Welcome to Week 31 of Your Pregnancy!
Your Baby in Week 31 of Pregnancy
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The bones are beginning to store iron and phosphorous for future bone growth too by week 31 of pregnancy. The iron and phosphorous also make them strong and durable for activities like football, ballet lessons, basketball, soccer and gymnastics. Those bones will do all kinds of work – from providing the frame of the body to taking the bumps and bruises to making the blood cells. Iron is needed to help the bone and bone marrow produce healthy red blood cells.
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Your baby is growing billions of brain cells in week 31 of pregnancy. The brain cells are connecting to one another to finish their reactions to outside stimuli, sensory images and even pain. The brain cells also control all the systems in the body, muscles, movement and everything you can imagine. They will continue to develop millions and billions of cells every week until they are born. Foods rich in protein fuel brain cell production.
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Your baby can move with the beat right now in week 31 of pregnancy! Since they can hear sound, they can begin to understand rhythm and beat. If you could watch them inside, you might be surprised at their reaction to music. Now, they won’t be doing the Charleston or break dancing, but they could move an arm or leg in tune…a slow tune anyway.
Dancing to the hard and fast beats of dance and disco music are still a few years out yet. But if you love those types of music, you can start getting them used to it by playing it over headphones on your tummy now. They may surprise you by how fast they pick up an affection for music!
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The sexual organs are becoming visually prominent on your baby by week 31 of pregnancy and are often visible via a 3D or 4D ultrasound if the baby cooperates. The baby may not be in a good position to view this area, but they’re there!
Your Body in Week 31 of Pregnancy
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Are you feeling big yet in week 31 of pregnancy? Is that a stupid question? This week, your uterus is about four or five inches above your belly button if you are having a single delivery. With twins or more, it will be slightly higher. Each week, your belly button will stick out a little further and your uterus will grow taller.
With your stomach sticking out, your feet swelling, and your other body parts growing, the feeling of being large may depress you. Don’t sweat it! You’re pregnant! Try renting a comedy movie if you need some extra cheering up or find a good book to read. Enjoy your pregnancy, no matter how big you may feel.
Fact: Your doctor will measure where your uterus is each week, and once the measurement stops increasing, or even decreasing, it is another indication the baby has dropped.
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Gets lots of calcium this week! Your baby’s bones are hardening, and storing even more calcium than they were last week. The calcium stores will be used to keep the bones strong all throughout your baby’s life. When your baby is born, they will have 350 bones. After they are born, many of those bones will fuse together and become even harder.
Tip: Calcium is also important for your bones. You can always add calcium to your bones, no matter what your age. Adequate calcium intake will help prevent osteoporosis later in life.
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Have you been feeling discomfort when you walk in week 31 of pregnancy? Your baby may be resting on your sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs down along your spine, through the pelvic region and through each leg, before it splits into three areas. The baby can sit or put added pressure on this nerve with their head.
When your baby’s head is turned down, they have a greater chance to press on your sciatic nerve because of their position and their weight. The result is numbness in a leg, foot or possibly discomfort throughout your entire leg. To fight this, rest with your feet up until your baby changes positions. Once they do, your nerve may not be pressed on and you should be symptom free!
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Are you a typical pregnant woman who waddles now? Never fear, this phenomenon will go away soon. Your body waddles because the hormones have made your pelvic region and hips spread in preparation for delivery. Since you are wider than you are used to being, you waddle to compensate when you walk.
Once you just begin to accommodate your body’s changes, it will be time for delivery! After you deliver, once the excess hormones are out of your system, your hips will close in slightly and the joints won’t be as limber. They will be firmer in their places and not flexible again unless you have another pregnancy. The waddle will be gone before you know it.
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Now that you have reached week 31 of pregnancy, make a list of projects that you need to have finished around the house. You will be extremely busy, and probably tired, for at least a few weeks after the birth of your baby. If there are outstanding projects that need to be done, they are best to get done before your birth. After you bring your baby home, you will need a few weeks to get used to each other, settle in to a schedule and get some sleep! There won’t be much time for anything else, so get any major tasks done ahead if possible.
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