You might be feeling mighty crowded. You might be having trouble walking, talking, or doing both at the same time. Baby is making it hard for you to feel like you can catch your breath. All five of baby’s senses are fully developed at 31 weeks pregnant. Baby is also getting smarter! In the meantime, you might actually feel a little absentminded. Your healthcare provider might gently feel your belly to work out which way up your baby is positioned. Some babies will be head down, ready for birth. Continue reading the blog to learn more -
Pregnancy Developments and symptoms at 31 Weeks Pregnant:
- Shortness of breath :
- Moving on up at 31 weeks pregnant, your uterus can now be felt about 4 inches above your belly button. This means that your uterus is pushing all the internal organs that used to be there somewhere else, crowding your diaphragm and lungs and making it more difficult for them to expand fully.
- While this shortness of breath may feel very uncomfortable to you, your baby is as happy as a clam because he’s getting his oxygen from the placenta.
- That out-of-breath feeling may get better toward the end of your pregnancy, when your baby drops down into your pelvis in preparation for delivery. Until then, be sure to stand as straight as you can given the weight you're carrying around, eat smaller, evenly-spaced meals and sleep propped up on your left side so that your lungs have more space to… well, breathe.
- Frequent Urination : Your uterus puts more pressure on your bladder in the third trimester, giving it less room to store urine. Cut down on the bathroom trips by double voiding: Pee, then when you’re done, pee again. That’ll make sure you’ve emptied your bladder completely.
- Backaches : That burgeoning belly can also do a number on your back as it curves to accommodate the load. If you haven’t already, now is the time to incorporate some prenatal yoga into your exercise routine. The stretches will relax your back — and your mind!
- Pregnancy brain : Welcome to mommy-to-be brain — a condition that’s a result of shrinking brain cell volume in the third trimester. Don’t worry — your brain cells go back to normal a few months after delivery. Don’t stress out about your foggy memory, since stress just makes it worse. Write things down or program them into your smartphone and delegate responsibility if possible.
- Sleep Problems : This is another common third trimester woe, caused by a constellation of other conditions, such as leg cramps, heartburn, frequent urination and plain old anxiety, with a dash of pregnancy hormones. If tension keeps you tossing and turning all night, talk it out with friends or your partner during the day.
- Occasional headaches : If tension is twisting your head up in knots, try spending a few minutes in a dark, quiet room. If you’re at work, close your eyes and put your feet up for 15 minutes. It's also generally safe to take acetaminophen occasionally when nothing else seems to relieve the pain.
- Braxton Hicks contractions :
- Braxton Hicks are when the womb contracts and relaxes. Sometimes they are known as practice labour pains. Not everyone will have Braxton Hicks contractions. If you do, you’ll usually feel them during the second or third trimester.
- Braxton Hicks contractions may be uncomfortable, but they are not painful. Many describe them as feeling like mild period pain that comes and goes.
- Clumsiness : Your shifting posture, your increasing girth and your lack of concentration may make you clumsier these days. Take it easy when you’re climbing into the shower or tub and roll up any area rugs that could trip you up at home.
Baby Development :
- Your baby is about the size of a coconut !! Weighing in at 3.86 pounds/ 1.75 kgs and measuring about 16 inches / 41.1 cm long.
- Your baby's movements : Your baby can stretch, kick, and somersault – in fact, their dramatic motions may be keeping you up at night. Take comfort: All this fetal movement is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.
- Baby is sleeping more : Your little one's putting in longer stretches of sleep, which is why you're probably noticing more defined patterns of wakefulness, movement and rest.
- Baby's developing five senses : Your baby's brain is working overtime these days, developing faster than ever. Connections between individual nerve cells — he's got to make billions of them! — are being made at a super fast rate. He's now processing information, tracking light and perceiving signals from all five senses.
- Your baby's brain : Brain development kicks into high gear in the last trimester as your baby's brain triples in weight. Also, the cerebrum develops deep grooves that provide extra surface area without taking up more room in the skull.
- Baby's rapid weight gain begins : Thirty-one weeks into your pregnancy, or 29 weeks after conception, your baby has finished most of his or her major development. Now it's time to gain weight — quickly.
31 Weeks Pregnant: What you should be preparing for
- Invest in nursing pads : If your breasts are leaking colostrum, nursing pads will keep your bras from getting messy. You can use either disposable or reusable pads.
- Start training for labor : The big day will be here before you know it, so start practicing the deep, patterned breaths that will help you stay relaxed during labor. You’ll be more prepared when it’s time to deliver baby, but for now, these cleansing inhales and exhales have the added benefit of helping with any shortness of breath.
- Cut back on tea or coffee : You may love your beloved bevarage, but it could be driving some of those extra trips to the bathroom. Drinks with caffeine, such as coffee or tea, can act as diuretics and cause you to urinate more often.
- Do stretches for labor : As your due date approaches, try to increase your flexibility and strengthen your body as much as you can. Stretching is the perfect way to do this: It can help open your pelvis, strengthen your abdominal muscles, ease back pain during delivery, and relieve muscle tension. These exercises to prepare for labor include a good back stretch, hip openers, and breathing exercises.
Conclusion
Always consult with healthcare professionals for guidance tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Enroll in our free lactation webinar to understand more about pain suffered during breastfeeding, possible causes, and solutions for the same.