From Woo to Whelp: Countdown to Cuddles

Welcome to Week Nine: where every breath is a teaser and every nap a rehearsal for puppies waiting in the wings.

Poppet’s belly is broad, her nesting instincts are on point, and her “get ready” energy? Off the charts.

She’s now starring in the big finale: “Labor? Patience? I’ll Decide My Entrance.”

The big reveal is imminent.

By the ninth week of pregnancy, Poppet’s puppies are no longer embryos or fragile fetuses—they are fully formed neonates waiting for their first breath. Their hearts beat at an astonishing 200–230 beats per minute, driving oxygen and nutrients through their tiny bodies as they complete the final stages of development. The lungs, though structurally complete, are still filled with fluid and will only truly expand once they meet the outside world. In these last days, the puppies often practice reflexes essential for survival: gentle paw movements against the uterine wall, rhythmic stretches, and even the beginnings of suckling motions.

How I Support Her (Without Becoming Her Personal Fly‑on‑the‑Wall)

At this stage, my role is equal parts calm companion and quiet stagehand. I stay close, offering presence without intrusion and offering gentle belly rubs when she leans into me for reassurance. Her meals are frequent and small, always nourishing, with unlimited fresh water on hand to keep her hydrated and fuel her through the final stretch.

The atmosphere is carefully curated: her nest ready, blankets fluffed, room temperature kept steady, and the background tuned to “serene spa” rather than household chaos. She’s had a sanitary groom to keep her comfortable and clean, and X‑rays revealed the little lineup waiting inside—puppies poised for their grand debut, each one a secret still tucked beneath her rounded belly.

Together, these small acts of care create a cocoon of calm. She can rest, prepare, and rehearse her nesting routine, while I quietly ensure that every detail is in place for the moment the curtain rises.

What I’m Noticing

What’s Going on Inside

How I’m Preparing

The whelping box is set and alongside the cozy touches, I’ve prepared with hospital‑level precision.

Years of working as an OR nurse have shaped how I approach this moment: instruments and equipment are laid out meticulously, every item checked and re‑checked. My whelping supplies are divided into routine care and intensive/emergency care—because while I hope for smooth sailing, I’m prepared for plot twists.

I’ve created a makeshift incubator NICU, which doubles as an emergency transport unit should we need to dash to the vet. It’s stocked with essentials for warmth, monitoring, and safe travel. Emergency feeding supplies are also on hand, ready to step in if any puppy needs extra support in those first fragile hours.

Fingers—and paws—are firmly crossed that none of this will be needed, and that I’ll be able to pack it all away once the puppies are safely delivered. But peace of mind comes from knowing the stage is set, the cast is supported, and I’m ready to play my part with calm precision when the curtain rises.

💌 For Future Families

Week Nine is the countdown to cuddles. This is where anticipation meets action. If your future pup is tucked inside Poppet right now, they’re gearing up for their first breath of the world—tiny noses ready, tails curled, hearts pounding.

So here’s to Week Nine: the final stretch, the hush before the hurrah, and the art of waiting with hope (and extra towels).

For Poppet, this stage is demanding. Her uterus is stretched to capacity, her abdominal muscles taut, and her body is responding to hormonal shifts that signal labour is imminent. Progesterone levels are dropping while oxytocin rises, priming her for contractions and maternal bonding. Every twitch of her belly, every subtle contraction, is a rehearsal for the moment when the curtain finally rises and the puppies make their entrance.

Inside the uterus, positioning becomes critical. As you can see in the x-ray, the puppies have rotated into a head‑down orientation, aligning themselves for the birth canal like actors waiting in the wings for their cue. The uterine environment is now crowded, each pup pressed against its siblings, yet still undergoing a rapid growth spurt as fat deposits accumulate to regulate body temperature after birth. Their coats are fully grown, complete with markings that will distinguish each one, and their nervous systems are firing in preparation for the sensory flood of the outside world.

• Poppet’s splitting her time between sleeping, fine‑tuning her nest and displaying restless behaviour as if she’s timing her grand entrance.

• Lots of belly movement are a signal that the real show is almost here.

• The electricity in the air? You could bottle it.

Why Restlessness Happens

Restlessness is a natural part of the final stretch of pregnancy. As progesterone levels drop and oxytocin rises, Poppet’s body is primed for labour, and those hormonal changes can make her more unsettled.

Physically, the weight of the puppies makes movement less comfortable, and she often shifts or paces to ease the pressure. Nesting behaviour also comes to the forefront—scratching bedding, circling, or seeking quiet corners are all signs she’s rehearsing for motherhood.

Sometimes restlessness can even be an early sign of labour, especially when paired with panting, a loss of appetite, or a temperature drop below 37.5°C and it’s important to distinguish between what’s normal and what needs closer attention.

In these last ten days, restlessness, pacing, mild behavioural changes, reduced appetite, and a desire for solitude are all expected. However, continuous distress, excessive panting or trembling that doesn’t ease, vomiting or refusal to eat or drink entirely, signs of pain such as whining or straining, or any abnormal vaginal discharge are signals to monitor carefully and contact the vet.

In short, a little unease is part of the process, but anything that looks like pain or abnormality deserves immediate attention.

Poppets X-ray. Day 56/63