Well, it's been 3 1/2 days since Misty and my two heroes came home.
I was so worried at first you know, I wanted so much Misty to love and care for her little ones that when the vet told me it wasn't going to happen, a part of me really really went hollow. I didn't think badly of her, it's easy to understand after all the trauma of the c-section and after having her kittens in a cold strange place without her mummy. She obviously wanted to have them with me at home, following me wherever I went, crying if I was even in another room. The vet was so negative about this,said Misty would have to be kept away from them as she just didn't want to know and may do them harm out of jealousy.
So we started the hand rearing. Misty ofcourse, many of you know, took just 1 hour to do a complete turnaround and become No.1 Mum, suckiling them, stimulating their little butts and cleaning and cuddling. Sometimes she just lays in her box with the two of them, her paws wrapped round them, purring. God I love seeing that!!!
We were told to carry of supplementing her milk as they weren't sure how much she had.
The first night I was really hardcore (so I thought) and didn't try to take any naps, just prepared the feed, fed them, changed hot water bottles and watched them, and posted here, in between. The next day I was shattered SHATTERED, but happy, the kittens were obviously doing well, suckling well and then getting extra from us. I started weighing them and already their little bellies looked fuller, their coats more sleek.
I had fooled myself though that I could sleep during the day, which is absolute rubbish ofcourse because the 2 hourly feeds continue and then there's Misty to cuddle and Stevie (so as he doesn't feel left out) to cuddle and play with.
The next night, I tried to be a little more realistic. My boyfriend helped, bless him and took the 11pm and 1am feeds, so that I could sleep more. The I took over.
Problem is I've discovered you don't really sleep when you nap in between feeds, I found myself just daydreaming about the kittens and about what I had to do when morning actually came.
I'd get up, say 3 am or 5am after that, zombie like go into the kitchen, prepare the feed, waiting for the water to just about reach boiling point, like a living dead, I don't actually know how I mamaged to tell the moment to stop the water boiling, because I couldn't really see...my eyes were mostly shut.
But then I'd walk into the room, settle down, pick up a baby and suddenly, I'm awake again. The joy of seeing them wriggle and thrive, when they were so listless when we brought them home, wakes up my heart and I love every minute of the feed. Misty is attentive, but she trusts me and usually purrs, I think she's used to the routine now.
Last night (my third) was alot easier, I think my body's getting used to powernapping! I'm still shattered this morning but I feel good.
We're going to the vet's today for a check up and I'm going to ask whether we need to supplement quite so often, the little ones are getting harder and harder to feed, I think they need it less and less, maybe Misty's milk is coming in good now? And they never take everything. Their weight has been increasing daily and now they're quite plump and visably bigger, especially eenie.
I will post some more pics of them soon.
Stevie has now been 'done' so I have two adult-babies post operative who feel sorry for themselves and need loads of love!!!
I feel contented and happy, I shudder to remember the weekend and Monday but after all the stress everything is working out fine.
Happy happy thoughts.
By the way, sorry about the length, but I just had to get my thoughts down!!!LOL
I was so worried at first you know, I wanted so much Misty to love and care for her little ones that when the vet told me it wasn't going to happen, a part of me really really went hollow. I didn't think badly of her, it's easy to understand after all the trauma of the c-section and after having her kittens in a cold strange place without her mummy. She obviously wanted to have them with me at home, following me wherever I went, crying if I was even in another room. The vet was so negative about this,said Misty would have to be kept away from them as she just didn't want to know and may do them harm out of jealousy.
So we started the hand rearing. Misty ofcourse, many of you know, took just 1 hour to do a complete turnaround and become No.1 Mum, suckiling them, stimulating their little butts and cleaning and cuddling. Sometimes she just lays in her box with the two of them, her paws wrapped round them, purring. God I love seeing that!!!
We were told to carry of supplementing her milk as they weren't sure how much she had.
The first night I was really hardcore (so I thought) and didn't try to take any naps, just prepared the feed, fed them, changed hot water bottles and watched them, and posted here, in between. The next day I was shattered SHATTERED, but happy, the kittens were obviously doing well, suckling well and then getting extra from us. I started weighing them and already their little bellies looked fuller, their coats more sleek.
I had fooled myself though that I could sleep during the day, which is absolute rubbish ofcourse because the 2 hourly feeds continue and then there's Misty to cuddle and Stevie (so as he doesn't feel left out) to cuddle and play with.
The next night, I tried to be a little more realistic. My boyfriend helped, bless him and took the 11pm and 1am feeds, so that I could sleep more. The I took over.
Problem is I've discovered you don't really sleep when you nap in between feeds, I found myself just daydreaming about the kittens and about what I had to do when morning actually came.
I'd get up, say 3 am or 5am after that, zombie like go into the kitchen, prepare the feed, waiting for the water to just about reach boiling point, like a living dead, I don't actually know how I mamaged to tell the moment to stop the water boiling, because I couldn't really see...my eyes were mostly shut.
But then I'd walk into the room, settle down, pick up a baby and suddenly, I'm awake again. The joy of seeing them wriggle and thrive, when they were so listless when we brought them home, wakes up my heart and I love every minute of the feed. Misty is attentive, but she trusts me and usually purrs, I think she's used to the routine now.
Last night (my third) was alot easier, I think my body's getting used to powernapping! I'm still shattered this morning but I feel good.
We're going to the vet's today for a check up and I'm going to ask whether we need to supplement quite so often, the little ones are getting harder and harder to feed, I think they need it less and less, maybe Misty's milk is coming in good now? And they never take everything. Their weight has been increasing daily and now they're quite plump and visably bigger, especially eenie.
I will post some more pics of them soon.
Stevie has now been 'done' so I have two adult-babies post operative who feel sorry for themselves and need loads of love!!!
I feel contented and happy, I shudder to remember the weekend and Monday but after all the stress everything is working out fine.
Happy happy thoughts.
By the way, sorry about the length, but I just had to get my thoughts down!!!LOL
