In the 31st week of pregnancy, the most exciting phase of your pregnancy is slowly beginning for you. Your baby now has very little space in your belly and is approaching its birth weight in big steps. As an expectant mom in the 31st week of pregnancy, new complaints are becoming noticeable that will accompany you over the coming weeks.
In our pregnancy calendar, we summarize for you how your baby develops in the 31st week of pregnancy and how the size and weight change. You will also find out which symptoms are typical in the 31st week of pregnancy and what you should pay attention to now.
How your baby develops in the 31st week of pregnancy
In the 31st week of pregnancy, your baby undergoes further important developmental steps. For example, lung maturation is progressing in big steps. Your baby can now inflate its lungs. The alveoli do not stick together: Lung maturation is thus already well advanced. If your baby were born prematurely now, it would no longer need full ventilation.
Your baby has grown significantly in recent weeks and now has very little space in your uterus. This means that you will no longer perceive as many fetal movements. However, this is no cause for concern. It could also be that your baby is sleeping when you don't feel it. In the 31st week of pregnancy, babies sleep about 15 hours per day and already have a sleep-wake rhythm.
In the 31st week of pregnancy, your baby slowly begins to press against the wall of the uterus. The position of the head is also changing now. However, your baby is not yet taking its birth position – that will only happen in the coming weeks.
A furrow structure is now forming in your baby's brain, which increases brain activity. However, the head circumference does not increase so that the head will subsequently fit through the birth canal.
As you can see, your baby is slowly preparing for birth. You can use the time until delivery to make the final preparations for your baby's arrival. Take a look at the automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep, which offers your baby a cozy nest and makes falling asleep much easier.
Size & weight in the 31st week of pregnancy
In the 31st week of pregnancy, you are at the end of the eighth month in the third trimester. Size and weight have increased significantly in recent weeks. Your baby is now 41 to 43 centimeters tall. The weight is between 1,500 and 1,600 grams. This makes your baby about the size of a red cabbage or a coconut.
There are now nine weeks left until the due date. During this time, your baby will double its weight and likely weigh over 3 kilograms. It will also grow by another 10 centimeters. If a premature birth occurs in the 31st week of pregnancy, the low birth weight in particular is a difference compared to full-term babies.
How you are doing as an expectant mom in the 31st week of pregnancy
You have been following your baby's development for 31 weeks now. By now, you are probably thinking a lot about the birth. You wonder where you should give birth, who you want to have by your side, and how everything will go.
Many pregnant women report in the 31st week of pregnancy that their thoughts revolve around their baby almost around the clock. You think not only about the birth but also about the time after and what life with a newborn will be like. You may be very emotional right now and tears come to your eyes at the thought of your baby.
Your body will continue to change in the 31st week of pregnancy. Your belly is growing steadily so that your baby has enough space. As a result, your belly button is getting flatter – until birth, it can even bulge outwards due to the tension of the skin.
It is also possible that you suffer from mild incontinence. Your pelvic floor is heavily stressed by the pregnancy. If it is not strong enough, you occasionally lose droplets of urine. You can counteract this with pelvic floor training for pregnant women. Protect yourself with sanitary pads if necessary. Water retention can also form in your legs and feet.
Would you like to use the last few weeks before birth to prepare everything for your baby? The Automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep is the ideal companion in the exciting time after birth. It gently rocks your baby to sleep and adjusts the intensity to your baby's movements.
Pregnant in the 31st week of pregnancy: Symptoms & complaints
From the 31st week of pregnancy, you might notice how the pregnancy is becoming increasingly strenuous for you. Your baby is now as big as a coconut. Its weight causes some symptoms and complaints that you are currently feeling:
Shortness of breath:
Due to the size of your unborn baby, your organs and also your lungs are constricted. You now have a smaller lung volume and get out of breath quickly. You should therefore take regular breaks and not overexert yourself.
Back pain:
Your baby now weighs almost 1.5 kilograms. This weight represents a great burden for your back, so you probably suffer from back pain. If your muscles are tense, you should give yourself rest and try to relax the muscles with heat.
Heartburn:
Not only your lungs but also your stomach is constricted by the size of your baby. This can lead to gastric juice rising into the esophagus and you suffering from heartburn. Many smaller meals spread throughout the day can relieve the symptoms.
Dizziness:
Your body is currently working very hard. If you stand up too quickly, you might sometimes feel dizzy. Your blood pressure then drops suddenly and you have to sit down again. Try to strengthen your circulation with light exercises and be sure to drink enough.
Changed sense of smell and taste:
During your pregnancy, you will repeatedly notice that your sense of smell and taste have changed. You might no longer like your favorite food or can no longer stand the smell of your favorite perfume.
Although there are still several weeks until birth, you might already find the pregnancy strenuous. It is important that you allow yourself many breaks and do not overdo it. Relaxation is important for your body, because it is currently supplying not only you but also your baby.
This is important in the 31st week of pregnancy
Between the 29th and 32nd week of pregnancy, the third major check-up is due for you. During this, you and your baby are medically checked. An ultrasound is also performed and you can see your baby again on your doctor's screen. The position of the placenta is also checked again during this check-up.
In about four weeks, your maternity leave will begin. It's best to talk to your employer now and clarify whether you need to make preparations for your absence in the coming weeks.
You should also slowly pack your hospital bag. Even if there are still several weeks until birth, it gives many pregnant women a good feeling to be prepared for an emergency. It's best to create a list before packing so you don't lose track. Then place the bag in a central location so it's quickly at hand in an emergency.
Automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep: Your companion after birth
From your belly circumference, you can easily see that the birth is getting closer and closer. You already have a close bond with your baby and want to prepare everything for the exciting time after birth. Your baby needs a suitable place to sleep so that it can sleep restfully.
For this, we recommend the intuitive automatic baby hammock from swing2sleep. It gently rocks your baby to sleep. The intelligent motor adapts the rocking to your baby's movements. If it wakes up, the hammock can rock it back to sleep. The motor is silent and can even be controlled by you via an app. You will also receive push notifications if your baby has woken up or moves unusually.
Your baby feels particularly comfortable in the automatic baby hammock: It lies closely embraced in the hammock like in the womb. At the same time, it is protected from bright light and can lie relaxed in the hammock. This makes not only falling asleep easier but also staying asleep. Both babies and parents benefit from this.
By now, our automatic baby hammock has convinced over 170,000 families and is even recommended by osteopaths and midwives. You can buy our Smarla automatic baby hammock in a practical complete set. You can adjust the color of the hammock and the frame to your personal preferences.
