Preparing for Kidding, the birthing bag

Any goat midwife will need some supplies on hand when coming to the aid of a birthing doe.  These are the items that this goat midwife stuffs into her birthing bag.

• Paper Towels - at least two big roles.  These are used to dry baby goat off.

• Towels - To dry off baby goat.

• Garbage Bags - To put all the dirty paper towels in plus dirty hay and any other yucky stuff.

• Bulb Syringe - To clear out baby goat's nose and mouth.

• Flashlight - Good for when it is dark out but mostly to shine at the bubble to see if baby goat is positioned correctly.

• Olive oil, in squirt bottle - Lubricant for you and doe. 

• Alcohol - to disinfect baby goat's umbilical cord.  I have little individually wrapped alcohol swabs.  Works great.

• Scissors - A small pair to trim umbilical cords. 

• Dental floss - To tie baby goat's umbilical cord if there is uncontrolled bleeding.

• Soup - To scrub up in case you have to go in.

• Warm water in bucket - To scrub up in 

• Exam gloves - In case one has to go in.

• Bottle & nipple - For those kids that are rejected or in multiple births to save colostrum to make sure all kids get some.  I use human baby bottles.  I have two different kinds.  My buck I bought as a bottle baby liked the first bottle we gave him.  For him I also made to slits in the nipple for the milk to flow faster.  The next goat, Little Daisy, did not like my bucks bottle.  She hated it.  So store run and multiple bottles later we found one Little Daisy approved.  The water bottle adapter!  I use a glass bottle though, the ones that hold mineral water work great.  (plus they are tasty for me to drink :)  I also did not slit the nipple for Little Daisy.  Do what works for you kid. 

• Weak lamb syringe - For emergencies were baby goat is to weak to nurse.

• Hair tie - For those of us with long hair in case we happen to not have one.

• Thermometer - If a kid is weak or looks off you can find out if the kid is running a temperature or is too cold.  You can not feed a cold kid, you must raise it's temperature first.

• Blanket:  baby(s) and mom - If it is colder out or any of the goats are really tired.  

Everything should be clean and in individual baggies.  Anything that you use then should be cleaned and re-bagged.  Re-check your birthing bag after every birth.  You might have dropped something or need to restock.  Usually the first four items are the only ones that get used then there are the births that none get used.  Needless to say the birthing bag has not made it to every birth.

 Coming Next ...... Preparing for Kidding, When is My Goat in Labor?