# First time mom & ewe lamb not clicking on nursing...



## Mindi (Apr 27, 2016)

Ona, first time mom had her lamb this morning and baby gets so close to the nipple but just doesn't find it.  Also when baby is getting close, mom moves around in circles.  She's done lambing cause hubby stepped in her cleaning.  He gave her a shot of oxy to try and calm her down.  Baby was crying so bad, so I gave what I could from mom for colostrum and some in powder form from a bottle and now she's weezing some.  It also doesn't help it's a very wet and cold crappy day to be born.  Any advice?  Thanks!


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## purplequeenvt (Apr 27, 2016)

Not sure how the oxy will help calm her down? It actually might end up making her more nervous as oxytocin causes milk let down and contractions which can make her more uncomfortable. 

First time ewes can be so stupid. Are mom and baby penned up together in a small area (our lambing jugs are 5'x5')? If not, that should be done ASAP.

You need to have one person hold mom (or tie her up) and another person needs to get baby where she's supposed to be and help her find the teat. They can be stubborn as all get out, but tickling under the tail and right between the rear legs encourages them to start searching for food. Keep trying. Don't give the bottle again until you are positive that mom absolutely will not accept the baby or that baby isn't nursing. A hungry baby will keep trying.


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## Mindi (Apr 27, 2016)

Hubs just called and she's FINALLY up and nursing...so it clicked!!


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## promiseacres (Apr 27, 2016)

Great, so frustrating when instincts are slow


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## Sheepshape (Apr 28, 2016)

Remember that nursing can be painful to the ewe before the afterbirth has come away and if mum is expecting more than one lamb as nursing causes uterine contraction.

Some new lambs seem to suck everything apart from the teats, also an inexperienced ewe can think that the job is done after giving birth.....most eventually sort themselves out,though, as you have found. It can seem to take forever, though, when neither has a clue what they are doing.

If the ewe is trying to stop the lamb from nursing, then someone holding the ewe,whilst another is getting the lamb to suck a finger and then transfer to the teat usually works. If the ewe is showing signs of rejecting the lamb, then placing the ewe on her side and letting the lamb suck is sometimes easier.


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