Advice for soon-to-be parents
My pregnancy
31st Pregnancy Week
Your Pregnancy Week by Week
3rd Trimester: Pregnancy Week 31
Welcome to the world of parenting!
An exciting journey is about to start and Mothercare, through this journal, is going to be by your side and advise you throughout your pregnancy weeks.
Get informed about everything that parents need to know such as pregnancy, baby growth, body and psychology changes, doctor examinations and appointments and of course parturition, breastfeeding and baby care.
Our midwife and lactation consultant IBCLC Ms Georgia Leze every week is going to show you a special path to a healthy and happy baby.
Pregnancy Week 31
You may be feeling even more tired now as you approach your due date, and getting some much needed rest can be trickier with your baby taking up all the space. Not long to go now though – maybe you’re already attending the classes to prepare you for the big day.
Your little one may be rocked to sleep by your movement, but the moment you lay down to rest they wake up for a good wriggle!
- you may be finding it harder to get comfortable
- baby’s wriggling might be keeping you awake
- you might be planning on attending antenatal classes
Υou at Pregnancy Week 31
Your bump may now be around 31cm in size and baby will be taking up most of the available space in your tummy, pushing everything else out of their way! This means you might be getting a bit of indigestion, heartburn or breathlessness. Eating two to three hours before you go to bed can help, as well as heartburn medicines – just check first with your midwife or doctor about which ones are safe.
Υour baby at Pregnancy Week 31
Your baby may measure around 41cm long at this stage and weigh around 1.5kg – the same as a coconut.
Their arms, legs and body are in proportion to their head and they will continue to put on weight each week in a bit of a growth spurt.
You've probably noticed your baby has now settled into a regular pattern of movement with rest and play times. They can turn their head from side to side now, too. Their organs are continuing to develop, including the bladder which will now be working and passing water.
In the last month your baby hears extremely well and so you can spend few hours listening to music of your choice and having fun with friends!
Τhings to do in Pregnancy Week 31
Most antenatal classes start around now, about eight to ten weeks before your due date. That gives you plenty of time to discover any questions that you might have, and enough time to get them answered.
They'll give you practical advice about preparing for the birth and on life with a newborn, as well as some suggestions on handling the emotional changes. You'll get to ask questions of experts and meet mums-to-be who are due to give birth at about the same time. Some classes are for pregnant women only and others are open to partners.
This week breastfeeding is probably the central idea of your thoughts. Most mom-to-be worry about how they could prepare their bodies for this. The answer is get information. Training in the art of breastfeeding during pregnancy is the only way to increase your chances of a smooth breastfeeding! Seize every training opportunity and solve all your questions!