Assembling Your Kidding Kit

So things are getting really exciting around here!  Daisy is less than 2 weeks away from her due date, and we are getting ready for the big arrival.  You see, this is an extra special event.  Not only do we dearly love sweet Daisy, but her's will be the first ever goat kids born on this farm.  That is special!  That is exciting!  We have so much to do to get ready!

I have been slowly gathering items for our kidding kit.  If you have goats, or any animals that have babies for that matter, it is a very good idea to have some items organized and ready to go at a moments notice.  Birth is unpredictable.  We make an educated guess at a due date, but all pregnancies and all mamababy's (no that was not a typo... the mother and baby are a single unit, of course!) are different.  Be prepared so you can be calm and fully present when the big day comes.

Now with that being said, I would like to explain my approach to the kidding kit.  If you do a search online you will find exhaustive and elaborate lists of items that one "needs" to have in their kidding kits.  Everything from milk replacements, to medications, shots, kid pullers, lube...  Even the more holistic lists I have happened upon have multiple types of supplements, washes, herbs, etc....  That's so not me!  I'm a minimalist and I have complete trust in the birth process.  When I chose to have my second baby at home, I opted to not create a birth plan, or even a back up plan in case of the need to transfer to a hospital.  My mind couldn't go there...  I did, however, prepare extensively to have a wonderful and peaceful home birth.  I put my energy into what I wanted, not what I feared.  So I'm taking a similar approach to preparing for kidding.

There are a few basic areas that you will want to make sure your kit covers.  Those are umbilical cord care, postpartum comfort for mama, cleanup, and a few "just in case" items in the event that you have to assist or a kid is feeling a little weak.  When you read up on kidding it seems like the most common complications in a goat birth are kids coming out in a not so perfect position, or a kid needing a little bit of extra love to "get going" after being born.  I'd like to be prepared for either of those things.

So without further ado, here is my kit:

Ta-da!

For umbilical cord care there is:

•  Goldenseal root powder - This is an excellent antibiotic herb that works very well to dry up the cord stump and guard against harmful bacteria.  Initially and every time I clean their cord in the following days, I will crack open a capsule, mix it with some water in one of the plastic cups, and invert the cup over the cord stump to make sure to evenly coat it.  Alternatively you can use a cotton swap to apply the powder directly to the cord.
• Unflavored dental floss for tying off the cord.
• 2oz plastic cups for mixing up the goldenseal/water solution. (note: I do not like plastic and have been keeping my eye out for appropriately sized and shaped glass containers to do this job.)
• Iodine - I DO NOT plan on using iodine.  It is rather harsh, and if the tissue is healthy it will actually damage the tissue more than it will help it.  HOWEVER, I did want to have it on hand just in case someone develops an irritated belly button or if the "break" is not so pretty.  It's all about weighing the pros and cons!
• Sharp medical scissors for trimming the cord if needed.  Usually the mama takes care of severing the umbilical cord, but you will want to have sharp scissors on hand just in case the cord piece still attached to baby is too long.  You want the cord stump to be about 2 inches long to minimize as much as possible the chance that it will touch the ground or poop.

For mama care (these items aren't pictured as they will be prepared that day):

• Warm cooked oatmeal with molasses and cinnamon. I will probably make this once it seems like she is in labor and put it in a hot food container to maintain it's temperature until she is ready to eat it)
• Hot herbal tea (I'm thinking a mix of raspberry leaf to encourage her uterus to contract back down to it's normal size, nettles to tone and provide iron, cayenne to moderate bleeding, and cinnamon for warmth and flavor).  I'll brew up two liters of this and put it in my Thermos to keep it hot.  Then I will mix it 50/50 with fresh water and a small splash of apple cider vinegar in her water bucket.  
• And the last item in this section isn't really tangible, but still important for mama's health.  First I will say, you should not impose your own repulsions onto your animals at the expense of their happiness and well being!  That's a fancy way of saying, let her eat her placenta if she wants to!  Don't scoop it up immediately and treat it like biohazardous waste.  It's hers.  Let her have it.  If after a little while she has zero interest in it, then by all means, dispose of it.  Keep in mind though that most animals feel compelled to consume their afterbirth.  Many believe that this a survival based behavior that evolved from the fear of predators smelling it.  Other's believe that there are vital nutrients that the mother needs, and hormone balancing compounds that help her adjust to motherhood and lactation.  Either way, let your doe satisfy her needs.  If her mama instincts are telling her to fear predators, then she needs to resolve that.  If she needs the nutrition and hormone balancing then you shouldn't deprive her of that.  Ok... that is all on that : )

For the "just in case" scenario:

• Elbow length gloves, for... you know.
• Olive oil - I knew that I did not want to use a petroleum based lubricant on my does, so I chose olive oil.  You can use most any type of natural oil though.
• "Flutter valve" nipples - Just in case a kid can't nurse right off the bat for whatever reason.  I have zero intention of bottle feeding babies, and if I do have to at any time I will give the baby goat it's mama's milk and colostrum.  All of our animals CAE negative, and so I have zero worries here.
• Cayenne Pepper tincture - This is an EXCELLENT supplement to have on hand for a number of first aid situations.  It is very effective at controlling bleeding, and works wonders at giving a little boost to a weak kid.  Cayenne is very warming and is loaded with B vitamins.  I love the tincture from Fir Meadow, LLC because it is in an apple cider vinegar base, and is of a very high quality.  Fir Meadow is an excellent source for herbs.

Cleanup Supplies:

• The straw bales in the photo are part of the kit too!  Some websites I have read suggest using things like puppy piddle pads or old feed bags to set new kids on immediately after they are born.  This immediately makes me think about a horse "breaking" technique I read about once.  Basically, the horse trainer rubs a piece of crinkly paper all over the young horse.  The sound and feeling greatly disturbs most horses, and they are considered "broke" when they are able to handle it.  Apparently this gets them to be easier to handle and used to being touched.  I guess just touching them often doesn't work the same or quick enough?  Anyways, I'll admit that I know very little about horses aside from the basic care and nutrition, but I'm choosing simply to have lots of extra dry straw on hand to replace any wet or soiled straw with.  This seems more comfortable to me for the babies and for mama who will be trying to clean and bond with her babies.   
• Cotton towels - Once mama is done cleaning her babies, and depending on what time of day it is, I may need to finish drying them off to make sure they don't get could.  

And there you have it folks!  A minimalist approach to kidding kits!  My hope, as always, is to inspire the belief in others that less is more.  Please, do not go spend hundreds of dollars on things that are unlikely to be used and will just expire or collect dust at the bottom of your supply cabinet.  If your animals are healthy and robust, then the risk of complication is low.  If I do encounter an emergency situation where assistance is needed, I believe that my kit covers that well without going over the top.

Good luck and blessings for the kidding season to you all!