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Originally Posted by blancla  This happened to me on our last litter. It would be the last that Ellie and myself would ever have. It was a very difficult time for us because the feedings every 2 hours seemed to last for 2 hours. I didn't get much sleep. We used Dr. Browns bottles as well and they did great. I fed them as much as they would eat, and tried to sleep while they were sleeping. Ellie did the cleaning for me, but they would do their best to nurse while she had on a onesie. Anyway, I used goat milk and water, I believe you can find the receipe here in the breeders section. I can't remember it off hand. My babies wanted to suck a lot too. I would offer more formula and then they would sleep. I offered baby rice formula mixed in with the goats milk at 3 weeks old. However, we still had to bottle feed them. Slowly they started eating on their own and we stopped the botlles at 4 weeks. I can definitely say that it was a blessing to have the opportunity to do it, but would never want to do it again.
Therefore, I no longer breed, and Ellie is much happier for it. |
Thank you all for your input. We are still doing the 4 hour thing, and the puppies are gaining each day, and not crying being hungry so I am not concerned just really, really tired ! It's amazing how fast you get to know your puppies. I have one who wants to pee first, then the bottle has to be a certain temp. Turns his nose up if he's 3rd. in line and it's not quite warm enough, even though I have it sitting in a dish of warmed water ! They arrived bigger, when I expected them to only be 3oz. at whelp so maybe that was a head start. I looked back over my records and realized each puppy gained 1 to 1-1/2 ounces each day while nursing. Times that by 4 and no wonder her calcium was depleted. It just bothers me that maybe this could have been prevented by a caltrate supplement, but I really don't know.
My husband redid the whelping box, and set up dividers using cookie cooling racks & sherpa on the edges against the box for safety, so they can snuggle together and smell each other, and have that warmth, but they are separated to deal with the suckling instinct. Two of my boy's little penis' were getting too much action and a little swollen
The vet said, babies want to suckle like human children whether they are hungry or not, and I absolutely needed to separate them.
The vet mentioned adding rice cereal but he didn't say when. No disrespect intended, but he doesn't mind me coming back for follow-up visits each week for a quick check, calcium level & puppy advice, but the $80 bill each week is pretty costly. Poor Lucy, has to endure a blood test from her jugular vein. They did it in the exam room last time and she was a champ, but I didn't like seeing that.
I agree this is a blessed experience, and the pups are thriving amazingly well. Honestly I worry about these babies just like when I brought my first born baby home many years ago, and worried about burps and poops, etc. I am exhausted ! I find myself sleeping when the babies sleep, just like I tried to do with my "human babies". I definitely won't do this again, but I don't regret the experience. Ha! maybe I will change my mind when they are toddlers pooping and walking in it, and I have to cleanse the stinky darlin's only to have them walk in their poop again ! What are your thoughts about using hypoallergenic baby wipes for cleaning them, in terms of their puppy skin & coat ? I don't think a full water bath each day would be a good idea.
The babies are beautiful and I love them all so much. Gawd it's going to be hard to part with them, even though they are supposed to be going to my siblings (who live in different states) !
Thanks again, everyone. I will welcome more input as anyone can share their experiences.