New mom and milking goats

christij · #1 07/29/06, 01:49 PM

When I get my goes in October my DD will be nine months old. I was wondering how other moms juggled taking care of their kids and thier goats? I plan on moving a playpen into the barn... but it's the early morning milkings I am fretting over.

TIA.

Christie

saraccon · #2 07/29/06, 02:06 PM

It is not easy. I have a 5 month old, and milk 2 girls. My baby was born 1 week before our first girl gave birth to her twins! For a while I would wake up and try and sneak out and milk before my husband left for work and before my baby would wake up. Usually though you just do your best. Some days my son is happy and will sit and watch and chew on a toy other days he is cranky and I end up having to nurse him in the middle-hopefully your goats are patient on the stand. If you don't have running water in the barn I like having that Purell hand sanitizer to do a quick clean up before I pick the baby up.

Patty0315 · #3 07/29/06, 02:45 PM

Get a baby monitor. That way the baby can sleep and you can still do chores.

saraccon · #4 07/29/06, 02:59 PM

Yes, a video monitor is great b/c you can see them and hear them. Expensive but worth it.

christij · #5 07/29/06, 03:24 PM

Saraccon - I can totolly see that happening to me -- DD is a breastfed baby as well -- no bottle no pacifer (excpet me)! We have a baby monitor that is suppose to reach that far, but it doesn't.

Patty0315 · #6 07/29/06, 06:44 PM

Wireless or wired intercom may be the only way. A monitor won't work in our barn either.

rootsandwings · #7 07/29/06, 07:15 PM

backpack or a sling? When ds was in the sling he could nurse while I did dishes. I never tried milking a goat though - he was ten when the goats arrived.

okgoatgal2 · #8 07/29/06, 09:12 PM

i was lucky to have older kids-my oldest was 8 and able to yell out the door and then play w/the youngest by the time i got the goats. he was born in june. if he was awake when it was chore time, he went out in the carrier and sat on the hay w/the 3yo beside him to make sure he didn't rock off. the other 2 helped with the feeding at 8 and 5. if he was asleep, i left the 8yo with him if his dad was sleeping, or w/dad if he was home and awake, and got done with chores as fast as possible. when he was able to sit up, i got one of those no walk walker things and put it out there. worked great-took different toy out each day. by the time he was a year old, he was walking and "helping" by holding a collar, or empty feed can, or whatever. my oldest, though was a huge help (still is)-if you can use a sling or backpack, i highly recommend it. i couldn't-i have major back issues, and he was born at 10 lbs-by the time he was 6mo, he was at my lifting limit-no way i could've carried him around. while i was preg, i milked from behind-it took a few days for the goats to get used to it, but i just couldn't twist that little bit-was easier on me to milk from behind. it may work w/baby in a sling, too.