ALIENS!!!!

my meany is soon to deliver and i would just like to say..... her belly looks like it has aliens dancing around in it... its facinating but still kinda gross...i just wish these babies would get here already....any advice on how to take my mind off waiting or any tips on what i can do to get ready....er? i got q tips and towels and floss and a little blue baby nose sucker thingy....nursing bottles and replacment milk....i know i may not need any of this but it is better to be ready than to not be.... can you tell im a first timer?  maybe i should take video and upload so yall can watch the aliens....i hate to wait....i cant stand this!!!!

Haha yes her belly looking like a scene from Aliens is pretty telling that she is close! In general once you can feel the babies moving you are about two weeks away from delivery. Alien belly is usually just a few days before. 

It sounds like you have started making some preparations which is good. In addition to the products you have make sure you have a scale that weighs in grams and a notebook with your vet and emergency/after hours vet numbers written in it. When each baby is born make a note of the time and their markings so you can tell them apart later. If you suspect something is wrong err on the side of caution and call the vet! 

For the first few days after birth I only handle the babies long enough to get their weights. Weight loss is the number one sign that there is a problem, and weighing them at the same time everyday will give you the most accurate measure. Basically, weighing them is the single most important thing you can do for the kittens for the first week or so. Other than that your job is to take care of Meany so she can take care of them. 

Also, make sure you have a birthing box ready for her. It should be set up somewhere that is dark and relatively quiet, away from the normal house traffic. Now is also the time to start watching her closely so that you can be sure you are present for the birth. Almost all deliveries go fine without Mom needing any help from you but it's important that you do be there in case anything does go wrong. I really like this article: http://www.fabcats.org/breeders/infosheets/breeding_from_your_cat/felineparturition.html . I think it does a great job of describing the different phases of labor and what to do if complications arise. The dental floss is great if you need to tear any cords, but you can also just use your fingers (I have found using my hands is much easier).

 I would be extremely cautious about using the baby nose sucker. These kittens are just going to be a few ounces (not pounds). The force of the suction can be very dangerous and ca do more harm than good. As the article mentions if you need to clear fluid from the nose and mouth for any reason this is best done by mimicking what Mom would do- gently rubbing the nose and mouth with the baby facedown. This is similar to her licking them and should clear the cavities. 

You are right- it's so much better to be prepared in advance but hopefully all you will need to do is sit with her and support her. Let her do what comes naturally and only intervene if she stops. If you have time read through some of the older threads on here and be sure to check out these links: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/249018/...regnant-cats-kitten-care-articles-and-threads .Learning as much as you can on what is to come is the best kind of preparation you can do! 

I wish you the best of luck with her delivery. Please, ask more questions if you have them and post pictures once they get here! 

Welcome to TCS! 

If you tear or cut a cord, do so as far away from the kitten as you can.

When you weigh them, do it as fast as you can right in front of her so she can see what is going on.

Fleece is better than towels for bedding - it's easier to wash and little claws can't get caught in it.  A puppy pad on top of the bedding when she is giving birth makes a quick tidy-up easier - just remove the pad.

You will need vast quantities of non-clumping litter, and equally vast quantities of food.  Buying online may well cost less that going to the shops.