A Possible Problem? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

starstella92 · 11-09-2009, 08:01 PM

How do I know for sure if Maya is producing milk. The vet earlier told me she was producing just a little but that it would pick up once she got home and was less stressed, etc. It seems as though she's just a little especially in her back teats, but if I try to express milk or colostrum from them I'm not seeing anything. Now I'm really really worried that her babies are just sucking on the nipples but not getting any milk. ??? How do I know if they're acutally feeding or not? I'm so stressed I just want to cry! And just a little while ago, Maya was out of her whelping box crying at the door to be let out. We tried to get her to go back to the babies, but she didn't want to. All the while her babies were crying for her (I only let this last for about 5 minutes, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened again). My boyfriend is in there with her now, she's in her box with the babies, and the babies are content for now. I'm just afraid this is something she's going to do regularly. Would the babies be crying constantly if they weren't getting food? I only hear them cry occassionally, but then Maya always comforts them and/or feeds them (or tries to). With everything that happened earlier, I'm already on edge; maybe I'm just being paranoid, I don't know. I think I'll call my vet first thing in the morning just because I'm freaked. I want to make sure they're being fed. Is it possible for a female that has undergone a c-section to not produce milk???

Maybe I wasn't able to see any milk because I wasn't squeezing it the right way. ??? I'm also thinking about what they said earlier while she was in labor but getting nowhere with it. She had low calcium levels then; they had given her calcium, so that should've helped. Is it possible those levels have dropped again? Would that cause a difficiency in milk production? I've given her whelping pudding, hoping to help. Help me please!

karak333 · 11-09-2009, 11:00 PM

her milk should come in, even if it is late. you might not have been squzing them right. grab them with two fingers and while squizing pull out. kind of like milking a cow lol. you will know if the puppies aren't getting anything because after just a few seconds of sucking, they might give up or they will get restless. if they are calm and they are not whining while they are eating then most likely they are getting something. if you are pretty sure they aren't getting anything then you will have to bottle feed them until her milk comes in, BUT you must make sure they keep trying to feed all the time because that will stimulate her milk to come in. remember, they are very tiny so they don't need a lot. hope this helps. oh and you should also be giving her calcium supplements so that she does not get low calcium and go into shock which is what happened to my female. it is very important for her to be getting extra calcium.
Kara

blancla · 11-10-2009, 03:23 AM

When Sammie had her c-section/spay, I was worried that she wouldn't get milk either. The vet gave her 2 shots of oxy to help bring it in. She didn't look full, but the babies thrived as they were getting some milk. I couldn't get any out of her either, but I don't think that I was doing it correctly. My vet explained as long as they continued to suckle, the milk would come. If the babies are not crying while they are with her, then I wouldn't worry too much. Continue to weigh them twice a day and make sure that they are gaining. You can request another shot of oxy if you desire, but again, I think it's on how they are gaining and acting.

As far as her not wanting to be with them, she may just be a little slow. I know that mine usually want a little break, while others want to be in there all the time and will even skip a potty break if needed. I think it all depends on the mother. Just make sure that the babies are warm while she's not in there. If they continue to cry, then just force the mother to be in there. Eventually her motherly instincts should kick in.

WV~Yorkies · 11-10-2009, 03:48 AM

Are you giving her calcuim tabs? If she is already low I am not sure she will be able to maintain with just food.

carmen in nj · 11-10-2009, 04:33 AM

Are you giving her whelping pudding? it helps with calcium and milk production.

starstella92 · 11-10-2009, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmen in nj

Are you giving her whelping pudding? it helps with calcium and milk production.

Yes, I am giving her the whelping pudding. I think she probably threw it up last night (then ate it again, ew). Is it common for new moms to vomit; I know about vomiting before labor, but after? She had a little diarrhea too, but now my vet's office is open, and I'm getting ready to call them and see what they say. Maybe they'll be able to give me calcium supplements too.

Wend · 11-10-2009, 06:52 AM

Weigh the babies twice a day, they should gain 10% every 24 hrs. The first day is not always 10%, since momma's milk is not always in. If the pups are not gaining you need to see the vet. Is Maya on antibiotics or pain meds? These can cause an upset stomach. I would encourage her to eat a little puppy dog food before giving her any meds and see if that helped her. Diet change also can be hard for them, how much whelping pudding are you giving her?

Sookie · 11-10-2009, 07:57 AM

Their tummies should feel nicely rounded. Definitely give her the calcium pill every single day while she is nursing. My Kalina NEVER had obvious milk coming out and I couldn't express the milk either - but the puppies got fat and they always had a fat belly.

