31 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Short Answer: At 31 week pregnancy, your baby is about 41 cm from head to heel, roughly the size of a coconut, and weighs around 1.5 kg. The brain is making connections at a very fast rate, the fine hair is starting to shed, the lungs are still maturing and your baby kicks, rolls and sleeps in clear cycles. The top of your womb is about 10 to 11 cm above your navel. You may have backache, heartburn, swollen feet, breathlessness, leaking urine and trouble sleeping. This week, learn how to tell leaking urine from your waters breaking, read up on breastfeeding and newborn jaundice, keep tracking your baby’s movements, sleep on your side and check that your hospital, transport and blood plan are ready. Call a doctor the same day for any change in your baby’s movements, and for bleeding, severe pain, fever, fluid leaking, regular tightenings or a severe headache with blurred vision.
Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception. Thirty-one weeks pregnant means about twenty-nine weeks since conception. You are in your seventh month, with about 9 weeks to go.
For the week before, read our guide to 30 weeks pregnant, and to follow the whole journey see our pregnancy guidelines week by week.
32 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Week 31 at a glance
| Detail | At 31 weeks |
|---|---|
| Trimester | Third |
| Months | About 7.5 |
| Baby’s length | About 41 cm (16 inches), head to heel |
| Baby’s weight | About 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds) |
| Heart rate | About 120 to 160 beats per minute |
| Weeks to go | About 9 |
| Size comparison | A coconut |
| Height of womb | About 31 cm from the pubic bone |
Sizes differ a little between guides, because they use averages from different groups of babies. Your own scan results and your doctor’s measurements matter more than a chart.
Your baby at 31 weeks
Growth. Your baby gains about 200 grams a week, mostly as fat. The body is plumper, the limbs are rounder and the skin is smoother, though it is still red. The head is now in better proportion with the body. By birth, your baby will weigh roughly twice as much as now.
Brain. The brain is growing fast, with deeper folds and a thick network of connections between nerve cells. Pathways for sight, hearing, touch and movement are strengthening every day. Good food, sleep, avoiding alcohol and tobacco and treating infections quickly all support this.
Senses. The eyes open and close, and the pupils respond to light. Your baby can sense light through your belly and may turn toward a torch. Hearing is well developed, so your baby may jump at a loud noise and calm to your voice. Taste and touch are working.
Lungs. The air sacs keep multiplying, and surfactant is increasing. The lungs are not fully mature until about 36 weeks, and some babies need longer. Your baby practises breathing by moving the chest and breathing in fluid, which you may feel as rhythmic jumps like hiccups.
Skin and hair. The fine hair that covered your baby, called lanugo, starts to shed, and the white coating called vernix is still present. Hair on the head is thickening, and the nails are growing, often to the fingertips.
Kidneys and digestion. The kidneys work well, and your baby passes urine into the amniotic fluid several times an hour. The gut is practising, and meconium, the first stool, is building up in the bowel.
Immune system. Your antibodies pass to your baby through the placenta, mostly in the last weeks. A baby born earlier gets fewer, which is one reason preterm babies are more prone to infection.
Sleep and movement. Your baby sleeps most of the day, in cycles of deep sleep, dream-like sleep and short wakeful periods. Movements are strong, though as space gets tighter, big kicks may give way to rolls, stretches and pushes against your ribs. The total amount of movement should stay about the same.
Position. Many babies are now head down, but many are not yet. About 3 to 4 in 100 are still breech at 36 weeks. Your doctor checks your baby’s position at about 36 weeks.
Chances at birth. Babies born at 31 weeks have a very high chance of survival in hospitals with good newborn intensive care, more than nine in ten, though most need weeks of care. Chances are lower where newborn care is limited. Steroid injections given to the mother before preterm birth help the baby’s lungs, and they work best one to seven days before birth. If you have signs of preterm labour, go to a hospital with a newborn unit early.
