Help put my mind at reast please

I admit it,I am a paranoid kitten watcher

SO Millys kittens were born yesterday afternoon,so not even 24 hours old yet.

There is a runt of the litter,he is not as strong as the rest,he is feeding but he is slightly smaller and when they fight over a nipple he never wins because he isn't as strong as the rest. Is it true that every litter has a runt? that isn't anything to worry about right?

I think mum is a bit overwhelmed,she has yet to pick them up. BF slept in her room last night and when Milly got up the babies rolled off the bed (I need to get a box with high edges) and they started to cry. Milly went to lay down so they could feed but she didn't pick them up so I had to. I was wondering if maybe she just expects them to smell her and crawl their way back? Maybe she knows exactly what she is doing and I am just being paranoid?

Milly seems lonely too,she wants out of her room badly,the minute someone walks in she jumps up and purrs away. Is it OK to let her down for a while? Or at this stage does she need to be near the kittens all the time?

BF tells me I need to relax

I think that larger litters have a runt. In my particular case, we had a runt that was significantly smaller than the rest, but she did just fine. One thing to think about is that when they feed, they should fall asleep at the nipple, with plump little tummies. I believe that the nipples closer to the mother's front legs tend to have more milk, if you can jockey the little one up there, it would probably help.

I wouldn't worry about her not picking them up. I never saw my Elsa pick up her babies.

The kittens can be away from her some, if they stay warm enough (it helps if they bunch together for body heat). Some cats are very attached to their owners and will leave their kittens when the owner comes in. It's probably best to go into the room and sit next to the kittens so the momma stays there. She will want companionship and comfort at this time.

She really may just be too tired to pick them up, and she senses that you're around to help. Is momma eating kitten food herself, and drinking?

And yes, everyone needs to be in a large box confined near her, preferably on the floor...how scary they rolled off the bed!

As for the smaller kitten, he may need you to guide him to the nipple, or rotate him onto a nipple once the other two have fallen asleep. Make sure everyone is WARM, because a chilled kitten will not eat. Sometimes you can take a couple of old crappy towels, throw them in the dryer for about 5 minutes to heat them up, and lay everyone on that...or you can fill old tube socks with rice, tie them off, nuke them for about a minute, and lay them next to the kittens for added warmth. If the runt is really showing that he's not mastering the whole nipple routine, and he WILL NOT LATCH ON, and he WON'T eat, you may have to intervene, and start some supplemental bottle feedings with some kitten formula, such as KMR.

Thanks. They didn't fall of a human bed,a cat bed

The runt seems to be getting it now,he has found his favourit nipple and after a few minutes of trying he gets it. He is not as quick as the other two but he is managing to eat. Mum actually just moved them onto the floor backed into the corner,doesn't look comfy but that is where she wants them lol.

Oh, I'm so glad they didn't roll off of a bed!!!

That seriously made me worry.

I'm glad the little one is getting the hang of nursing...it can take a while for some.