🍼the bottle feeding schedule the intake packet skips

for the 2am feeds, when the shelter handout just says "every 2-4 hours" and stops there

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week 1, eyes still closed: every 2 hours

yes overnight too. they can't regulate their own body temp yet so skipping the 3am one isn't an option

KMR (kitten milk replacer), never cow's milk

cow's milk = diarrhea, learned this the hard way with my first foster

2 weeks old: every 2-3 hours

3 weeks: every 3-4 hours

this is where the handout just says "as needed," which is not a schedule

gram scale, weigh at literally every feed

7-14g gained per day is normal. less than that for two days in a row and something's off

stimulate to go potty after every feed

until eyes open they can't do it themselves, warm cotton ball, small circles

4 weeks: every 4-5 hours, start the gruel

test formula temp on your wrist

not your finger, your wrist reads it more like their mouth does

the chapter on failure to thrive is worth reading before you need it, not after. i skipped it and regretted it

5 weeks: gaps stretch to 5-6 hours

healthy ones start self-weaning around here, some don't and that's fine too

the 3am feed nobody actually warns you about

your alarm needs to be louder than you think. mine tried gentle chimes for a week, she said no

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