Your body at 31 weeks
Womb. The top of your womb is about 10 to 11 cm above your navel, and a tape measure from the pubic bone reads about 31 cm. Your doctor measures this at visits as a quick check of growth. A difference of up to 2 cm either way is normal.
Weight. A person of normal weight usually gains about 0.4 to 0.5 kg a week. By now most people have gained about 9 to 13 kg in total, though it varies. Sudden rapid weight gain, especially with swelling, needs a check for pre-eclampsia.
Blood and heart. Your blood volume is at or near its peak, up to 40 to 50 percent above normal. You may feel warm, sweat more, have a faster pulse and notice veins on your legs and breasts.
Breathing. The womb presses up on the diaphragm, so you may feel breathless on stairs or when lying flat. Sit upright, rest and avoid rushing. Call your doctor if breathlessness is sudden, severe or comes with chest pain, a fast heartbeat or a cough with blood.
Skin and hair. A glow is common, but so are acne, dry skin, dark patches on the face (melasma) and a dark line down the belly (linea nigra). Stretch marks can appear on the belly, breasts, hips and thighs. Genetics matters more than any cream.
Breasts. They are larger and heavier. Colostrum, the thick yellow first milk, may leak. A supportive nursing bra and breast pads help.
Hands, feet and legs. Mild swelling is common, especially in hot weather. Tingling in the hands from carpal tunnel syndrome is common too. Varicose veins and piles can appear or get worse.
Fatigue. Tiredness is common, because of the weight you carry, poor sleep and the load on your heart and lungs. Rest when you can, and ask for help.
Mind. Vivid dreams, forgetfulness and mood swings are common. Many people feel closer to the baby, and also more anxious about the birth and about becoming a parent.
Common symptoms and what helps
| Symptom | Why it happens | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Backache | Growing womb, loosening joints, posture | Flat supportive shoes, good posture, side-sleeping with a pillow, gentle stretches, support belt |
| Pelvic and hip pain | Loosening joints, sleeping position | Pillow between knees, small steps, avoid standing on one leg |
| Braxton Hicks tightenings | Practice contractions | Drink water, rest, change position |
| Leg cramps, mostly at night | Circulation and mineral changes | Calf stretches before bed, drink water, ask about calcium |
| Swollen feet and ankles | Fluid retention | Raise your feet, avoid long standing, drink water |
| Heartburn | Relaxed valve at the top of the stomach | Smaller meals, avoid spicy and oily food, stay upright after eating, raise your head in bed |
| Shortness of breath | Womb presses on the diaphragm | Sit upright, rest, good posture |
| Constipation, piles | Slow gut, iron tablets, pressure | Fibre, water, daily movement, do not strain |
| Trouble sleeping | Belly size, cramps, heartburn, worry | Side-sleeping with pillows, regular bedtime, cool room |
| Restless legs | Low iron, hormones | Gentle stretches, warm bath, ask about hemoglobin |
| Tingling hands | Fluid squeezing a nerve at the wrist | Shake and raise your hands, wrist splint at night |
| Frequent urination, leaking | Baby presses on the bladder | Pelvic floor exercises, empty your bladder often |
| Itchy, stretching belly skin | Skin stretching | Moisturiser, loose cotton clothes |
| Varicose veins | More blood volume, pressure from the womb | Raise your legs, walk daily, avoid long standing, ask about support stockings |
| Increased vaginal discharge | Hormones | Cotton underwear, no douching |
Do not take any medicine, including painkillers and herbal products, without asking a doctor or pharmacist. Paracetamol at the recommended dose is generally considered safe. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin and diclofenac unless your doctor prescribes them.
Leaking urine or waters breaking?
