You may be worried that when you’re pregnant that visiting a farm park could harm your baby.
Being pregnant and coping with all the confusing and conflicting emotions is tough, especially when you’ve got other children to look after too!
It’s often a relief taking your kids to somewhere they can play and learn with animals, it keeps them busy and brings some calm into your world (always needed when you’re a busy mum).
But is it really safe when you’ve got a new one on the way? YES!
Pregnant women are safe to visit Farmer Palmer’s
The good news is, that pregnant women are safe to visit our farm park.
So you and your kids can get away from it all and enjoy your precious pregger months together.
That means you still get to Oooh and Aaah over the lambs…
One of the popular things about visiting our farm park is lambs and kids. It’s impossible to not love them – they’re fluffy and bounce around kicking their legs about. This gets an ‘aaaaw’ from even the grumpiest people.
Be warned that if you’re within the nesting stage of pregnancy you may want to take all the animals home – this is not advisable 🙂
So while it is safe to visit our farm park, let’s talk about some of the things you need to be aware of.
There are some precautions to take for the little humans you are growing inside you…
When animals are giving birth, the risk you have may have heard about is that their placenta could carry infection. (Toxoplasmosis). These bacteria can be harmful to you when you’re pregnant.
So pregnant mothers should avoid animals that are giving birth or have recently given birth, just in case you pick any infection up from that placenta.
So here’s what we do to keep you safe: WE ARE ALL OVER THIS! At Farmer Palmer’s we put your safety first, so no matter how small the risk, it’s something we take very seriously.
Our kids and lambs will be born in our Big Barn, and all of their pens are double fenced. Our staff have precaution procedures in place to avoid cross contamination. JOB DONE!
Therefore, the risk is extremely avoidable.
It’s important to know that this isn’t only for lambs and sheep, the risk is there for cattle and goats too. And it’s not only in the spring, it can be all year round.
The number of human pregnancies affected by infected animals is statistically incredibly low.
To keep you and your baby safe, we will never ask you to help ewes to lamb, or to provide assistance with a cow that is calving or a nanny goat that is kidding.
We always make sure:
- We use fences
- This is to help you avoid contact with aborted or new-born lambs, calves or kids. Or with the afterbirth, birthing fluids or materials (e.g. bedding) contaminated by such birth products.
- We keep staff clothing, boots or any materials that may have come into contact with animals that have recently given birth, their young or afterbirths separate from public areas.
- Our BIG Barn birthing areas are visible, but not in direct contact with visitors.
- We ensure our Birthing Assistant who has attended lambing, kidding, or other animals giving birth take appropriate health and hygiene precautions
- Including adequate washing to remove any potential contamination.
- Feeding demos may be offered with lambs, but newborn lambs aren’t used for safety purposes – so safe if you’re pregnant!
When visiting other Farm Parks, make sure that the farm park you are planning on visiting uses the same precautions we do to keep you safe.
If you’re ever unsure, a quick phone call to check is always the best option.
And of course, if you have a fever, influenza-like symptoms or are worried you may have picked up an infection…seek out medical advice as soon as possible.
We’re family-focused at Farmer Palmer’s and strive to keep everyone safe, especially the unborn future animal fans who will be visiting us soon!
So to recap: It is safe to visit our farm park when pregnant
If you have any questions at all, get in touch – we love hearing from you.
Otherwise, we hope to see you, your family, and your beautiful bump soon! Book your tickets to visit Farmer Palmer’s here.
