How much should newborns weigh?

I'm trying to figure out how much the newborns usually weigh and how much the should gain each day. I weighed everyone the first day and their weights were
12.9 g
12.3 g
10.2 g

Day 2
14.2 g
13.4 g
11.5 g

Day 3(today)
16.7 g
15.1 g
11.8 g

I am concerned that #3 isn't gaining as much as the other 2. I have been watching to make sure she latches on and stays there a while.

From reading other threads it looks like they should have weighed more to begin with and should be gaining more each day. Maybe I have the wrong measure set on my scale???

Ok. I'm feeling really silly right now. The weights just didn't compute. I was reading the scale incorrectly. There is no decimal point in the weights. The placement of the "g" ( for grams) was positioned like a decimal point. It obviously is not!!!!

BUT. My question still remains about their weight gain particularly for #3. Only 3 grams in past 24 hours

The starting points for all three were nice and good.  The gains too.

And as you say, the third one slowed down.  Its nothing alarming yet, occasional slowings one day is nothing peculiar, but obviously its this one you shall look on extra in the nearest days.

You can measure them even twice a day now when you are extra vigilant...  Mostly to get more accurate count on nr 3.

Good luck!   @MomSnickers

I know I've seen it somewhere but I can't find how much they should gain each day.

MomSnickers said:

I know I've seen it somewhere but I can't find how much they should gain each day.

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A sort of rule of thumb is 10 g a day.   Healthy robust kittens gain often more, small kittens, say on 70 g, less - of course.

A slowing down ONE day isnt no big deal, but two days running is alarming.  And drops are of course even more alarming.

I watched him for 4 hours after I posted last night and the little one never latched on. It would root around for awhile and I tried to help it, but it wouldn't open up and try to drink it would just get tired and go to sleep. I noticed that it is breathing heavier too. I went ahead and started feeding it KMR with a dropper. Of course he struggled and tried to get away from drinking it. Still had a good healthy cry. I used a tiny insulin syringe to feed which worked pretty well. But it only holds 25 cc. We spilled a lot but are getting better with each feeding. I'm wondering how much I should feed each time? Does it need anything other than KMR?

Oh no! Baby lost 8 g in past 24 hours. I have been dropper feeding every 2-3 hours but I'm not sure how much I should be giving.

with weak ones its better to give often, but little, not to risk reflux or similiar.   So if you can every two hours, at least daytime.  as you must sleep some, let it be every 3 hours at night.

Proceed with this  1,5-2 hours till he is stabilized.  How much?  about 5 ml here, not more.

Im not sure what 25cc is - 25cc is a horse dose, which it apparently isnt.  do you mean 0,25ml? It will  be lotsa helpings, 12-20 x, but no risk for giving too much at once....  

they dont need anything more than a good kmr.  the brand KMR is the most renown and should be OK.  Especielly the pulver variation is reliable.  some kittens gets diarrhea from the ready made fluid-solution variation.

A decent alternative is goat milk, especielly if you can get it fresh.  but with good KMR goat milk not needed

What you may need is glucose sugar if he gets weak or lethargic, and you must perk in energhy in him.. Commercial brand name may be dextrose or dextropur.    white caro syrup or even honey are decent alternatives.

- smear some on his gum, it goes directly into blood from there.

also, it may be useful to give some extra water between the feedings.  dehydration is a danger.

Is mom still taking care of him, washing and eliminating?   If not, you must eliminate.

And be sure he is warm enough!

Good you were vigilant and observing. The situation quickly has become critical.

Good luck!  @MomSnickers

Again, I was reading it wrong- just like the scale. It says 1/2cc on the syringe and there are 50 units. It is really tiny, but it fits into the mouth well without gagging the baby. Mom is taking good care. She doesn't mind me holding the baby. She always gives her a good bath when I'm done and licks off the spilled milk. We just had a good feeding. And her tummy is nice and full. She's getting the hang of it now. I'm glad to know how much to feed. I was still under feeding. But it is getting easier now for both of us so she can't take more without fighting it so much. She is usually exhausted and falls asleep by the time we are done. Thank you for your help!

We held our ground today. Gained 1gram. Weights have been:
Day 1. 102 g
Day2. 115 g
Day 3. 118 g
Day 4. 110 g
Day5. 111 g

By contrast. The other 2 fatties are at 200 g

I'm managing to get more in at feelings although it's still a struggle. Baby will actually latch on to bottle and suck a few times. But never enough to get through a feeding. I have to finish up with the syringe. It just gets tired and goes to sleep during the feeding.

Am I doing ok.? When do you have to consider tube feeding?