By the third trimester, your baby presses on your bladder, and many people leak a little urine when they cough, sneeze, laugh or lift. It is common, and pelvic floor exercises help. But a leak of amniotic fluid before labour needs care, and the two are easy to mix up.
| Urine | Amniotic fluid | |
|---|---|---|
| Smell | Smells of ammonia | Usually no smell, or a faintly sweet smell |
| Colour | Yellow | Clear or pale straw |
| Flow | Stops when you squeeze your pelvic floor | Keeps trickling, and you cannot stop it |
| Trigger | Cough, sneeze, laugh, lift | Can come at any time, even lying down |
| Amount | A few drops to a spurt | Trickle or a gush |
A simple test at home. Empty your bladder, wipe dry, wear a clean pad and lie down for 30 minutes. If the pad is wet when you get up, it may be fluid. Call your doctor, and do not rely on the test alone if you are in doubt.
If you think your waters have broken:
- Note the time, and the colour and amount of the fluid
- Wear a clean pad, and do not use tampons or put anything in the vagina, and do not have sex
- Call your doctor, and go to hospital straight away, even if you feel no contractions
- Go at once if the fluid is green, brown or bloody, smells bad, or you see or feel the cord, or your baby moves less
- Take your prenatal records, and go to a hospital with a newborn unit if you are before 37 weeks
After the waters break, germs can enter the womb, so infection risk rises with time. At or after 37 weeks, doctors usually advise delivery within a day or so if labour does not start. Before 37 weeks, doctors weigh the risks, and may give steroids and antibiotics.
Mucus plug. A thick, jelly-like or blood-streaked discharge, called a show, can come away in the last weeks and does not always mean labour is starting. Call if it is heavy, bright red or comes with pain or before 37 weeks.
When to call a doctor
| Usually normal | Call a doctor soon |
|---|---|
| Short, sharp pulls in the lower belly | Severe or constant abdominal pain |
| Mild, irregular tightenings that stop with rest | Regular tightenings that come more often and do not stop |
| Your baby’s movements change a little with time of day | A clear drop or change in your baby’s usual movements |
| A few drops of urine when you cough or sneeze | Watery fluid that keeps leaking, or a gush |
| Occasional headache | Severe headache with blurred vision, flashing lights or upper belly pain |
| Itchy stretching belly skin | Intense itching of palms and soles, or yellow skin |
| Tiredness, mood swings | Fainting, chest pain or sudden breathlessness |
| Mild swelling of both feet late in the day | Sudden swelling of the face and hands, or one swollen, painful calf |
| Light, milky discharge | Any bleeding that soaks a pad, or any fresh bleeding |
Bleeding. Any bleeding in the third trimester needs urgent care, even if it is painless. Painless bright red bleeding can be a sign of a low-lying placenta, and bleeding with pain and a hard belly can be a placental abruption. Both are emergencies. Do not examine yourself internally, and go to hospital at once.
Pre-eclampsia. A serious blood pressure condition. Signs include a severe headache that will not go away, blurred vision or flashing lights, sudden swelling of the face and hands, pain under the ribs on the right side, vomiting and rapid weight gain. It needs urgent care.
Preterm labour. Call straight away if you have regular tightenings, more than four in an hour, a steady low backache, pelvic pressure, a change in vaginal discharge, bleeding or fluid leaking before 37 weeks. Lie on your left side and drink water, and go to hospital if the signs continue for an hour, or at once for bleeding or fluid leaking. Call 999 if you need help getting there.
Urinary infection. Burning when you pass urine, urgency, lower belly pain, cloudy or smelly urine, fever, chills or back pain on one side need a doctor the same day. Kidney infections raise the risk of preterm labour.
Fever. In Bangladesh a fever can also mean dengue, so do not treat it at home. See a doctor straight away.
If you feel sad, anxious or hopeless for more than two weeks, tell your doctor. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help right away.
