Lambing sheep

[AbiJon2022]

Hi everyone, currently 14 weeks pregnant with my first baby. Both my self and my partner come from farming families and we both lamb sheep. Obviously I know sheep carry toxoplasmosis which can be fatal in the first trimester. When our sheep our due to lamb I’ll be 22 weeks has anyone else ever lambed sheep while pregnant? I’m not particularly sure what to do, I don’t think it’s worth the riskz. TIA

Why you should avoid lambing while pregnant - Ridgeway Research

Our local park has signs up during lambing warning pregnant women away. I wouldn't rusk it tbh. Likely you would be fine but why have the question mark in your head?

We have a very labour intensive farm and lamb 300 ewes which involves a lot of labour and hard work. I know some of my friends who lambed sheep while pregnant claimed it was fine as long as you take precautions. I was just interested to see other peoples opinions. It’s very easy for people who don’t farm to judge but with myself more than likely being completely useless during lambing now ,myself and my partner will now have to pay someone to take my place which will cost roughly 5000 pounds. I was just interested to see other people’s opinions on this topic. Farming isn’t as easy as it seems on the tv

It's really not worth the risk. I know it's hard as you feel you should muck in, but it's too dangerous.

You need to ask around the farming community tbh. Or ask to move this to chat and change title to lambing whilst pregnant

Ask your midwife if you can have the antibody test.
Otherwise it’s just not worth the risk. I didn’t go near the farm during lambing when pregnant, DH also left his lambing clothes there for his mum to wash. Fortunately we live off farm so it isn’t as difficult as it could be.

It's up to you whether you feel you could risk it. I'm from a farming background and have delivered lambs, although not when pregnant, if that's relevant.
Read this:
The hidden hazards of spring: why pregnant women and the immunocompromised should avoid lambing | British Journal of General Practice (bjgp.org)

I definitley would not. It's just one lambing season - you can help next time. The risk of infection plus the risk of being kicked would be too high for me. No matter how careful you are, there is always that one sheep who kicks off and drags you!!

Could you advertise for a student and provide accommodation? Cheaper maybe - I see these adverts quite often on the farming forums.

Definitely get the antibody test.

Are you anywhere near an ag or vet college, we’ve had students from both lamb with us. Might be your way to duck out of lambing this year.

I'd be asking myself if spending £5k was worth it to avoid the risk to my unborn child tbh.

I have no problem spending 5k to avoid any risk to my unborn child, unfortunately I will have to take out a loan to cover that cost which I don’t see as a inconvenience as such just something I didn’t want to have to resort to with money being so tight. 5k isn’t as easy to come by for some as it is for others😊

Farming community here.

Absolutely NOT.

Even the hardiest of hill farmers in rural Scotland around here would tell you that.

There is a million other things you can do. Cooking, paperwork, medicine runs. Checking stock. But you stay right out the shed.

Advertise for a student, get in touch with colleges and get someone on placement, speak to vet universities, but do not do it yourself.

I’m four hours away from the nearest vet college so unfortunately they all opt for places closer.

And we lamb 6000. So 300 is not "labour intensive". One person could manage. With some help carting out if they must.

Happy to offer pointers.

Teens on school holidays, contact schools.

Help with bedding up etc. what timescale are you lambing over? A week? It's really not that bad. Wait till you do it with a baby for six months.

Seriously, you do the house etc, DH lambs

Yeah I won’t be anywhere in the lambing shed this year. I was just getting mixed opinions from other people in the farming community at home. I had a few friends lambed sheep while pregnant and had no issues but for me not worth the risk.

No it really isn't. Even my absolutely wild mother in law would rather slap you than let you in the shed. And she has five boys, and is still in the shed at 82.

She went nuts when I drove the car in.

Yes I know not labour intensive as others, my other half and myself work full time in jobs that don’t offer flexible time off so we always alternated who was on lambing duty going be who was off. But not to worry I’m sure we will get sorted

Wouldn't offering free accommodation and food act as a bit of incentive?

Logically, yes, five grand is a lot of money to find - but the comparative risk is stumping up five grand or wishing to God you'd stumped up five grand first time round.

It's like not replacing a broken guard on a baler because it costs too much or dealing with that fence 'later' and hoping that nobody or their dogs get in overnight.

In awe of the number of farmers on Mumsnet! Thank you for feeding us and hope you can make the money back 🙂

Your mother in law seems like a very wise lady.

Ok. So can leave be taken?

He takes the intensive period as leave from work.

You get school kids to bed pens, feed up, and you cart out as they load.

Speak to employers, unpaid leave, holidays etc etc.

We don’t have sheep, but I’m in a couple of big Facebook groups of farming women. I’ve seen this asked before and have been surprised that, for a community which normally laughs in the face of risk, this is one which is taken very very seriously. Several tragic stories. So don’t go near lambing, I’m afraid. And be wary of transfer of fluids from your partner or anyone else - he puts his own clothes in the wash, scrubs his hands etc.

Yep, we are in the middle of renovating our farm house at the minute, a very busy few months ahead. So of course if all going well renovations is finished, I’d be more than happy to offer free accommodation. And free food/meals would have always been on the agenda anyway.