Doing My James Herriot Impression
I went out to check on the pregnant ewes Monday afternoon. There was a brand new white lamb. She was looking for her mother. All the other ewes were sniffing and licking her. So she was quite confused. But, I was quickly able to pick out her mother. I put them in a pen of their own so they could bond.
Meanwhile another ewe was in labor. But it was apparent that things were not going well. So I had to do my James Herriot impression. First I determined that the lamb was turned around backwards. This is one of the easier bad presentations to deal with. I provided gentle traction with her contractions until the lamb was delivered. But, because the lamb was born head last it inhaled a lung full of amniotic fluid and was in effect drowning upon delivery. This necessitated clearing the lungs as quickly as possible. I'm happy to say my impression of James Herriot was successful and the lambs are all doing wonderfully.
The proper way for a lamb, colt, calf, etc to be born is head first. This is part of God's marvelous design. In a normal delivery, as the baby travels head first down the birth canal, the lungs are compressed emptying them of fluids. The mother pushes and the head is delivered. The mother rests briefly and gravity drains the excess fluid from the nose and mouth. A few minutes later the mother pushes again, the baby is born, the baby's chest expands and draws in the first breath of air. A miracle of new life!
I am very thankful to God that he worked the timing out perfectly so that I was able to do everything needed for the little backwards lamb. I just marvel at God's amazing design that is so perfectly arranged to create new life. I find it quite amazing what a profound difference the lamb being turned around makes on the birth process. It really spells life or death for the lamb. It shows me that the creation cannot be random accumulations of changes, but is in fact the purposeful design of my Heavenly Father.
Meanwhile another ewe was in labor. But it was apparent that things were not going well. So I had to do my James Herriot impression. First I determined that the lamb was turned around backwards. This is one of the easier bad presentations to deal with. I provided gentle traction with her contractions until the lamb was delivered. But, because the lamb was born head last it inhaled a lung full of amniotic fluid and was in effect drowning upon delivery. This necessitated clearing the lungs as quickly as possible. I'm happy to say my impression of James Herriot was successful and the lambs are all doing wonderfully.
The proper way for a lamb, colt, calf, etc to be born is head first. This is part of God's marvelous design. In a normal delivery, as the baby travels head first down the birth canal, the lungs are compressed emptying them of fluids. The mother pushes and the head is delivered. The mother rests briefly and gravity drains the excess fluid from the nose and mouth. A few minutes later the mother pushes again, the baby is born, the baby's chest expands and draws in the first breath of air. A miracle of new life!
I am very thankful to God that he worked the timing out perfectly so that I was able to do everything needed for the little backwards lamb. I just marvel at God's amazing design that is so perfectly arranged to create new life. I find it quite amazing what a profound difference the lamb being turned around makes on the birth process. It really spells life or death for the lamb. It shows me that the creation cannot be random accumulations of changes, but is in fact the purposeful design of my Heavenly Father.