Tests and visits
| Test or step | When | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure and urine check | Every visit | Screens for pre-eclampsia and infection |
| Hemoglobin check | Third trimester, or as advised | Looks for anaemia |
| Anti-D injection | About 28 weeks, if you are Rh negative | Protects future pregnancies |
| Whooping cough vaccine | About 27 to 36 weeks | Protects your newborn |
| Tetanus-diphtheria vaccine | During pregnancy, as your doctor advises | Protects you and your baby |
| Flu vaccine | Any trimester, in flu season | Protects you |
| Growth scan or repeat placenta scan | If advised, often about 32 weeks | Checks your baby’s size, fluid and placenta position |
| Group B strep test | About 35 to 37 weeks, where offered | Checks for a bacterium that can infect newborns |
| Position check | About 36 weeks | Checks whether your baby is head down |
Visits. Many doctors see you every two weeks from 28 to 36 weeks, then weekly. The World Health Organization recommends contacts at about 30, 34, 36, 38 and 40 weeks, with more if there are problems. Keep every appointment, even if you feel well, and bring your prenatal card.
Growth scan at about 32 weeks. If you had a low-lying placenta, a smaller or larger than expected womb, high blood pressure, diabetes, twins or another risk, your doctor may arrange a scan to check your baby’s size, the fluid and the placenta position. A low-lying placenta that has not moved away from the cervix by 32 to 36 weeks usually means a planned C-section. Ask your doctor, and know that it is a medical reason for surgery.
If you have gestational diabetes. Keep checking your blood sugar as advised, eat regular small meals, walk after meals and take medicine as prescribed. Many doctors advise delivery by about 38 to 40 weeks, depending on control. Ask what the plan is for you.
Keep your records. Carry your prenatal card and test results to every visit and to the hospital.
Preparing to breastfeed
The World Health Organization recommends starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth and breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months, with no water, formula, honey or other food. After six months, add safe, nutritious foods and keep breastfeeding for up to two years or more. Breastfeeding protects babies from diarrhoea, pneumonia and other infections, and it helps you recover after birth.
What to expect:
- Colostrum. The first milk is thick, yellow and comes in small amounts, a teaspoon or so at a time. It is rich in antibodies and is all your baby needs in the first days. Your baby’s stomach is tiny, so small, frequent feeds are right.
- Milk coming in. Mature milk usually comes in on days 2 to 5, and your breasts feel full and heavy.
- How often. Newborns feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, day and night, for as long as they want. Feed when your baby shows early signs of hunger, such as stirring, rooting or sucking on hands, and not only when crying.
- Skin-to-skin. Holding your baby naked against your chest, covered with a blanket, helps feeding start and keeps your baby warm. Ask for it straight after birth.
A good latch. A good latch prevents most problems.
- Your baby’s mouth is wide open, with the chin touching your breast
- More of the darker skin (areola) shows above the top lip than below the bottom lip
- The lips are turned out like a fish
- You feel a strong pull, but not sharp pain after the first few seconds
- You hear or see deep sucks and swallows
- Your baby’s whole body faces you, with the head and body in a line, and your baby is held close
Signs your baby is getting enough:
- From about day 5 or 6, at least 6 wet nappies in 24 hours
- Soft, yellow stools by about day 5
- Your baby seems content after most feeds, and wakes to feed
- Your baby regains birth weight by about two weeks. Most babies lose up to 7 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first days.
Common problems and what to do:
| Problem | What helps |
|---|---|
| Sore or cracked nipples | Check the latch, which is the usual cause. Ask a nurse or midwife to watch a feed. Rub a drop of your own milk on the nipple. Avoid soap and creams unless advised |
| Engorgement, hard painful breasts | Feed often, use a warm compress before feeds, hand-express a little milk to soften the nipple, use a cool compress after |
| Blocked duct, a tender lump | Keep feeding from that side, gentle massage toward the nipple, warm compress, rest |
| Mastitis, red, hot, painful area with fever or flu-like symptoms | See a doctor the same day. Keep feeding or expressing, because it is safe for your baby. You may need antibiotics |
| Feeling you do not have enough milk | Feed more often, check the latch and watch the wet nappies. Most mothers make enough |
Things to avoid:
- Do not give your newborn honey, sugar water, plain water, animal milk, formula or other food before your milk is established. Honey is unsafe for babies under one year, because it can cause infant botulism.