It's perfectly OK for the mom to spend some time away from the puppies. They could be crying for another reason. As they get older she will spend less and less time in the box with them. I agree with you that this is the most stressful time of all. I worried every second that they weren't getting enough milk, they were too cold, too warm, mother wasn't interested, mother was too rough...etc.

starstella92 · 11-10-2009, 09:57 AM

Well, I was able to speak with my vet and he reassured me that everything sounds just fine. The puppies have gained a little bit since yesterday, even though all they're getting is collostrum (sp?). He told me though her calcium levels were low during labor, they weren't too low; he didn't think they needed to give her supplements. The baby girls will be going to the vet tomorrow to have their tails and dewclaws done. Maya will also be tagging along to get checked out and make sure things look good. Things are looking better, Maya was a good mom from the very beginning but I can already see she's doing better. My vet told me it was fine to let her out with us every now and then, he actually recommended it to keep her from getting stressed. More stress= less milk production. So, I was worrying for no reason, I guess. I feel great about it today though, everyone looks healthy. And mama loves her babies, even if she wants a break from them every now and then.
And to answer the question about the whelping pudding, the first day I let her just lap up the mixture for awhile until she was finished. The pudding I made yesterday, I gave her approx. a tablespoon, maybe a little more than that. The vet says it's probably okay that she's having diarrhea, considering all she went through yesterday with the surgery and such. She should get back to normal soon. I sure hope so, this stuff is a stinky mess. Ew. I just got done having to trim her hair back there. :/
And of course, I took just a few more pictures. They're now one day old! I just love my baby girls so much!!! And I don't know how to get my photos to stop being so large when you click to view. ??? Nobody else's is doing that. ???

Sookie · 11-10-2009, 11:34 AM

You still need to give her a calcium pill every day. It's when the milk starts to come in that there could be a problem. I say "could be". It's not to scare you, but I consider it a necessity to give her a calcium supplement. If you read a lot on here you will see that there can be problems later on. Your puppies are precious. Congrats.

yoursotino · 11-10-2009, 12:38 PM

sookie is right even if your vet says the supplement isnt neccessary it is. As the milk comes in her calicum levels will decrease it will not hurt her and it is so easy to be safe then sorry.

karak333 · 11-10-2009, 12:42 PM

yes, please give her calcium supplements!! My female almost died because of low calcium when I could have prevented it just from giving her the supplement.

starstella92 · 11-10-2009, 01:41 PM

I would rather be safe than sorry, but I'd also hate to ask for the supplement when he already told me it wasn't necessary. :/ It's almost kind of like I'm not trusting his judgement, which I do. But yes, I would like a supplement for her. Is there a store I can get this at, so my vet doesn't have to know I got it anyways, lol? Or do I need a vet to give me the supplement? What kind of supplements do you use???

Wend · 11-10-2009, 01:52 PM

You can supplement with foods, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, whelping pudding. Or you can just tell your vet your feelings, that you want to be safe rather than sorry and see if he will recommend some to you with a good dosage for your dog.

karak333 · 11-10-2009, 01:59 PM

you can buy some at petsmart. they only come in big bottles and are a little expensive but well worth it. you dont need a prescription or anything.

11-09-2009, 08:01 PM	#1
starstella92 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 216	A Possible Problem? How do I know for sure if Maya is producing milk. The vet earlier told me she was producing just a little but that it would pick up once she got home and was less stressed, etc. It seems as though she's just a little especially in her back teats, but if I try to express milk or colostrum from them I'm not seeing anything. Now I'm really really worried that her babies are just sucking on the nipples but not getting any milk. ??? How do I know if they're acutally feeding or not? I'm so stressed I just want to cry! And just a little while ago, Maya was out of her whelping box crying at the door to be let out. We tried to get her to go back to the babies, but she didn't want to. All the while her babies were crying for her (I only let this last for about 5 minutes, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened again). My boyfriend is in there with her now, she's in her box with the babies, and the babies are content for now. I'm just afraid this is something she's going to do regularly. Would the babies be crying constantly if they weren't getting food? I only hear them cry occassionally, but then Maya always comforts them and/or feeds them (or tries to). With everything that happened earlier, I'm already on edge; maybe I'm just being paranoid, I don't know. I think I'll call my vet first thing in the morning just because I'm freaked. I want to make sure they're being fed. Is it possible for a female that has undergone a c-section to not produce milk??? Maybe I wasn't able to see any milk because I wasn't squeezing it the right way. ??? I'm also thinking about what they said earlier while she was in labor but getting nowhere with it. She had low calcium levels then; they had given her calcium, so that should've helped. Is it possible those levels have dropped again? Would that cause a difficiency in milk production? I've given her whelping pudding, hoping to help. Help me please! __________________ Tara & Arthur Chloe, Maya, Mallory, & Marina

