[TeddyandTiffy]

Do U know how many she is having? The reason I'm asking is because with our litter of 4 we used a smaller tote and it was fine, well here came our litter of 6 and that smaller one wasn't so fine anymore. I felt she just didn't have enough room to whelp comfortable. U can go to my web site and view photo of how I did the totes look under previous litters and present litters.

I just took a box knife and cut a hole out in the middle of the tote side to make a door way, then I used old dish/hand towels to cover the bottom of the door I made with duct tape so mommy wouldn't scratch her belly and when our puppies got older they wouldn't get hurt either.

I love the totes as U can put U're heating pad cord up and over the top of the tote and plug it in (Duct Tape so that mommy and babies won't get the cords) then U can do U're temp gauge the same way, then put the lid on it & put U're temp gauge on top of U're tote lid. I also duct taped puppy pads to the bottom of her tote for any messes, lined with blankies, wrapped heating pad in thick towel so puppies won't get burnt on heating pad (I keep mine on low at all times day and night) and then put it in, added more blankies too. If U get one big enough then U're mommy will have room on the other side to make her bed when she gets to hot from the heating pad, and our Tif always just went over to the other side where our babies laid on the heating pad and nursed.

I myself like having room to move around when my doll is whelping, I don't know how big U're pantry is but I lay my whelping items on a puppy pad & that way I can get to them fast, I mean everything is there within my reach. I don't have to go running around looking for anything. I have blankies there too and a moses basket all prewarmed with wrapped heating pad for newborns (Temp gauge in basket too so I know they are well warmed) so they can be tucked away nice and cozy while mommy is whelping another one, once one is whelped I take the babies out of the moses basket and put them back in with mommy to nurse, if another one is coming, back in our moses basket they go. If I should have to help one get breathing I have room to do it and suction if needed.

The totes for whelping I think is good too that way U can just leave the lid off while she is whelping stand on U're knees (I have to since I'm so short) to get inside the the tote and help her if need be that is if U get the big big one so U'll have room to move around in it and she does too. I just don't like to move my mommy from one thing to another as I feel she may feel more secure where she whelped her babies at and have them in the same place as she whelped in after the whelping is all done. This is why I don't think I would use a small swimming pool as she would have to be moved to the tote to care for her puppies afterward. This is just me tho and what I like and why. My way isn't for everyone and each person does figure out what works best for them. Totes are easy to clean too.

If U're pantry isn't big enough for U to move around in do U have a spare bedroom? This is what we used. I hope some of this will help U & I wish U the best with U're upcoming whelping and U're in our thoughts. If U have any other questions please feel free to ask. Lee