Your baby at week thirty one of pregnancy
You are now a week into the ten week countdown, your baby is now about 40cm in length, about the size of a coconut, and weighs around 1.36kg, but believe it or not, your baby still has at least three, maybe two more kg to put on before he or she is born!
Your little (or now not so little) baby spends his or her day wriggling their feet about in a peddling motion, and perhaps even practicing sucking on their thumb, some babies do this so much that they a born with a layer of callus on their thumbs.
Now that your baby’s eyes are sensitive to light, they are likely to have settled into a sleep routine, unfortunately for you, despite the light, your baby might be a bit nocturnal, your gurgling insides and movements during the day rocking the baby to sleep, and when you lie down to try and gain some rest yourself, your baby wakes up and starts moving around!
It’s important that you check for your baby’s movements daily, although due to their backwards sleeping pattern, you might need to wake them up to encourage movement, especially now as there is less room for your baby move. To wake your little one up, eat something and lie down, the gurgling of your digestive system should wake them up (although this is not recommended if you suffer from a bad heart). You could also try shining a light at your belly, as your little one may kick out in protest or move away from the light if they were facing it. If you think your baby is starting to move significantly less, seek medical attention immediately.
Your body at week thirty one of pregnancy
You might be experiencing frequent Braxton Hicks contractions, which are essentially practice contractions, and you will feel them as your tummy tightening, and rippling of your muscles, but they should be uncomfortable rather than painful.
You may also be suffering from nasty heartburn, because of your baby putting pressure on your stomach and digestive system. If you are really suffering, seek medical advice, it may be recommended to you to take antacid to relieve your pain.
If you are suffering from constipation, address your diet, constipation can usually be rectified simply by eating more fibrous foods such as fruit and vegetables. It is also completely normal for you to be feeling out of breath, with your baby pressing on your diaphragm, if you are lucky, your baby may drop down towards your pelvis in a couple of weeks, relieving this pressure.
What you may be feeling at week thirty one of pregnancy
With labor and delivery getting closer it is normal for you to being to feel apprehensive about this; however if you are very anxious about this and find it is on your mind most of the time you will need to speak to someone. Fear causes the stress hormone Cortisol to surge through your body, and whilst a little bit is good for you, too much over a sustained period of time can lead to negative health issues. Your doctor will be able to help if you find your anxiety about the birth is affecting you too much.
With your baby very much a reality in the third trimester you may find yourself preoccupied with plans for your baby and pondering what sort of parent you will be.
Common symptoms at week thirty one of pregnancy
- Frequent urination
- Tender or tingly breasts
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Irritability or unexpected emotions
- Increased hunger
- Clumsiness
- Pain, tingling or numbness in fingers
- Shortness of breath
- Dry, brittle nails
- Braxton hicks contractions
- Backache
- Leaking breasts
- Anxiety about labor and birth
Tips for week thirty one of pregnancy
- Familiarize yourself with symptoms of preterm labor
- Try and antenatal Pilates class designed for the third trimester to help strengthen your pelvic floor and help you to go into labor in good shape
- Do not ‘eat for two,’ but do increase your calorie intake by two hundred calories daily
If you have any symptoms that concern you it is important to consult your doctor as soon as you can.