31 weeks pregnant

The last trimester of pregnancy is more related to the baby’s weight gain and, consequently, yours. He gains more adipose tissue and keeps his face more rounded each week.

You are feeling tired because of all the weight, both body and mental. But if you’ve created a schedule, all that’s left is to wait for the time to pass until the day of delivery.

Maybe you go into the room prepared for him and move a garnish or look at the clothes in the maternity bag for the tenth time to make sure everything is arranged as you thought and that nothing is missing from the list.

Did you know that your baby perceives all the stimuli outside, sound and light, and that he already differentiates light from dark? So, let’s go to the details about your pregnancy this 31st week. Keep reading.

 

Baby development

With 41 cm measured from head to toe and weighing 1.6 kg, an increase of 200 g per week, your baby is getting smarter. The connections between nerve cells have practically multiplied.

Although the eyes are colored, if there is speculation among family members if he will have the eyes of his father or one of his grandparents, he will have to wait 5 to 6 months after birth, when the retina develops in the external environment.

He sleeps a lot throughout the day. Ultrasound studies have observed that eye movements are very reminiscent of someone during the dream state of sleep. It is believed that he is dreaming, but there is no way to be sure of that.

With the space of the uterus increasingly reduced, many babies assume the fetal position, with the chin close to the chest, arms and legs bent. Some already have their heads embedded in their pubis. Others position themselves as the week goes by and, in certain situations, he does not, and a cesarean section is necessary.

 

What happens to mom

You continue to experience the typical symptoms of the past three months. The big, heavy belly, difficulty finding a sleeping position, anxiety, difficulty dressing.

When considering the baby’s weight, the placenta and amniotic fluid, among other factors, you are carrying around 12 kg inside you.

Hormonal changes may bring back nausea, nausea and dizziness. They should last a short time. Heartburn and reflux take longer to pass, probably until the end of pregnancy.

Your feet don’t fit in many shoes anymore. Many women claim to have increased by one or two footwear numbers after becoming pregnant. It can happen. For now, choose the most comfortable and safe.

 

Care that should be taken at this stage

Talk to your obstetrician about all the symptoms, especially pain and discharge from the standard pregnancy pattern. If nausea, nausea and dizziness remain, talk to your doctor, but you may not be eating for a long time. Eat small meals every 3 hours.

Protect your belly from accidental knocks. At this stage it becomes more painful and even the slightest beat can hurt a lot. Another action to reduce pain is to pay attention to your posture, which can influence even after delivery.

Clothes can also be quite annoying. Choose those that do not squeeze the belly and are made of light fabric, to reduce the feeling of heat and excessive sweating.

The doctor will want to monitor these last few weeks better, so the doctor’s appointments become biweekly. New laboratory tests must be ordered.

 

Signs of premature birth

Births that occur after the 37th week are considered normal. Before that, they are called premature. The risk of sequelae in the weeks of the last quarter reduces to 90%.

Between the 31st and 35th weeks the baby is considered to be a moderate premature baby. The immune and respiratory systems have not fully developed. The main causes are urinary tract infection, placental detachment, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, hypothyroidism, smoking, alcoholism, use of illicit drugs, uterine pathologies, congenital infections.

Do you know how to distinguish the signs of premature birth or whether they are just contractions by Braxton Hicks?

– Back pain

– vaginal bleeding

– contractions every 10 minutes or less

– leakage of fluid in the vagina

– increased pressure in the pelvis or vagina.

– nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

If you experience these symptoms, contact your doctor or go to the hospital immediately.