1st time mom/anxious owner.. Help! TLDR

I obviously haven't seen the area, but could you use pool nooldles to cover the pipes/ heater? It might take up less space than blankets and insulate just as well.

I know they use these for kids with hot pipes and the like...

I agree, she's upset and stressed. That's not good for her or her babies, they won't get the complete care they need until she's settled. Fingers crossed under the table does suit her!

She's so far seems to be settled in under the table with them. She seems to have calmed down a lot which is great.

Though we do have an issue on our hands, one of my other cats, Hera, has suddenly out of nowhere become very aggressive with Buttons. It's because of the kittens I'm sure, but she violently attacked mama when I let her out of the bedroom to make lunch. Buttons seems okay, no injuries, and I'm going to keep them separated. Hera hasn't ever acted like this before.

Oh no. That's too bad. [emoji]128546[/emoji]

Yeah She's never been aggressive but I understand how smelling a bunch of kittens around could make her act out. I hope she calms as she gets used to it.

I weighed the kittens again for a 1.5 day weigh in, since I'd rather start weighing them around 6pm than 6am when they were born. haha

They've all gained really well! The smaller ones have started gaining a ton, and the tiniest one born at 81g is now 96g

Kitten 1- Male 89g to 91g to 95g to 101g                   12g total gain

Kitten 2- Male 102g to 107g to 113g to 116g             14g total gain

Kitten 3- not sure 93g to 93g to 106g to 119g          26 total gain (wow)

Kitten 4- girl 89g to 93g to 102g to 105g                    16 total gain

Kitten 5- girl 81g to 80g to 88g  to 96g (yay!)             15 total gain

Kitten 6- girl 96g to 104g to 113g to 117g                   21 total gain

Since last weigh in, the big babies haven't gained as much as the ones who initially needed supplementing, so I'm going to give them a few feedings if they'll have it. Six babies is a lot of work for mama, especially since they're always fighting over the nipples!

Yes, it is a lot of work, and it's good you can help her out. Just feed all of them 2-3 times a day, and that will help mom and the kittens.

Update for the day! They are already so much bigger, it's crazy how fast they grow. Mama has settled, she fed them all night and every time I woke up (every hour) to check on her, she was feeding them/cleaning them. She doesn't feed as much during the day, but that's no big issue since it's much easier for me to help out when I'm not tired.

I changed her bedding (thank you puppy training pads) and she is nice and cozy under the end table.

I'll update their daily weigh in around 6 they all seem to be healthy, mama has a little bit of blood discharge but is otherwise fine, it was a brighter red yesterday, and is now a deeper red, and less today. The second to last born,  the smallest (81g a birth) is now over 100g, and I will do the official weigh at 6.

Can anyone recommend a good carpet cleaner? I was thinking a pet urine cleaner. She was so frantic while giving birth she left quite a few stains, and somehow managed to avoid the towels I laid down. I tried cleaning them the usual way I deal with stains but my bedroom still smells, my boyfriend can't smell it, but I do and it's driving me crazy.

Try oxyclean! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Oh my! Mama just brought me a kitten! I was sitting next to her and she brought me the big gray tabby boy (kitten 2) and she purred away

She must be proud of those babies!

Weigh in for the day

Kitten 1- Male 89g to 91g to 95g to 101g to 117g                        16g gain for the day

Kitten 2- Male 102g to 107g to 113g to 116g to 138g                 22g gain for the day

Kitten 3- not sure 93g to 93g to 106g to 119g to 134g             15g gain for the day          

Kitten 4- girl 89g to 93g to 102g to 105g to 126g                         21g gain for the day              

Kitten 5- girl 81g to 80g to 88g  to 96g to 108g                            12g gain for the day          

Kitten 6- girl 96g to 104g to 113g to 117g to 128g                       11g gain for the day                 

They are doing great! I'm going to continue supplementing them all a few times a day, and whichever gain the least each day I will focus on a bit more. And today that will be kittens 6, 5, 3, and 1. But mostly 6 and 5. I know they are well within goal but I want them all to thrive as much as the other!

Glad to hear all is well! Any luck with the stains?

I'm going to head out tomorrow morning and pick up some oxyclean

For now I have baking soda lying on top of them. She made quite a mess!

The weight gains are good. I'm glad you are supplementing them and staying on top of things! [emoji]128077[/emoji]

I was originally expecting all of the cats to be tabby pattern and most to be brown/black like mama or black/gray like the "expected" father. But the actual dad was the solid gray so the babies don't have the color I was expecting, and now I feel like naming them after candy bars doesn't work!

I need some group names that have a theme, that work well with black and gray kittens! I need six of these themed names but shoot as many at me as you want! I don't want them to be nameless for long

Sometimes kittens are easier to name when they are a few weeks old and their personalities begin to come through! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

You are right! It's hard to name babies when they don't have much personality yet. 

A friend gave me a good idea to go with mythology names, and when their personalities come through (maybe before) I will name them according to that

Mama cat has some swelling in her mammary glands. One specifically is a good deal larger. It isn't overly red, I was able to expel a drop of milk, it looked white, and normal as far as I could tell.

She doesn't seem in discomfort, I will post pictures when my boyfriend is home and I have the phone.

She doesn't have a fever, is eating a ton, and drinking kmr and water regularly. The nipple does seem a little hard here, but the gland is not. The gland is just swollen.

It does seem like the kittens aren't suckling that particular nipple as much, is this galactostasis? I just put a warm wash cloth on her nipple area, and I got a kitten to suckle for a few minutes but she changed nipples.

In the meantime, can someone help provide me with more info dividing galactostasis and mastitis? I'm concerned she could have that, but she doesn't seem to have any symptoms of mastitis but I'm not sure, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I know one is a vet trip, and one isn't. Help? Maybe pictures if you can provide them? I'm having a hard time finding decent info and pictures in the differences. 

For now I would recommend that you continue with the warm compresses between nursing sessions until you can determine what it is.

I will. I lied her down next to me and tried to expel more milk, at first it wasn't coming out as easily. Maybe a bit of a blockage? After a few good tries, and massaging, with mama's permission I tried again and was able to get milk to flow out. much easier. It's one of her bottom most nipples, you'd figure the babies would want it most.

I'll continue the compresses and keep an eye out for things then. Just wanted to be sure I shouldn't freak out, I'm anxious about all of the kittens and her remaining in perfect health.

Are the kittens nursing from that nipple now? You may have solved the problem if so!