How to know whether the kitten is alive or not after delivered?

I have this big situation right now. My queen has giving birth from yesterday morning till now. I'm very scared if she still has babies in her tummy since her tummy looks big. How to know if she finished or not? Most of her babies come out from the back leg and they stuck. I try to pull them slowly but 2 of my kittens doesn't show any movement. How and what should I do to help them? I don't want to lose more.

Try to ease them out when she is having a contraction but you can't pull too hard.

Once they are out, if momma doesn't start to lick them right away and with encouragement still ignores. Break the sack open with your nails and with a soft cloth start to wipe the face of any fluid and massage the body like you were the mother licking it off. It should respond and start to move/cry. Hopefully, that will be enough to get momma interested. If they kitten does not breath, sever the umbilical cord a few inches from the baby's tummy with your nails. Cup the kitten in your palms, stand with your legs apart and gently swing the baby in downward swings, it's head down to allow gravity to pull any fluid from lungs. Repeat.
 

Feel her tummy, do you still feel movement?

It sounds like she has been in labour a long time. If she pushes for more than a couple hours, she is probably having troubles passing the baby. If the baby gets stuck in the canal for too long, it may suffer from oxygen deprevation.

Giving birth breech (backwards) is not that uncommon and shouldn't necessarily mean death. It will however, be harder for the momma to pass.  I have saved kittens born breech with the instructions above. Even if there is no movement at first, don't give up.

If in doubt...take her to the vet.

OK thanks for the info. But what about if the kitten is stuck while deliver. I mean she can't let her kitten out and stuck half way, kitten's head still in her and after several minutes I just realize and try to help. Will the kitten still survive after more than 10 minutes stuck? 

If the membranes are still intact, there is a chance the kitten may still be getting oxygen through the umbilical cord. Ten minutes is a long time.

My baby kitten was stuck but only for a few minutes. All you can do, is try. Again, wait for a contraction before gently trying to help the head out. It's a scary situation...

My momma kept turning around and around because the head wouldn't come out and she was unable to reach the kitten because her tummy was in the way.
 

Oh no. I'm too late to know this information. This is my first time having this situation. All my queens are good even breech delivering babies. Only my British shorthair queen seem has this problem. I've heard from other breeder says that most of British will have this situation when their first time pregnancy.

I am very appreciate with all your information and knowledge. After this I can get ready if have the same problem. Thank you very much.

I'm sorry you lost your two babies. Do you feel movement or do you think she is done?

I'm sure others will post their experience and you will know for next time.

I am not a breeder, I foster for our local shelter. I was lucky to have read an article shortly before the birth. I would not have known about the swinging. When the head finally came out, the sack was already broken. I wiped around it's face and it gasped .. then nothing. I immediately broke the cord and did the swing. It worked...the kitten immediately cried out. 

You have found a great site... welcome to TCS. I wish it were under better circumstances.
 

I don't feel any movement if not mistake and after the last delivered she looks calm but she doesn't eat anything yet, just drink. I'm afraid when I'm not there, she deliver another. Can't face another lost.

I just started breed pure breed cats and this is the first queen to deliver. I know I come to right place to gain knowledge. Thanks again for your help.

You are welcome

She may just be taking a rest. They can stop labour if they want to. I had a first time queen that had three kittens. She was exhausted...really exhausted. I thought I felt another baby. Three days later, she delivered her fourth and final kitten. Healthy.

Please keep us updated.
 

Wow that's good. I have this friend breeder had just lost his queen due to over time labour. Took 3 days and finally she give up and died. The vet told that the babies inside already died within the second day and one whole night had poisoned the mother. That really scared me, I don't want to lose my precious queen. That's the reason I start this thread.

AimiB said:

I don't feel any movement if not mistake and after the last delivered she looks calm but she doesn't eat anything yet, just drink.

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Moms often dont eat after delivery, as they do ate the placentas, they are very nourishing.  If she is calm and happily busying herself with the kittens, you dont to worry for the moment.

Either she is done, just somewhat swollen in there, or she may have one kitten left, there is no panic.

Observe and watch, but you take it easy.

If she were wisibly in distress, that is reason for worrying, probably even contacting your vet.

Levi gave us an fantastic reading here. I will myself reread the thread to gain more knowledge.

I want add, make also sure such a saved kitten is enough warm. (but not too warm, dont overdo with electric heaters on highest, for example).  You can massage it a little by rubbing, held in your hands to give warmth... Or have an electric heater on low.

Essentially the same advice is for seemingly stillborn kittens.  Not so seldom they are just too cold. Warming up, and they may come to.  You must perhaps help them some in the beginning, but with a little luck, they may catch on.  One of our forumites did such an exemplary save two days ago...

Proceed to report, keeping us update, and asking questions, and giving comments!

Welcome to our Forums!

Good luck!

Ps. 

You do weigh them every day, beginning with the birth?  If you dont have a scale as yet, get access to one...Kitchen scale measuring in grammes. If everyting goes well, it will be a nice memory piece, which you can also pass on to the buyers. But if anything is not so good, the state of weigh is often the only safe way to know it.

AimiB said:

Wow that's good. I have this friend breeder had just lost his queen due to over time labour. Took 3 days and finally she give up and died. The vet told that the babies inside already died within the second day and one whole night had poisoned the mother. That really scared me, I don't want to lose my precious queen. That's the reason I start this thread.

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I dont understand why she didnt contacted the vet earlier, say latest at the end of day one. As she apparently does have access to a knowleable vet?

Of course if you dont give them help, they will go, at latest after three days of such a prolonged labor...

What a shame and pity of letting go such an wonderful, strong mother...

Or am I missing something?

RIP,  poor queen...

I'm very thankful that you all response to this thread. Thank you very much to both of you. Only 2 out of 6 kitten had survived and 1 of those 2, me and my sister have to pull out with all those screaming and panicking, it's stressing but worthy. At least we got rescue 2 kittens even it's late to the others. What I need is to make sure those 2 survived and grow up healthy. I will post the update of both kittens soon.

That's because he don't want his queen to have C-section. He thought she will survive because its her third pregnancy and she self delivered 9 to 12 very healthy kittens (she's the big type of british shorthair) around 2 days. Very strong mother but how could we do if something unexpected happened, never in our thought that she will go like that (I love cuddled her everytime I visit my friend and god she is so sweet) and I can feel my friend regret and depressed for what happened to his queen.