Pregnancy Facts - Week 31
Preterm labor
Most moms-to-be deliver at around week 40, but there are some who decide to line jump and give birth before their due date. When birth happens before week 37, it's known as preterm labor. One sign that labor is imminent is periodic contraction every 15 minutes or less. If that sounds like you, give your obstetrician, midwife, witch doctor, or whoever is responsible for delivery a call.
In case you're unsure what to do:
| What's wrong? | What to do |
|---|---|
| Contractions every 15 min or less | Call your doctor |
| Cramp-like pain | Call your doctor |
| Pressure in the pelvic area | Call your doctor |
| Lower back pain | Call your doctor |
| Vaginal discharge | If it's white, it's alright; if it's bloody, watery, or mucusy, call your doctory |
| Your baby's head poking out of your vagina | Call your doctor |
What's happening in week 31 of pregnancy
At around this point of pregnancy, some women may find that their nipples leak.
What's coming out is not breast milk, but colostrum, a thick milky substance that has been in production since about week 15 of pregnancy. It's packed full of nutrients that provides all the sustenance your baby needs at birth.
Save yourself from embarrassment
If wet spots on your shirts aren't particularly fashionable to you, consider nursing pads to tuck into your bra. They're reusable and washable, so no worries about running out. Even if you're lucky enough to not have experienced one yet, it's a good idea to use them in case the first time happens at an inopportune moment.
How big is your baby in week 31 of pregnancy
At week 31 of pregnancy, you baby is approximately 10.8 inches (27.4 centimeters) big in the fetal position and weighs about 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms).
Your baby's development in week 31 of pregnancy
You may find your baby moving with greater frequency at certain times of the day. Unfortunately for you as the mini human's host, these periods of wakefulness won't correspond with your own. It most likely will be in the middle of the night that your baby decides to practice new moves.
Your baby will typically react to loud noises, bright lights and pokes. It may be entertaining to stir your baby with tummy farts just to watch your pregnant belly twitch, but your baby will get back at you later in life by sending you to an old folks home. Probably.
