Katie Van Slyke Checks Bella at 143 Days Pregnant — Could Today Finally Be Baby Day?

Katie Van Slyke is still waiting.

After weeks of measuring Bella’s enormous belly, watching her udder develop and counting down to the safer stage of her pregnancy, Bella has now reached 143 days pregnant — and Katie believes something looks different.

The biggest change may be Bella’s udder.

Katie said it appeared noticeably fuller while Bella was walking, although she still wasn’t convinced she had seen the dramatic final “pop” she has been waiting for.

There was another interesting development too.

For roughly two days, Bella has repeatedly been spending time in what Katie described as her corner, an area that has begun to look suspiciously like Bella’s preferred resting or nesting spot.

Katie isn’t claiming Bella is officially in labor.

In fact, she repeatedly second-guessed whether the changes were significant enough.

But one thing is certain:

At 143 days pregnant, every day is bringing Bella closer to meeting those babies.

Bella’s Udder Looks Fuller at 143 Days

Katie started the latest check by watching Bella walk.

Almost immediately, something caught her attention.

Bella’s udder looked different.

Katie believed it was definitely fuller, particularly toward the top, but she still stopped short of saying it had completely “popped.”

That has been one of the most closely watched changes throughout Bella’s final pregnancy countdown.

Katie has repeatedly examined her udder from the side and rear, looking for the moment when it becomes dramatically fuller before kidding.

At 143 days, Katie thinks they are closer.

But she isn’t totally convinced they have reached that final change yet.

Katie Keeps Looking From Every Angle

The uncertainty led Katie to do what she has been doing throughout Bella’s pregnancy:

Look again.

She checked from the side.

She looked from behind.

She compared the shape and fullness with what she remembered from the previous day.

From one angle, Katie thought the udder still didn’t look full enough.

From another, it appeared significantly larger.

That left her asking herself the same question followers are probably asking:

Has Bella finally popped, or are they still waiting?

Katie admitted that the fact she was still second-guessing herself probably meant the biggest change had not happened yet.

At the same time, she was confident that Bella’s udder looked much larger than it had previously.

Bella Has Been Spending Time in Her Corner

The udder wasn’t the only thing attracting Katie’s attention.

Before the goats realized Katie had arrived — and before they all got excited because they thought food might be coming — Bella had been lying down in her usual corner.

Katie said Bella has been spending time there for two days.

That behavior is interesting because Katie has been carefully watching for any shift in Bella’s routine as kidding approaches.

She described it as Bella’s little nesting area later in the update.

Again, Katie did not say that being in the corner confirms labor.

But paired with the changes in Bella’s body, it gave her another reason to wonder whether the waiting period is finally getting short.

Every Day Bella Looks a Little Different

Katie has been documenting this pregnancy closely enough that she can now compare Bella almost day by day.

And according to Katie, she is seeing differences every time she checks.

Bella’s belly looks deeper.

Her udder looks fuller.

Her body has progressively changed as the pregnancy advances.

That doesn’t provide an exact delivery time, but it demonstrates that the final stages are continuing to progress.

At 143 days, those small daily differences feel much more important than they did several weeks ago.

Now any noticeable change could be part of Bella getting closer to kidding.

Is Katie Trying to Convince Herself?

One of the most relatable parts of the update was Katie’s uncertainty.

She wants the babies to arrive.

She has plans coming up.

She has been checking Bella constantly.

And because of that anticipation, Katie openly wondered whether she might be trying to convince herself that Bella looks ready.

From one viewpoint, the udder looked dramatically larger.

Then Katie questioned herself again.

The constant back-and-forth showed just how difficult it can be to predict an exact kidding time from appearances alone.

Bella may look closer.

But Bella ultimately controls the schedule.

The Weekend Plans Are Adding Pressure

Katie also revealed another reason she is particularly interested in Bella’s timing.

She has plans to attend something over the weekend.

That created the inevitable farm-life dilemma.

Would Bella decide to have her babies at exactly the same time Katie needed to leave?

Katie joked with Bella about whether she was going to make her stay home and skip the trip.

It’s the kind of timing livestock owners know all too well.

Animals rarely consult the calendar.

And after weeks of waiting, Bella could easily choose the least convenient possible moment.

Katie clearly wants to be there when the babies arrive, which makes every additional day of waiting a little more complicated.

Rain Could Make the Day Even More Interesting

The weather added another variable.

Katie said spotty showers were expected throughout the day, and the sky was already beginning to look unpleasant.

She specifically noticed the weather while checking Bella.

That doesn’t mean rain will cause Bella to go into labor, and Katie did not claim that it would.

It was simply another part of the environment she was keeping an eye on during an already suspenseful day.

With Bella at 143 days, Katie’s schedule uncertain and showers moving through, there were plenty of reasons to keep checking the cameras and goat area.

