First Pregnancy - should I be worried?

We took in a stray who is now pregnant. I'm sure she is around 62 days pregnant an I think she may be in the early stages of labour (she is being super affectionate, letting me pat her, licking her privates a lot, her belly has dropped). I'm worried after reading information online about all the things that could go wrong with a first time mum. Should I be this nervous and concerned?

Tigger woke me up meowing at my door for at least 5 mins at 3am. After sitting with her for 15 mins it looked like her water broke? She's started having contractions and hates me leaving her which is so unusual for her. Wish us luck! Hopefully the first comes head first as the idea of breach is making me super nervous!

How is it going?   *vibes!* send!

Not so good. She had five, four which were stillborn. The survivor was the runt, and isn't too good at finding the nipple and latching so it will need supplementing. Have been to the vets and they said it's just a battle of getting through the next 48 hours.

She keeps biting it, not super hard, should I be worried about that? And she isn't very careful when moving around it. I'm worried she will smother it.

Oops!  I see you must take charge here.  Even to the point of separating them if you deem ti necessary.

Although it is good if the kittens can get at least a little from mom.  Colostrum and all that...

Use a dropper or a small syringe, its easier than a bottle.  Had the vet given you instructions how to feed?  Did you got suitable kmr?

Make sure the kitten is warm!  Not too warm either, but warm.  You must warm up actively if so is.

Weigh her everyday, so its easier to follow development or lack thereof.

A site for getting ideas is   www.kitten-rescue.com

Another  http://www.kittenrescue.org/index.php/cat-care/kitten-care-handbook/

Continue with reports and questions!

Good luck!

She's being cuddly again and was wary when I took little one away last time. So we'll see how we go.

They gave me formula and a feeder bottle but I can't get it to work.

Although they worried because it wouldn't suckle he's got the hang of it now.

LizzH24 said:

They gave me formula and a feeder bottle but I can't get it to work.

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As said, it is easier with a dropper.   Give him perhaps some, so he will have strengh to suckle.  Even some water may be wise, so he dont will be dehydrated.  Not too much a a time, you dont want to risk reflux.

The dropper in the side of the mouth.  Him laying on his stomach, head a little up, like when he is suckling from mom.

Burp a little afterwards.

And how often should I stimulate him to pee/poo?

And mu hasn't eaten or drank anything yet. Is this okay?

LizzH24 said:

And how often should I stimulate him to pee/poo?

And mu hasn't eaten or drank anything yet. Is this okay?

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If she has eaten up the placentas, it may be she isnt hungry for a while.   Some eat anyway, but many doesnt eat the whole day after - because of the much nourishing placentas.

but good if she drinks.

Try to encourage her.  Perhaps by licking water from your hand.  Or using the dropper on her too..

.

This with his poo isnt so touchy as yet - he has hardly eaten anyting.  Hopefully will his mom do it.  You tell she is more and more motherly now?

But as principle, if you are feeding him, so after every feed (and preferably before too).

She ate all 5 placenta's so that could be it then. Mum's a nurse and starts work in.half an hour so I'll go get some syringes then.

She has tried to bite it once since, but it was gentle but otherwise is being good

Small syringes, you dont use the  needle.  Its ok with such plastic syringes for dosage of medicines.

Eye droppers works fine too.  It is not much in them, but they are easy to handle.

We're at 84g so far and have had about 2 good hours of feeding from mum.

84 g isnt too bad!   Its so you must keep extra eye on such a kitten, but this weight isnt not critical by itself.  

So just proceed as you already do!

It's just really hard with both my partner and I working full time day jobs and my mum being a shift worker
worker. Worried she isn't going to look after him or smother him.

LizzH24 said:

It's just really hard with both my partner and I working full time day jobs and my mum being a shift worker
worker. Worried she isn't going to look after him or smother him.

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If you notice her mother instincs HAS kicked in, and now she does  take care of him properly, I guess you can dare to leave them alone, as such is the need.    If you cant watch 24/7, so you cant.  Such is their fate.

But if her instincts are OK now, it should go fine.

The extra feeding if it is still need, it is not the whole world if you cant give it at optimal regular intervalls.

After all, out in the wild, they seldom get their nursing exaclty.  Sometimes they must do without even several hours, yes even a full day.  (of course, this is one of the reason quite a few never makes it - they dont need enemies having such friends).

But as I understand it, he has began to get from mom, or will do it very soon.   And so, your feeding with dropper or syringe, is mostly  a fill up, for extra. Not the basic, which he gets from momma.

OR?

StefanZ said:

 
If you notice her mother instincs HAS kicked in, and now she does  take care of him properly, I guess you can dare to leave them alone, as such is the need.    If you cant watch 24/7, so you cant.  Such is their fate.

But if her instincts are OK now, it should go fine.

The extra feeding if it is still need, it is not the whole world if you cant give it at optimal regular intervalls.

After all, out in the wild, they seldom get their nursing exaclty.  Sometimes they must do without even several hours, yes even a full day.  (of course, this is one of the reason quite a few never makes it - they dont need enemies having such friends).

But as I understand it, he has began to get from mom, or will do it very soon.   And so, your feeding with dropper or syringe, is mostly  a fill up, for extra. Not the basic, which he gets from momma.

OR?

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As usual Stefan Z has it right and I have very little to add.  As he says, if you cannot watch mom and kitten 24/7, then you just cannot.  I know you don't want anything bad to happen but there is only so much you can control.  At the end of the day you just have to try your best. 

At this point the MOST important thing is that you keep track of his weight.  Like StefanZ I am encouraged by his weight but you need to keep weighing him every day to make sure he keeps gaining weight at a steady rate.  He should be gaining about 10 grams a day (about .3 or .4 ounces).  If he does this all is well.  If not you have to supplement him.  For the next few days I'd supplement him just to be sure he is on the right track, but if all is well in 2 or 3 days, and he still appears to be feeding well from mom, you can stop and see how it goes. It is easier to prevent a problem than to fix one, unfortunately.

I encourage you to get mom spayed as soon as you possibly can.

Update: it's been nearly 24hours and bubs is doing okay. Tigger is slowly getting the hang of being a mum. She won't sleep with him at night though so I'll have to go grab a heating pad this arvo as I only have heat bags and they go cold so quick