Good news! Baby had 2 good nursing sessions with mom. Latched on by herself and stayed on the nipple for 5-10 mins each time. She was working her little feet making biscuits and I think I even heard her purring! When she finished she had a nice fat tummy. Hopefully she will keep up the good work. The only thing I did different this evening was give her a little blob of Nutrical. I went to the pet store today and asked their vet for dextrose. They couldn't sell me any but said it was in the Nutrical and that should perk the baby right up. Perhaps they were right. I haven't had to bottle feed since I gave it to her. She's even up 2 more grams from her weight 4 hours ago. At 113 now. Keep it up little one!

MomSnickers said:

We held our ground today. Gained 1gram. Weights have been:


Am I doing ok.? When do you have to consider tube feeding?

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1 g gain a day is too little, but understood as  stop in the decline it is nice.      Your continuation gave even more positive news.  This with nursing directly from mom mostly.   I think it was this which gave the most decitive result.

Nutrical is good, and usually used with older kittens and adults.  but if it can be used successfully with newborns  I wont protest.  

Dextrose you can get at your human supermarket.  At least in Sweden we do.  Usually near the honey jars.  Sometimes near the baking shelves - its apparently often used as a sweetener  in some sorts with baking. 

It can apparently also be found in the Sports departament, but there it will be probably flavored.  Flavored is OK but less useful. The cats tends to protest.

Tube feeding is an interesting story by itself.  Its efficient, and  experienced "half professional " rescuers do often use it.  Often the best way to save the very weak, and the prematures.

But we seldom recommend it here in this forum  - its difficult and dangerous for a newbe.   You must be shown properly by someone experienced and knowleable.   And you must have the proper gears.

The problem is, many vets doesnt seems to know how to do it either.  At least, they dont demonstrate it even in desperate cases.

I remember with shame, sorrow and deep quilt a case here, where the rescuer fought with all her might over a week with this orphan. She did and tryed everything,  like you do.   The kitten wouldnt take properly the dropper, nor the syringe, and of course not the bottle.   Every drop in was a fight.  She was visiting four different vets.  Apparently none of them had a clue about tube feeding...

And thus, I didnt said anything me either.   "Why shall I lay an extra burden on somebody already desperate?"

Today I would advice her to look it up on google, look up several of the descriptions, think it over carefully, and try.     Not because it was safe or easy, but being in the desperate situation, it was the lest bad  try, giving at least some hope in THAT situation.

New born kittens should weigh between 90 and 100g and gain 8-10g a day

No3 needs around 15mms ever 2-3 hours

15 mls that should say sorry

So they are 6 days old now? At 7 days old they should have doubled their birht weight.

At least by the time theyre 10 days old.

The trouble with supplementing a baby who does have a mom, is that they will always fight the syringe or bottle, they only want momma.

This can be an issue.

Hoping things are going well and thry are all steadily gaining

They are 7 days old today. Kitty 1 has gone from 129 to 232 g. Kitty 2 has gone from 123 to 208. Kitty 3 has gone from 102 to 118. Gained 4 grams back today. Such a tiny amount but better than the loss on day 4.

Here's the problem: kitty 3 is now going to mom and will latch on/nurse. But only at one specific nipple. Refuses all the other spots. Kitty #2 is the same way and wants the same spot as #3. I have to remove the big one to let the little one nurse. What else can I do here?

Also, as you suggested catwoman, #3 does NOT like to be supplemented. It really is force feeding. She really fights and screams and gets to breathing hard. Then when we are done mom gives her a good working over with a bath. She is exhausted when it's over. I worry that we are spending more energy in the process than we are gaining. On the bright side, she is much stronger than she was a few days ago she couldn't fight this hard 3-4 days ago.

When I took the sick kitten to the vet last week, she said to bring the whole litter in for a checkup at one week old I need to take mom in too. I think she has ear mites. I am worried that this is going to upset mom and be stressful on the babies. What is the best way to transport them all?

If you have a carrier momma cat will be much happier smushed in it with all of her babies than separated from them. Though most small sized carriers are still big enough for a cat and kittens.

That is correct, and actually a very positive sign that she cares enough to only want one particular nipple.

By the end of the first week, each baby will have chosen their spot, and will nurse throughout the rest of the time on that one nipple.

This is why you will see fighting, yes, even as young as they are.

If one wants to nurse and someone else is on "their" nipple, they will push and shove and fight for it, often times they're pawing up a storm to fight for it too.

The best thing you can do is to remove the bigger one and get it interested in another one, over and over.

They like the lower ones best as they produce more than the others do.

You've got some good weight gains for the other 2, I am concerned for the 3rd though.

Off to a rough start, so let's hope he can pick up some speed and catch up soon!

Even if you don't see fast dramatic increases in weight, if you AT LEAST get 6 grams of gain a day he is on the right track. Minimum.