- Do not use bottles with a newborn unless advised, because a bottle teat can confuse the sucking
- Do not let anyone discard your colostrum, which is valuable
If you cannot breastfeed, or your doctor advises formula for a medical reason, ask for help to feed safely, with clean water and exact measuring. Every drop of breastmilk helps, even for a short time.
Before the birth:
- Join an antenatal breastfeeding class, or ask the hospital
- Choose a hospital that supports skin-to-skin contact and rooming-in, where baby stays with you
- Buy two nursing bras and breast pads
- Do not squeeze or stimulate your nipples to “prepare” them, and do not express colostrum before 36 weeks unless your doctor advises, because strong stimulation can trigger contractions
- Tell your partner and family, so they can support you and not push formula or water
Newborn jaundice and early checks
Jaundice makes a baby’s skin and the whites of the eyes look yellow. It affects about 6 in 10 healthy term babies in the first week, and more preterm babies. It happens because newborns have extra red blood cells that break down and release a yellow pigment called bilirubin, and the liver is not yet efficient at clearing it. It usually appears on day 2 or 3, peaks around day 3 to 5 and fades by two weeks.
Usually harmless:
- Yellow starts after the first 24 hours
- Your baby feeds well, wakes for feeds and has normal wet and dirty nappies
- The yellow is mainly on the face and chest
Go to a doctor or hospital the same day if:
- Yellow appears in the first 24 hours of life
- The yellow spreads to the belly, legs, palms or soles
- Your baby is very sleepy, hard to wake, feeds poorly or cries in a high-pitched way
- Stools are pale or white, or urine is dark
- Jaundice lasts more than two weeks in a term baby
- Your baby was born early, or has a different blood group from you, such as you being O or Rh negative
Very high bilirubin can harm the brain, but treatment works if given in time. Treatment is usually phototherapy, which means placing the baby under special blue light. Do not rely on sunlight, which is not a safe or reliable treatment, and do not give water, herbal remedies or other drinks. Frequent breastfeeding helps clear bilirubin.
Other early checks to ask about:
- A full examination and weighing by a doctor or nurse within the first day
- BCG vaccine and the first doses on the Expanded Programme on Immunization schedule
- Vitamin K, which is given in many hospitals to prevent bleeding
- A hearing check, where available, and a check of the hips
- Home or clinic visits at about day 3, day 7 and day 28, and a postnatal check for you at about six weeks
Danger signs in a newborn that need hospital care at once: fever or very low temperature, poor feeding, fast or difficult breathing, fits, a very sleepy or floppy baby, yellow skin in the first day, a red or pus-filled cord and not passing urine or stool.
Food and supplements
Iron. Keep taking iron-folic acid tablets as prescribed. Take iron away from tea, coffee and milk, and with something sour such as lemon. Dark stools are normal on iron.
Calcium. Take calcium as prescribed, at a different time from iron.
Iodine. Use iodised salt in your cooking. Iodine supports your baby’s brain development.
Eat more of:
- Protein: eggs, well-cooked fish, chicken, lentils (dal), beans and milk
- Iron-rich foods: leafy greens (shak), lean meat and lentils, with lemon or guava for vitamin C
- Calcium-rich foods: milk, yogurt, and small fish such as mola eaten with the bones
- Fruit and vegetables: a variety of colours every day
- Whole grains and fibre: brown rice, whole wheat roti and oats
- Healthy fats: well-cooked oily fish, nuts and seeds
- Water: about 8 to 10 glasses across the day, more in hot weather
Calories. Your needs rise by about 450 calories a day in the third trimester, such as a glass of milk, a boiled egg, a banana and a handful of nuts. You do not need to eat for two.
Limit: caffeine to about 200 mg a day, which is one or two cups of tea or a single small coffee. Limit sweets, sugary drinks, juice and fried snacks. Large portions of white rice and bread push blood sugar up, so pair carbohydrates with protein and vegetables.
Avoid: alcohol, all tobacco (including zarda and jorda), raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, unpasteurized milk and cheese, unwashed produce, large predatory fish such as shark and swordfish, high-dose vitamin A supplements and herbal tonics your doctor has not approved.
