Emma Field Book I - coming of age in the changing times of the mid-19th century

Chapter V - Lambing

"Wake up, Emma."

Emma could hear her father's voice as though it were coming through a hollow log.

"Emma. Wake up! I need your help." Emma opened her eyes to see the lantern light filling the room. Her father's bent frame blocked the pale glow of the fireplace.

"I need your help. A ewe is lambing and she's having some trouble. My hand is too big. I need you to give it a try. Don't rush – the water is still heating."

"It's so cold. Why is it so cold?" said Emma as they stepped into the cloudless night a few minutes later.

"Because you've just been woken up. It always seems so much colder when you've been hauled from your bed."

"Why didn't you call one of the Coopers? I don't know what to do."

"Then it is high time you did! If you are going to marry a young farmer you will need to know how to do everything – and I mean everything."

Emma stumbled. She folded her arms tightly across her chest, trying to get warmer. "I thought you said that I was going to be a teacher."

"You are. But you just might marry...and if you marry, the chances are that you will marry a farmer. Besides – this is good experience for you. Life is meant to be experienced."

"Sleep is meant to be experienced!" she complained, her teeth chattering behind her cold lips. "I can hear the ewe moaning from here. What do you need the water for?"

"You've never seen me birth an animal have you? I had forgotten that. We need water for us – to wash our hands in, and for the ewe too."

Hanging the lantern on a nail, they put the bucket of steaming water on a plank shelf. "That's it, old girl, that's it. Here Emma, take this soap and scrub as hard as you can. That's it. Till your arms are red. Good – now shake them dry. Now, ...the birthing. There are lambs inside the ewe's...," started Jeremiah, swallowing hard, "...the ewe's womb. The first one is blocking the opening. It can't come out until it is turned around. My hand is too big. I can't reach in far enough without hurting the ewe or myself. I want you to put your hand in and move the lamb around so that we can either pull it free or pull out another lamb first."

He glanced at his daughter.

"Why do you look that way?"

Emma's face was pale and twisted in the lantern light.

"You mean I have to put my hand inside her? It's all bloody!"

"So is meat. If you don't do this, the lambs will die. The mother will too."

"All right," Emma said, her voice sounding as if she were being strangled. Taking a deep breath, she asked "W-what do I do?"

"Just gently put your hand in."

"It's warm – and wet." Her face was scrunched up. The ewe moaned.

"It's supposed to be. Don't pull your hand back. Keep adding pressure – ease off a little when she pushes against you but don't bring your hand back out."

The ewe pushed herself up onto her front feet, moaning again.

"But I'm hurting her."

"Yes, and you will hurt her more if you let her push your arm out. Now, close your eyes. I want you to imagine what a lamb looks like. Can you find something you recognize – a leg or hoof?"

"I feel something smooth – soft and smooth."

"That's probably a hoof and it's likely bent. Try to follow the leg to the shoulder or hip. Try to see the lamb with your fingers."