11-10-2009, 03:23 AM	#3
blancla YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Longwood, FL Posts: 1,122	When Sammie had her c-section/spay, I was worried that she wouldn't get milk either. The vet gave her 2 shots of oxy to help bring it in. She didn't look full, but the babies thrived as they were getting some milk. I couldn't get any out of her either, but I don't think that I was doing it correctly. My vet explained as long as they continued to suckle, the milk would come. If the babies are not crying while they are with her, then I wouldn't worry too much. Continue to weigh them twice a day and make sure that they are gaining. You can request another shot of oxy if you desire, but again, I think it's on how they are gaining and acting. As far as her not wanting to be with them, she may just be a little slow. I know that mine usually want a little break, while others want to be in there all the time and will even skip a potty break if needed. I think it all depends on the mother. Just make sure that the babies are warm while she's not in there. If they continue to cry, then just force the mother to be in there. Eventually her motherly instincts should kick in. __________________ ELLIE & PEPPER'S MAMA

11-10-2009, 03:48 AM	#4
WV~Yorkies Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: WV Posts: 3,605 Blog Entries: 2	Are you giving her calcuim tabs? If she is already low I am not sure she will be able to maintain with just food. __________________ Melissa Wvyorkies

11-10-2009, 04:33 AM	#5
carmen in nj Donating YT 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Hopatcong, NJ, USA Posts: 4,615 Blog Entries: 74	Are you giving her whelping pudding? it helps with calcium and milk production. __________________ My Etsy shop is OPEN... Carmen in nj

11-10-2009, 06:52 AM	#7
Wend YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Lehi Posts: 403	Weigh the babies twice a day, they should gain 10% every 24 hrs. The first day is not always 10%, since momma's milk is not always in. If the pups are not gaining you need to see the vet. Is Maya on antibiotics or pain meds? These can cause an upset stomach. I would encourage her to eat a little puppy dog food before giving her any meds and see if that helped her. Diet change also can be hard for them, how much whelping pudding are you giving her? __________________ Wend

11-09-2009, 11:00 PM	#2
karak333 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Houston, tx Posts: 103	her milk should come in, even if it is late. you might not have been squzing them right. grab them with two fingers and while squizing pull out. kind of like milking a cow lol. you will know if the puppies aren't getting anything because after just a few seconds of sucking, they might give up or they will get restless. if they are calm and they are not whining while they are eating then most likely they are getting something. if you are pretty sure they aren't getting anything then you will have to bottle feed them until her milk comes in, BUT you must make sure they keep trying to feed all the time because that will stimulate her milk to come in. remember, they are very tiny so they don't need a lot. hope this helps. oh and you should also be giving her calcium supplements so that she does not get low calcium and go into shock which is what happened to my female. it is very important for her to be getting extra calcium. Kara

11-10-2009, 07:57 AM	#8
Sookie My Four Sweet Babies Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: South Jersey near Philadelphia Posts: 5,452	Their tummies should feel nicely rounded. Definitely give her the calcium pill every single day while she is nursing. My Kalina NEVER had obvious milk coming out and I couldn't express the milk either - but the puppies got fat and they always had a fat belly. It's perfectly OK for the mom to spend some time away from the puppies. They could be crying for another reason. As they get older she will spend less and less time in the box with them. I agree with you that this is the most stressful time of all. I worried every second that they weren't getting enough milk, they were too cold, too warm, mother wasn't interested, mother was too rough...etc. __________________ I LOVE MY BABIES

11-10-2009, 11:34 AM	#10
Sookie My Four Sweet Babies Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: South Jersey near Philadelphia Posts: 5,452	You still need to give her a calcium pill every day. It's when the milk starts to come in that there could be a problem. I say "could be". It's not to scare you, but I consider it a necessity to give her a calcium supplement. If you read a lot on here you will see that there can be problems later on. Your puppies are precious. Congrats. __________________ I LOVE MY BABIES

11-10-2009, 12:38 PM	#11
yoursotino No Longer a Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: yorkieville Posts: 254	milk sookie is right even if your vet says the supplement isnt neccessary it is. As the milk comes in her calicum levels will decrease it will not hurt her and it is so easy to be safe then sorry.

11-10-2009, 12:42 PM	#12
karak333 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Houston, tx Posts: 103	yes, please give her calcium supplements!! My female almost died because of low calcium when I could have prevented it just from giving her the supplement.

11-10-2009, 01:41 PM	#13
starstella92 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Arlington, TX Posts: 216	I would rather be safe than sorry, but I'd also hate to ask for the supplement when he already told me it wasn't necessary. :/ It's almost kind of like I'm not trusting his judgement, which I do. But yes, I would like a supplement for her. Is there a store I can get this at, so my vet doesn't have to know I got it anyways, lol? Or do I need a vet to give me the supplement? What kind of supplements do you use??? __________________ Tara & Arthur Chloe, Maya, Mallory, & Marina

11-10-2009, 01:52 PM	#14
Wend YT Addict Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Lehi Posts: 403	You can supplement with foods, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, whelping pudding. Or you can just tell your vet your feelings, that you want to be safe rather than sorry and see if he will recommend some to you with a good dosage for your dog. __________________ Wend

11-10-2009, 01:59 PM	#15
karak333 Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Houston, tx Posts: 103	you can buy some at petsmart. they only come in big bottles and are a little expensive but well worth it. you dont need a prescription or anything.