Smaller, more frequent meals help with heartburn and breathlessness as your belly grows. Eat slowly, and avoid lying down for an hour after eating.
Weight gain. Total gain over the whole pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy, and Asian-specific BMI ranges may apply, so ask your doctor.
| Weight before pregnancy | Recommended total gain |
|---|---|
| Underweight | 12.5 to 18 kg |
| Normal weight | 11.5 to 16 kg |
| Overweight | 7 to 11.5 kg |
| Obese | 5 to 9 kg |
Exercise, sleep and posture
Exercise. The standard advice for healthy pregnancies is about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days. Walking after meals helps blood sugar. Swimming, prenatal yoga, stationary cycling and pelvic floor exercises are good choices. You should be able to talk while you exercise. Avoid hot yoga, lying flat on your back during exercise, contact sports, heavy lifting and anything with a risk of falls. Stop and call your doctor if you have pain, bleeding, dizziness, trouble breathing, regular tightenings or fluid leaking.
Pelvic floor. Squeeze and lift the muscles you use to stop urine flow, hold for a few seconds and release. Do 10 repetitions a few times a day. Breathe normally, and do not tighten your buttocks or hold your breath. Strong pelvic floor muscles help with bladder control and with healing after birth. If you leak often, tell your doctor, because a physiotherapist can help.
Sleep. Sleep on your side, either side, with a pillow between your knees and another under your belly. Sleeping on your back in the third trimester is linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side. Do the same for naps. A long body pillow helps. Keep a regular bedtime and avoid screens at night. Hot, humid nights and power cuts can disturb sleep, so use a fan, wear loose cotton clothes and keep water by your bed.
Posture. As your belly grows, your centre of gravity shifts forward. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, avoid high heels and use a chair that supports your lower back. Lift by bending your knees. A support belt can ease back pain, so ask your doctor.
Movement tracking. Keep tracking your baby’s movements. Learn the usual pattern, and if you want a method, count distinct movements until you reach ten, which usually takes under two hours. If you notice a clear drop or change, call your doctor the same day, and do not wait until the next day or rely on a home Doppler.
Your mood and your relationship
The weeks before birth bring excitement and worry in equal measure. You may feel impatient, emotional, tired of being pregnant and nervous about labour and the first weeks. Many people feel a loss of control and fear pain. Others feel closer to their baby than ever. All of this is normal.
What helps:
- Talk about your fears with your partner, a friend or your doctor
- Learn about labour, breastfeeding and newborn care, since knowledge reduces fear
- Keep a routine, with daylight, a short walk and regular meals
- Rest, and let go of tasks that are not essential
- Limit frightening stories and social media if they make you anxious
- Plan help for after the birth
Your partner. Partners may feel anxious, left out or low as well. Talk openly about what you each need. Come to visits and classes together, and let your partner feel the kicks. Share chores, and agree on who does what in the first weeks. Sex is safe for most healthy pregnancies unless your doctor advises otherwise. Avoid it if you have bleeding, fluid leaking, a low-lying placenta or a history of preterm labour. Closeness does not have to mean sex.
When to get help. Feeling sad, hopeless, empty or very anxious for two weeks or more, losing interest in things or having thoughts of harming yourself needs attention. Depression and anxiety in pregnancy are common and treatable, and they raise the risk of postnatal depression if untreated. Tell your doctor, and do not wait. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, go to the nearest hospital or call 999.
If you feel unsafe at home, tell your doctor or a trusted person. In Bangladesh you can call the national helpline 109 for support with violence against women and children. It is free.
Work, leave and money
- Notice. Give your employer written notice of your pregnancy and your expected delivery date, if you have not already.
- Maternity leave. Under Bangladesh’s labour law, working mothers in the private sector are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, eight weeks before and eight weeks after the birth. Government employees receive six months. Leave before the birth can start about eight weeks before your due date, which is around week 32, so talk to your employer now. Check your own contract and your employer’s policy.
