[wellies]

Ok so hopefully my 5 ewes are in lamb to Ted the tup at the end of March I have been reading 'the sheep book', spoken to the vet today and ordered my lambing kit, have practiced on some friends ewes and have booked in to help my friendly farmer with some of his ewes which are due to lamb before mine. Today though I was looking at the girls and just though... OH MY GOD! I am seriuosly panicing that I won't know what to do, when to call the vet (who I am sure by the look on his face today when I told him Ted was itchy and I was worried about him already thinks I'm neurotic!). i'm convinced its all going to happen when hubby's up North in his nice warm office unable to answer my frantic phone calls for help due to some boring meeting

[doganjo]

I remember feeling exactly the same when I was about to whelp my first Cocker litter in the 70's.  You'll be fine! 

[jaykay]

The thing is, although you don't know what you're doing -  the sheep do 

Go and lamb with your friend, read your book. That's all I did and I coped fine the first time. People always tell you the horror stories, bit like women always telling pregnant women about dreadful births (why do they do that  ) but sheep are designed to produce lambs and mainly get on with it.

[Rosemary]

I'm sure you'll be fine - you're doing all the right things.

I was reading "the" Sheep Book last night, making a list for my lambing box, and I wish I'd had it before it was written. This year, I'm going to carry a notebook and write everything down - I'm so bad at remembering things especially times - so if I see a ewe starting to lamb at 9pm, I'll write it down otherwise I'm like "when was it that I saw that?". Especially in the wee sma' hours 

[Remy]

Agree that even with the 'maiden' ewes they seem to know what to do, usually they cope with everything themselves  .  I 'helped' with the birth of all my first lot of lambs, I probably wasn't needed but felt a bit better clearing all the bedding out of their noses  .  I've rarely had problems, just one or two with last year's where one lamb was presented wrongly and another where a ewe rejected the lamb.

I'm sure your friendly farmer will be only too pleased to help if you need it 

[SteveHants]

Let them get on with it. Dont be too keen to wade in and help. Are you lambing in or out? I find if you are lambing outside, the thought of catching the ewe up makes you stand off a bit more.

[VSS]

Never panic. Go and put the kettle on. Have a cuppa and then go back for another look

[woollyval]

Never panic. Go and put the kettle on. Have a cuppa and then go back for another look

  Best advice!!!

[Hazelwood Flock]

It's amazing how they just get on with it, 10 out of my 24 ewes have lambed and I missed every birth - just found the new arrivals twinkling in the straw! 5 of the 10 are first timers and are equally as good as the older ewes at knowing what to do. Just enjoy the experience 

[Rosemary]

Never panic. Go and put the kettle on. Have a cuppa and then go back for another look

Best advice. I intervened last year - gimmer lambing a single - and I should have just left her alone. It's not the best lamb and I wonder if my intervention has affected it adversely.

[tizaala]

Remember to cut your nails really short so that you don't do any damage, and as long as there are two feet and a nose  then leave well alone.

[Sylvia]

You really will do more harm than good if you are constantly fussing with a lambing ewe. Just keep an eye from a distance and only interfere if she has been pushing for, say half an hour and has got nowhere.
Ewes will choose their place to lamb, be it indoors or out and if disturbed from their chosen spot will become distressed which may lead to an abandoned lamb.
She will know better than you what to do, so just relax a bit and, as the poster says "Keep Calm And Carry On"