Bag filling then decreasing before foaling

[PaintedMeadows]

My Maiden mare is 334 days today. She was bagged up but didn't fill the nipples for about 2 weeks. Now the last few days her bag has been going down. She is definitely pregnant and the baby is still alive, I have seen movement even today. Nothing else has changed. Should I worry? Have any of you had this before?

 

[Genie]

Sounds okay to me.

My maiden had a "medium full udder" on the night of April 15th and I could not get a drop of milk.

She foaled at 4:16 a.m. on the 16th an I could get milk at that time, but her udder was still not full, full.

Her udder often seemed fuller on various days.

Sher never ever got to the "dripping milk" full stage.

 

[Mona]

Yes, this is all very much a part of the process. Nothing to be worried about.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Whew! Thank you ladies. I was starting to worry. Was thinking all of the what ifs. I had never actually heard of this and my other mares haven't done this. She was quite large for a while and now is almost half the size but a whole lot more grouchy and the baby has changed position. So I guess we are getting closer. But then every day we are getting closer no matter what. lol

 

[Joanne]

I list this symptom and "up and down" on my foaling records.

Totally normal, but none the less exasperating!

You just start thinking that "today is the day", then, nope, it is not.

You start second guessing yourself.

If they get totally full I note that they are "rock hard".

Hope this helps you.......

 

[lilmiraclesfarm]

Yup my mare did that to me last year. She bagged up and was huge. Then it went down and was a small bag. 4 weeks later the bag was huge again. She foaled 2 days afterwards.

 

[REO]

That is normal. It's when the bag stays full that I sit up and pay more attention.

I have also found that after a night of napping, the bag is full and then after a day of walking around, the bags get less full. Then are fuller in the AM again. But when I find a tight bag in the evening after a day of walking around..........It won't be long then!

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Ok. So I should still watch her at night? I would hate to miss it. Don't know what to do anymore. Sheesh. She actually had 3 days in a row that her bag just kept getting bigger. It would be bigger at night then the next morning bigger yet and then bigger again in the evening and I thought, here we go. Loose vulva and everything. Now it has shrunk some. Frustrating!

 

[Joanne]

Here we put the mares in a foaling stall in the late afternoon (3-4 pm). And then we do not let them out in a pasture until the morning about 9 am. There are a lot of hours when they can get completely full bags and wax when we are not checking them every few hours.

We will put a halter alarm (Breeder Alert) on when they are in the foaling stall so that if something happens they will let us know.

When we are getting close I will walk back at least once before bed to check on the mares and even the newborns to insure they are all fine.

I do think you should watch them a lot at night, though once those bags are full with no change night or day, they can foal anytime...day or night.

Best of luck.

 

[joylee123]

[SIZE=12pt]Just a past experience, had a mare who had developed a nice bag, all was going well, plenty of fetal movement. Then over the course of 4 days the mare lost her bag and we could detect no fetal movement. The foal had died inside. The mare was a TWH. and a maiden, she was about two weeks from due date. The foal had to be taken out in pieces.The mare had a VERY hard time, but did recover.Once you know your mare and how she progresses, you'll feel a little more at ease

I feel of them constantly (poor mares

) udders and foal movement, morning noon and night

and document

[/SIZE]

Joy

 

[PaintedMeadows]

OK Joy, now you are scaring me. I have been seeing the baby move in the last few days though so I think we are good. Today it looks like her nipples are filling in but the bag isn't as big as it has been. Her vulva is stretched waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy out though. I just don't know.

 

[PaintedMeadows]

OK. Here are her pictures from this afternoon. She is a 32" year old maiden mare. Day 335.

What do you all think?

 

[Lucky-C-Acres-Minis]

If she were mine I wouldn't be taking my eyes off of her..

 

[nnadams]

I think from the vulva picture that the foal is about to FALL out!!

hee-hee!

 

[Matt73]

I think from the vulva picture that the foal is about to FALL out!!

hee-hee!

Ditto

 

[PaintedMeadows]

I wish. Right now she is laying flat out having a good sleep. My 4 year old son sees me checking her vulva and he says that he wants to see the baby too!

I want us all to see that baby!!

 

[barnbum]

Get ready--and keep watching!!

 

[mama 'n me minis]

I wish mine looked that close !!! Keep your eyes on her and best of luck. I am sure we will see baby pictures soon.

 

[joylee123]

[SIZE=12pt]I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scary you

Just a situation I unfortunately had to deal with years ago

The pictures you posted really helped

Her bag looks great

and fetal movement is great

She looks eminent

[/SIZE]

Can't wait for baby pics!!!

Good luck

Joy

 

[PaintedMeadows]

Thanks guys. No foal yet this morning but she sure has been peeing alot. Lots of little dribbles. It's OK Joy. I should know all of the possible situations. You can bet I will be posting pictures the second she foals! Thanks again.