- Work. Most people can keep working. Take breaks to sit, eat and drink, avoid heavy lifting and long standing and tell your doctor about night shifts or hazards. Stop work and call your doctor if you have regular tightenings, bleeding, fluid leaking or severe headaches.
- Money. Budget for delivery, newborn care, a possible hospital stay and emergencies. Ask the hospital for a written estimate that includes tests, delivery and complications.
- Hospital and emergency plan. Choose a hospital with a qualified doctor, a way to handle emergencies, a blood supply and a newborn care unit. Know your blood group, arrange transport and blood donors, keep money and documents ready and agree with your family to go to hospital at once if there is a danger sign. The national emergency number is 999.
- Hospital bag. Pack by about 36 weeks, or earlier if you have a higher-risk pregnancy. Include your prenatal card and test results, ID, loose cotton clothes, sanitary pads, a nursing bra, baby clothes, wraps, nappies, a phone charger and cash.
- Birth registration. Register your baby’s birth with the local authority after the birth. It is free within 45 days.
- Help at home. Arrange relatives or friends to cook, clean and look after other children in the first weeks.
Checklist for this week
- Keep your visit this week, and check your blood pressure, weight, womb size and hemoglobin
- Take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times, and use iodised salt
- Check your blood group, and get anti-D if you are Rh negative
- Ask about the whooping cough, tetanus-diphtheria and flu vaccines
- Keep tracking your baby’s movements, and call the same day if the pattern changes
- Sleep on your side every night, including naps
- Learn how to tell leaking urine from your waters breaking
- Learn the danger signs: bleeding, severe headache, preterm labour signs and fever
- Read about breastfeeding, and book an antenatal class
- Learn the signs of newborn jaundice and newborn danger signs
- Review your emergency plan: hospital, transport, blood donors, money and who decides
- Talk to your employer about leave starting around week 32
- Tell someone if you feel low or anxious
- Save your doctor’s number and the nearest hospital’s emergency number
FAQ
How big is the baby at 31 weeks?
About 41 cm from head to heel and 1.5 kg, roughly the size of a coconut. Sizes vary a little between guides and between babies.
Can a baby survive if born at 31 weeks?
Most babies born at 31 weeks survive in hospitals with good newborn intensive care, though they need weeks of care. Chances are lower where newborn care is limited. Go to hospital early if you have signs of preterm labour.
How can I tell if my waters have broken?
Amniotic fluid keeps trickling or comes in a gush, has little smell and does not stop when you squeeze your pelvic floor. Urine smells of ammonia and stops with a squeeze. If in doubt, wear a pad and lie down for 30 minutes, then call your doctor. Go to hospital at once if you think your waters have broken.
Is it normal to leak urine in pregnancy?
Yes. A few drops when you cough, sneeze or laugh are common. Pelvic floor exercises help. A constant leak, or any burning or fever, needs a doctor.
How do I know if my baby is getting enough breastmilk?
From about day 5 or 6, your baby has at least 6 wet nappies in 24 hours, soft yellow stools and seems content after feeds, and regains birth weight by about two weeks.
Is newborn jaundice dangerous?
Most jaundice is harmless and fades in two weeks. Yellow skin in the first 24 hours, deep yellow on the belly or legs, poor feeding, a very sleepy baby or pale stools needs a doctor at once.
Can I give my newborn honey or water?
No. Give only breastmilk for the first six months. Honey is unsafe under one year, and water is not needed.
When should I start leave?
Leave before the birth can start about eight weeks before your due date, which is around week 32. Talk to your employer and check your contract.
Is it safe to exercise at 31 weeks?
Yes for most healthy pregnancies. Walking, swimming, gentle yoga and pelvic floor exercises are good. Avoid contact sports, heavy lifting, hot yoga and lying flat on your back during exercise.
Note: This article gives general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife. Every pregnancy is different. Call your doctor or go to a hospital if you have bleeding, severe pain, fever, fainting, fluid leaking, a change in your baby’s movements or any symptom that worries you.
