[Disclaimer: I have placed this message in "Breeder Talk"- not sure if this is the right section for this. Moderators: feel free to move it. ]
First night and day with the new babies has been amazing. Cali is a great mom. She has not wanted to leave them for long. She goes outside to go "potty" and right back again. I have some questions and just know there are answers here...
My home is a very busy place, so I chose my master bathroom for the actual whelping. It was quiet and safe for the mama. Last night I simply left her with her babies in the bathroom-adjacent to my bedroom. This morning she was nesting around under my bed and I just knew she would be moving them to where I couldn't reach them. So I took the entire basket (it's one of those plastic under bed storage boxes-sans the lid) and laid it just under my bed but right at the edge so I can reach in, check on babies. She is VERY content there with the babies and they are within arms distance of me.
Mom will just not eat herself unless I put food on my finger. She got used to be handfed towards end of pregnancy, now wants to be handfed more. She seems to still be panting a lot-maybe too warm? I keep my house set at 76 all the time but have the box where there are no drafts. She will drink water if I put some on my finger first.
One of the babies is not latching on to the teat. Both puppies are up against her constantly, rooting, but I have not seen an actual latching. I read here to try saliva-will try that next.
Mom did something really, really strange this afternoon! I was exhausted and needed to lay down. (As many of you know yesterday was just too much around her). Cali jumped up on the bed with me, as is her custom, and snuggled up to rest,too. As soon as she settled in, the pups started crying-so she jumped back down to the box. Few minutes later, she jumped back up to me. Again, pups cried-she jumped down. She repeated this a few more times. Just as I was about to doze off I hear one of the puppies crying loudly and looked. Cali had the puppy in her mouth and was about to bring the baby to bed with us! She figured if she couldn't lay with me without the baby crying, then she would just bring her baby along! I have never seen anything like this!
So what did I do? I took my pillow and blanket and laid down on the floor next to the whelping box and fell asleep with one hand on Cali's head....
So-are the babies crying because they are hungry? Because they just want to be with mom? Will mom not be able to rest? Why would she bring that baby up on my bed?