Week 31: Your baby is now as big as a bunch of leeks!
Less than ten weeks to go for D-Day now! You’ve braved it through 30 weeks of pregnancy already now, and the remaining ones will pass by just as fast. At the 31st week of pregnancy, you are probably comfortable with all the changes your body is going through by now. However, we know moms, the excitement regarding your baby’s growth inside you does not die down till you hold them in your arms. Here’s a fun fact about your baby’s development: this week, your baby is as big as a bunch of leeks!
Do you want to know the "Estimated date of when your baby is due?" Check out Cloudnine'sPregnancy Due Date Calculator now!
To Book an appointment with Dr. Nitika Sobti for Gynecology concerns
What’s new with your baby this week
Your baby has been busy doing a lot of growing up this week. In fact, they are now 41 cm in length and weigh approximately 1.5 kg. They are as big as a bunch of leeks. Take a look at what your baby has been up to on the 31st week.
Brain developmentis rapid in your baby right now; synapses are developing and creating a network in their brain at a rapid pace.
Your baby now takes longer naps, especially REM sleep. If you want to wake up your baby, the trick to o=do so is eating or drinking something sugary.
You would be surprised to know that your baby’s brain can already process information received by picking up signals from all the five senses.
Wonder what your baby is up to all day? They’re quite busy making faces, hiccupping, practicing breathing, and sucking their thumbs.
Your little athlete can now pedal with their hands and legs along your uterine wall.
Your baby is now beginning to look more and more like they will at birth.
Your baby’s brain and taste buds are now mature and developed enough to be able to taste the flavors in the amniotic fluid they swallow. In fact, the flavors they taste in the amniotic fluid may go on to shape their food preferences after birth.
Lanugo continues to fall out this week, along with the fat accumulating under the skin, smoothening out the wrinkly texture of the skin. This leads to the skin appearing smoother than before.
Your baby can now understand and perceive some of the light that diffuses and makes its way into the uterus.
If born at this stage, your baby will have an impressive 99% chance of survivaloutside the womb. They are, however, still premature.
Things to expect at the ultrasound this week
You can expect to see your baby’s eyes opening and shutting. You can even spot eyelashes and eyebrows if you look hard enough
You will be able to notice prominent and frequent movements by your baby, like sucking of the thumb, kicking, among others.
Don’t worry when you see your baby hiccupping frequently; this is not uncomfortable for them.
You can get an idea of what your baby will look like at birth, as they almost resemble their final form now.
By now you probably know the gender of your baby anyway. In the ultrasound this week, you can see that their genitals are quite well developed at this stage.
What to do this week
You will experience fluids leaking from your breasts this week. To avoid staining your clothes, you may want to invest in nursing breast pads.
One of the marking factors of week 31 is that you will begin to experience Braxton-Hicks contractions; you can make use of these opportunities to practice labor breathing.
Now might be a good time to start discussing the feeding options that you feel will be a comfortable choice for your baby with your partner.
Indulge in some physical activity this week, because you will be prone to feeling lethargic at this stage.
Make sure to indulge in some prenatal yoga classes to help combat the back pain that becomes very prominent at this stage of pregnancy.
In the third week of the third and final trimester of your pregnancy, you are at a very advanced stage of pregnancy. Now, not only should you focus on your internal health for pregnancy, but also your life as a parent after childbirth. Consult your friends and family who have already experienced childbirth. For medical issues, do not hesitate to consult your doctor on Cloudnine, who is always here to help you. Consider all your options and discuss them with your partner, because the remaining nine weeks will pass in the blink of an eye!
Want to consult the best gynecologists in India? Please find the links below.
