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Originally Posted by Woogie Man  It may be that I'm still feeling a little raw from losing a tiny girl recently, but I'm getting a picture of babies that will need more care than typical. These babies are being born on day 54 and the one that the OP described has no hair and its features are under-developed. These babies can only get so frail and be treated in the normal way.
That's why I suggested a container for just the pups. They likely will need more heat than snuggling with Mama can provide without getting it too hot for her. She won't be able to nurse them and they sound too weak to nurse anyway. And I can easily imagine her rolling over and smothering a baby if it's too weak to squirm out. The container may not be the best idea, but is something readily available that would keep the babies warm and I'm just not sure these babies are developed enough to be with Mom full time
Though I've never tube fed, I would be concerned about the babies getting too much at once and the food going up and being aspirated. I know that with the little girl I lost, she couldn't take the whole feeding at once so I cut it in half and fed her every hour.
I'm just so concerned that these babies don't suffer any setback.....they can't afford it. I know so much depends on the condition of the babies, but think preparing for the worst case would be good for the OP before she gets them home tomorrow. I think that treating them like glass is the only way to approach it until the babies show they are stronger.
I hope the other pups are well, but the first one she described doesn't sound like one that could be treated as a normal pup in any way for now. I don't want to post links on preemie care as they do vary in advice, but all seem in agreement about keeping the pups very warm and from experience I know that it's easy to overfeed a frail one.
Any thoughts? |
I know what you went through and since the memory is fresher in your mind than it is mine, you're input is really needed.
I want to add that the OP will have to diaper these pups. My repro vet recommended to do this every 3 hours....in the first week. And like you stated, do not attempt to over feed. I fed with with a preemie canine nipple attached to a syringe, it gave me better control. I will say by 2 1/2 weeks my pups were taking in more milk and sleeping longer. I was worried and contacted my vet....he calmed my nerves, telling me that this was normal, they would take in more and not to wake them just to feed them. They'd tell me when they were hungry. By the 3rd week they were taking in 56 cc of milk at one shot, that was when I began allowing them to lap up their milk, on week 4 I added rice cereal.