On a lighter note--- one of my dogs just had her first litter of
puppies.  Being her first, she was very nervous, almost panicky, during
labor and the immediate post partum period.  She whined when the four
beautiful pups  whined.  And she would group the pups between her front
legs and gently place her head over them to hide them.  Knowing the
benefits of immediately nursing new babies (canine as well as human) I
kept repositioning those pups at the end "closer to the action!"
Moments later, mom would have them in front of her again.  This went on
and on until I determined that this new mom needed even more help.  I
left the whelping box to go into the kitchen to prepare very tiny
bottles of glucose water intending to supplement the pups.  On my return
I found all 4 pups nursing vigorously and mom quite a bit calmer.  I
guess mom just wanted me to leave them alone!  Maybe the moral of this
is that non-intervention may be the answer to the problem!  And BTW, the
birth weights were between 7 and 11 oz.  and 2 days later they all have
gained at least 2 oz each! Mom will not eat if it requires that she move
away from her litter.  I have to put her food directly under her nose!
I have to physically pull her from the whelping box to get her to go
outside.  Rooming in at the max!!  Mom is still insistent upon hiding
them if she is being observed.  Now my biggest task is keeping my 8 yr
old son and his friends out of the room!

Thanks for listening-
Debbie in CT