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

[Sarthur2]

Not bad for first weigh in, but babies 1, 3, and 5 need supplementing for now. Do you need help with instructions?

 

[Sarthur2]

Ah, I did not see your question until now. I suggest 1 mL apiece every hour since they are newborn. Tummy down, head up, couple of drops in the side of the mouth, let the kitten swallow, and go again.

 

[newkitties]

Not bad for first weigh in, but babies 1, 3, and 5 need supplementing for now. Do you need help with instructions?

I prepared the bottle as directed, but should I supplement the amount I would for an orphan kitten, or should I supplement slightly less because they are getting milk from mom, I just don't know how much.

 

[Sarthur2]

I just answered above! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[newkitties]

Thanks

I've gotten the one that lost a bit to eat a decent amount, and I've gotten the one that only gained 2g to eat a decent amount but I am having trouble getting the one who stayed the same to, but I will keep at it. 

 

[Sarthur2]

Good news that those two ate! Yes, the one who did not gain really needs food. Do keep trying!

How much did the other two eat?

 

[newkitties]

Kitten #1 ate, even suckled on the dropper (I have a rubber tip attached) for about 30 seconds or so, but got a decent amount in that time

Kitten #5 who lost ate almost 3ml!

 

[Sarthur2]

Awesome!

Any luck with #3 yet?

 

[newkitties]

Hardly, I had a tiny bit of luck which is better than nothing! I'm going to try again in a few minutes with them all, and then try and get a little sleep since I've been up almost 40 hours.

 

[Sarthur2]

You do need sleep!

What is keeping the little one from taking the formula? Is it wiggling too much or not opening its mouth? Let's see if we can sort it out.

 

[newkitties]

Wriggling around way too much and refusing to open it's mouth. The only success I've had is sneaking a drop in his/her cheek, but nothing else. He/She moves the second I get one drop in. Frustrating Hopefully it works this time, I'm about to heat the bottle up under warm water and try again

 

[Sarthur2]

Try wrapping the kitten in a towel like a burrito, and working the syringe into the side of its mouth. At some point the kitten will open its mouth. It really needs to eat. Once it figures out that it's yummy milk it should get easier.

 

[newkitties]

I tried that, and after a little bit of struggling, the baby took to it and finished a whole eye dropper worth! It's a large eyedropper too, I'm not sure how many ml exactly, but when I take formula out of the bottle it seems to be a 1ml dropper, so the baby for sure just got a feeding! All of them are nursing on mom currently. I hope to see dramatic improvements by the 24 hour mark. I'm tempted to weigh them now to see but I know I should wait

 

[newkitties]

Mama is being quite clingy to me though, she is meowing left and right, like crazy. She also isn't spending a ton of time with her babies, but she isn't away for that long when she is gone, but it doesn't worry me since they have the heating pad and she is feeding multiple times an hour.

She doesn't seem in distress but she will just not be quiet when she isn't nursing them!

 

[Sarthur2]

She is seeking reassurance from you, and needs some attention. She's feeling needy after having the kittens. Much of it is hormonal. She'll calm down some eventually. Give her as much comfort as you can right now. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

I'm relieved that you got some food into the baby. Just weigh them in the morning. [emoji]128077[/emoji]

 

[newkitties]

I'm giving her plenty of love! The kittens are precious, and they look much less like mice already! Amazing seeing this first hand.

 

[Sarthur2]

The kittens will grow incredibly fast! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

 

[newkitties]

Weigh in for 24 hours:

Kitten 1- 89g to 91g to 95g         gain of 6g total

Kitten 2- 102g to 107g to 113g   gain of 11g total

Kitten 3- 93g to 93g to 106g       gain of 13g total!

Kitten 4- 89g to 93g to 102g       gain of 13g total  

Kitten 5- 81g to 80g to 88g         gain of 7g/8g total

Kitten 6- 96g to 104g to 113g    gain of 17g total

 

[StefanZ]

 
Weigh in for 24 hours:

Kitten 1- 89g to 91g to 95g         gain of 6g total

Kitten 2- 102g to 107g to 113g   gain of 11g total

Kitten 3- 93g to 93g to 106g       gain of 13g total!

Kitten 4- 89g to 93g to 102g       gain of 13g total  

Kitten 5- 81g to 80g to 88g         gain of 7g/8g total

Kitten 6- 96g to 104g to 113g    gain of 13g total

Good gains.  Its just nr 1 whom didnt gained much, but its OK for the first day.   We do approve these result.

Just keep the tracking of the weights.

 

[talkingpeanut]

That's great! Especially since mom's milk might not be in all the way yet and they are getting colostrum.