2014 at 7:13am

    I just read a thread about this on the goat spot. It took a couple of days for the little doeling to get control over her tongue --one person suggested gently putting her tongue back in when it comes out the side (when you're bottle feeding her). After 24 hours she was fine and could control her tongue. 

  • Patty Meyer May 4, 2014 at 6:35am

    Thank you, Deborah.  I'd thought I'd read that somewhere. :)  Thanks for sharing that the outcome was positive.  I'm heading out to the barn now, and hoping to have a happy baby greet me.  If not, I'll work with her on the bottle again.  Maybe I can get her tongue where it's supposed to be. :)

  • Deborah Niemann-Boehle May 3, 2014 at 10:41pm

    Here is my story:

    http://antiquityoaks.blogspot.com/2008/06/sucking-disorder-in-goat-...

    And yes, she did learn to nurse correctly.

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