Midnight Surprise

Matt heard the sounds first and woke me up. I was grateful to see him getting up to come and help me in the barn. Naomi, a new mother, was standing over a little lamb, licked off but wavering in the dark. I approached her slowly with the towel and scooped her up. Normally moms will follow me to the maternity ward but this new mom was flightly. Took me a while to get her in. Matt had the heat lamp turned on but it gets lost in the cold. This ewe lamb is alert but weak and can't stand up. My lamb M.O. is to keep the lamb with mom until it becomes impossible. Maybe it's the fact that my own baby was whisked away from me and taken to another hospital - I can still feel the anxiety. I put double sweaters on her and Matt helped me get colostrum nursed out of an unwilling mom. Why wouldn't she want my freezing cold fingers pulling on her teats? I can't imagine! Got lambs tummy full, set her under the lamp and went back to bed. Thankfully, I went back to sleep and woke up at 3. Gear on, back to the barn. She's still weak but standing and they are talking to each other. I mixed up some hot water and powdered cow colostrum the vet had left me. I didn't want to upset the whole barn by scuffling with a new mom in the middle of the night and Matt was tucked in tight. He had a job interview in the morning and I didn't want to rouse him. "Nonnie" (an old friend's name) took the bottle fine and I went back to bed, feeling better there was something in that little tummy. This morning she is up, trying to nurse, but teetering on her feet. Naomi was lying down so I took that opportunity to jump in the pen and lie on top of her while nursing out some more colostrum. She didn't fight me, but after standing up I tried to get the other nipple and no way. I flashed back to the time I tried to nurse out Lucinda by myself and was suddenly looking at the ceiling of the lean-to with my glasses somewhere in the field! The power of motherhood! I poured the colostrum in the bottle and gave it to Nonnie. Hopefully as the day progresses, she will get stronger and stronger and find that nipple. Another day on the farm with many births to go.