Need help with bottle feeding A.S.A.P. please

Well, I just got my scale, & weighed kittens. My little guy is not as bad off as I had thought. He weighs 9.25 oz., his sister is 12 oz., & his brother is 12.5 oz. They will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. The vet says he's 2 weeks behind his littermates though, & only has a 50% chance of survival, now I'm not sure why. His weight isn't much below what it should be, he does everything they do, he's just a little smaller, & shakier. Also, I haven't gotten him to go potty yet, how important is that? His mama might be taking care of that for me though, she licks him all over after I'm done feeding him, & then he continues nursing off her. I bottle feed him about every 6 hours, & he eats a total of about 1 tablespoon of kitten formula a day. He holds his head straight up when I'm feeding him though, (I've read they're not supposed to), & vets assistant said to squeeze the formula from the bottle into his mouth, (read you're not supposed to do that either), also, I haven't been able to get him to go potty yet since I started supplementing him 2 days ago. I'm worried about doing something wrong. I don't want to put his life more on the line than the vet says it already is. Any input out there please?

If mom is licking him and stimulating him then you won't have to. Momcats will eat kitten's waste when they are quite young, to keep the nest free of predators. The best way to feed is in a recliner. Have the kitten on your chest, and then recline to the lowest position, insert the nipple into the kitten's mouth, the kitten should be on his stomach, and depending on how big the hole in the nipple is, depends on if you squeeze or not. If the hole is tiny then you have to squeeze gently- but if the hole is big and you squeeze the kitten could get milk in the lungs and then get really ill.

I will try recliner @ next feeding. Vet gave me his bottle, w/ x already cut in nipple. It drips slowly w/out squeezing it. Vets assistant said she had been squeezing it during feedings & advised me to do the same. How could I tell if he's already gotten milk in his lungs, & is it hard to keep that from happening? He definitely gets it all over his face. He's also very active while eating, he eats eagerly, buts also meows a lot while eating, & keeps crawling - doesn't stay still. Hopefully, he's ok still. Thank you for the helpful input

Thank you, recliner idea helped. He even stayed still, just sat & ate, while crying & looking for mom. She gave me about 1 min. this time before grabbing him by the neck & taking him back to the nest. (She carries kittens w/ their whole neck in her mouth, bottom teeth on throat, top on back of neck - always has, should I be worried?) Usually, she just sits beside me while I feed him, & purrs. Sometimes, she licks his face, or other end while he's eating. The more noise he makes, the more she participates, & the sooner she carries him away. Since, it's because of him crying, I don't try to stop her. Not much I can do once she has his neck in her mouth, for fear of hurting him. If I can tell she's thinking about it, I try & beat her to it, & just put him back for her, to avoid her picking him up & carrying him that way. I hope he's getting enough. He's nursing less now too, & is getting pushed out of the way now. Mama only has milk for 2 kittens at a time - there are 3. She usually tries to take 1 aside at a time for feeding, so she's a very smart mama.

All you can do is the best you can. If you feed him out of her eyesight and ear range, you will be able to feed him more. The others will push him off sensing he isn't strong enough to fight back for the milk bar.

If he is getting to much formula too quickly it will start coming out his nose, then he will start chuffing for air (just my term for the way they start coughing while trying to breathe). Gently wipe the milk off his face, and hold him for a minute on your shoulder, gently tapping his back- they get a lot of air with bottle feeding. He should burp, if he does he will be fine. If he keeps choking this is what you need to do- and you need to do this carefully, or you will hurt his neck. Stand up and place your hands together palms facing you. He should be cradled on his back within your arms. Make sure he is protected on his neck and head by your hands around him snugly. Raise him up to your face like he is going to be kissed, then quickly and smoothly swing him down almost to the floor. It has to be a quick motion, and you can't drop him and you have to have his head and neck fully protected. Swing him one time, then raise him up- this expels the liquid out of his lung and helps him to breathe. Done wrong, this can harm him, but done right- it works. If you are uneasy about doing it, then don't attempt it. Wait for your next vet visit and ask a tech or the vet to show you the manuever-

Thank you so much for your help! I guess he's never gotten milk into his lungs, & I'm glad I know what to do now. I've also increased the frequency of his bottle feedings for now. Since he is getting less, I thought it might help if he got it more often. Lydia seems to be taking care of the potty business for me too. I did ask the vet about burping when I picked them up, & he does seem to get a lot of air (could be why he's eating less - too full of air), vet said kittens don't need to be burped. I'm thinking about finding a new vet. He doesn't seem to like animals much, I kind of get the impression, he's just doing it because it's his job, one that he's burnt out on, or just doesn't like anymore. Lydia has never liked him, & he's never been very nice, or sympathetic toward her. Thanks again for all the input, it's been very helpful!