Bella’s “Midwife” Situation Continues to Entertain Fans

Katie also touched on the debate followers have been having about the other goats staying close to Bella.

Some viewers believe the behavior is sweet and protective.

Others apparently agree with Katie’s joking suspicion that there may be an ulterior motive.

Katie teased that perhaps one of Bella’s companions isn’t simply volunteering as a supportive midwife.

Maybe she is thinking ahead to Bella having multiple babies and hoping Bella might be willing to share one or two.

It was clearly playful speculation rather than a serious claim.

But it continues one of the funniest side stories of Bella’s pregnancy — the way the other goats have reacted to having one heavily pregnant member of the herd.

What If Bella Really Has Three?

The question of how many kids Bella is carrying is still unresolved.

Katie has long suspected that Bella may be carrying three babies.

Previous checks established that there are multiples, but the final count will not be known until she gives birth.

During this update, Katie again joked about Bella potentially having three and about someone perhaps wanting to claim one or two of them.

That triplet prediction remains just that — Katie’s prediction.

Bella could deliver a different number.

The only way to settle the mystery is to wait for kidding day.

And at 143 days, that answer is getting closer.

The Current Babies May Be Losing Their Spotlight Soon

Katie also joked about the younger goats and their reaction to the attention surrounding Bella.

One seemed especially interested in getting noticed.

Katie suggested she may be unhappy about no longer being “numero uno” on the cute list.

For now, Katie reassured her, the current youngsters still hold that position.

But only until Bella’s babies arrive.

Once newborn kids enter the barn, the attention hierarchy is likely to change immediately.

That has been another recurring theme throughout Bella’s pregnancy.

The older babies have enjoyed being the little ones.

Soon, they may have to become the big kids.

There Was Still Plenty of Time Left in the Day

Perhaps the most important reason Katie was unwilling to rule out a same-day birth was the time.

It was only around 9:00 a.m.

Katie reminded followers that Bella has not followed one specific time of day during previous kiddings.

One previous birth happened around 1:00 a.m.

Another occurred around 7:00 p.m.

That history means a quiet morning doesn’t necessarily tell Katie much about what Bella might do later.

There were still many hours available for her body to change.

Katie therefore wasn’t ready to say that another day would pass without babies.

Bella Could Change Quickly

That is one reason Katie continues checking her throughout the day.

Bella could look one way at breakfast and noticeably different several hours later.

Her udder could continue filling.

Her behavior could change.

She could begin isolating more.

Or she could simply continue eating and acting like Bella while making everyone wait another day.

Katie knows both scenarios are possible.

At this stage, predicting the exact timing has become more guesswork than certainty.

From 140 Days to 143

One thing Katie no longer has to worry about as much is whether Bella will reach the safer milestone she wanted.

She already did.

For days, Katie had been asking Bella to make it to approximately 140 days before delivering.

Bella cooperated.

Then she continued.

Now she is at 143 days.

That means the conversation surrounding Bella has changed substantially.

Earlier updates were about hoping the babies would stay inside.

Now the focus is simply figuring out when they are ready to come out.

Katie Is Ready — Bella Might Not Be

Katie’s own impatience was obvious in the funniest possible way.

She wants to know.

She wants to meet the babies.

She wants to know whether her prediction about the number is correct.

And she wants to know whether Bella is finally going to cooperate before Katie’s upcoming plans.

Bella, meanwhile, still seems perfectly capable of making everybody wait.

That contrast has turned the final days of this pregnancy into a running joke.

Katie can measure.

She can inspect.

She can watch cameras.

She can predict.

But Bella gets the final vote.

So, Is Today the Day?

Katie ended the update without a definitive answer.

She sees differences.

Bella’s udder appears fuller.

The area looks different from certain angles.

Bella has been spending time in her preferred corner.

Her pregnancy is now at 143 days.

And there is still plenty of time left in the day.

But Katie also doesn’t think she has seen the enormous, unmistakable shift that would make her confidently say:

The babies are coming right now.

So the official answer is still:

Maybe.

And that may be the most exciting part.

The Bella Baby Watch Continues

The cameras are ready.

Katie is watching.

The other goats are watching.

Followers are watching.

And Bella is apparently quite content to keep everyone guessing.

Maybe she will deliver today.

Maybe another night will pass.

Maybe Katie’s long-standing triplet prediction will finally be proven right.

And maybe one of those babies will finally be the little doeling she has hoped Bella would give her.

At 143 days, there probably aren’t too many pregnancy updates left.

But until Bella decides otherwise, the waiting continues.

Katie put the question directly to followers:

Is Bella finally going to have her babies — or are we still waiting? bella.txtTXT

For now, Bella remains pregnant.

But with a fuller-looking udder, more time spent in her corner and another day added to the countdown, the long-awaited kidding could be getting very close. 🐐❤️