Labor Watch

While Lena's belly certainly gets a lot of attention around our house these days, Leo isn't the only baby we're waiting for.

Jaz, hoping to catch sight of his baby brother moving
Lena at 32 weeks

Today was actually the due date for Chive (the goat), and I spent a good chunk of time just sitting in the goat yard, observing her. This morning her udder had expanded to a new, tight form, and her flanks looked a bit hollowed out. I can tell that the birth is near, I'd guess within the next 48 hours.

Chive's very full udder

And just as we've been making some preparations inside the house in anticipation of Leo's arrival, we've been working on the barn to prepare for Chive's baby (or babies--we don't really know how many kids she'll have). The biggest thing--that was only just completed yesterday--is that we finally got a real fence up to enclose the goat yard. We'd been using a solar-powered electric net fence temporarily while we waited on Lena's friend (and fence builder) to be available to help us out with something more permanent. I was really hoping that the new fence would be in place in time for the first kidding, and I'm so glad that it is.

the barn, the garden (in raised beds), the river

I love looking out at our little backyard farm now that the structural components are complete. The only other things we've done to prepare for Chive's birth is to put fresh bedding down in the barn, and collect a few things for the goat "birth kit."


We've got latex gloves and mineral oil (a lubricant), for the rare instance in which I would need to help a kid be born, iodine for the umbilical cord(s), and some towels for drying the kid(s) if Mama Chive isn't up to it. I can't wait for a sign that labor has begun. We're all so curious to see how many kids Chive will have and what flavor (bucks or does) they'll be. I'm hoping that the birth will take place during the day tomorrow, either before or after--but ideally not during--the local annual queer pride celebration. One way or the other, I will have birthy news to share here soon!