Just to offer the perspective of another mammal - I had two cats (sisters
from the same litter) who gave birth to four kittens each about two weeks
apart. At first I was concerned and tried to keep them separated once the
second litter was born, but they got on either side of the door I had closed
between them and meowed so sadly that I let them be together.

The mothers were quite happy to nurse each other's kittens. One would go for
a drink and a bite to eat while the other nursed all eight. Then the second
might go to stretch and relax in the sun, while her sister tended the whole
group. Other times, the two mothers would be curled up together, with all
eight babies lying between them. It actually gave me a lovely feeling to
watch them as they both took such great pleasure in all their kittens, and
obviously provided real support to each other.

I'm not sure that this has much direct application to Jay's case, but it
does seem that this goes on in the mammalian world.

Teresa Pitman.
LLL Leader Oakville Ontario