Pregnancy Week 31: Get Ready for Labor and Delivery!
At 31 weeks pregnant, you have less than ten weeks to go before your baby will be born. Although your due date is around 40 weeks, your baby may be born anytime between 37 and 42 weeks and be considered full-term and healthy. In fact, did you know that only 5 percent of babies are born on their actual due date? That is some food for thought as you start to mentally and emotionally prepare for your labor and delivery.
If you haven't already, you should sign up for a prenatal or childbirth class. Though it may be too late at pregnancy week 31 for certain natural childbirth classes (such as Lamaze or Bradley), which require a longer time commitment, your hospital or birthing location may offer childbirth preparation classes with shorter time requirements.
Childbirth classes at 31 weeks pregnant will give you a general overview of what to expect during your labor and delivery, including your options for pain relief versus more natural methods, vaginal birth versus cesarean section, and related subjects. In addition to offering you valuable information, these classes will alleviate many of the fears that you may have about giving birth. Plus, childbirth and prenatal classes in the third trimester offer a wonderful way for you to make friends with other pregnant couples.
In addition to taking childbirth classes during pregnancy week 31, remember that the best that you can do for your baby is to continue to live a healthy lifestyle and eat a balanced diet.
At 31 weeks pregnant, your baby has already established a regular sleep-wake pattern. When your little one is awake, you and your partner can have fun guessing the bumps that stick out of your belly as your baby moves around. Is it an arm or a leg? Maybe it's the top of your baby's head?
Although your doctors can usually instantly tell what body part is protruding from your belly at pregnancy week 31, you may have a harder time. But this is still a fun game to play as you wait for your baby's arrival!
You can even rub your belly, and sometimes your baby will respond by moving his or her position. However, keep in mind that in the third trimester, as your baby grows larger, his or her sudden movements make can feel a little uncomfortable. (Space is running out in your womb!)
You are bigger than ever at this stage of your pregnancy week by week. Your pregnancy weight gain at 31 weeks pregnant can be anywhere from 20 to 25 pounds! You won't stop growing anytime soon - expect to add at least 5 more pounds before your baby is born.
Along with your growing belly at pregnancy week 31, you may have noticed that your belly button sticks out more than it did before. This a normal pregnancy change, caused by the pressure of your expanding uterus pressing against your belly. Some women find their protruding belly unattractive, so they try to hide it. You, on the other hand, may celebrate this pregnancy change.
If you don't like how your navel looks at 31 weeks pregnant, just remember that your belly button will go back to its pre-pregnancy appearance a few months after your baby is born.
With your baby's due date approaching in just a few weeks, you may notice that your breasts are undergoing dramatic changes as they prepare for breastfeeding. At 31 weeks pregnant, your breasts may feel fuller, heavier than before. The areas around your nipples (called the areolas) are much darker than they were before you got pregnant. You may even feel lumps or bumps in your breast as your first milk (called colostrum) starts to be produced. All of these are normal changes in the third trimester.
If you are concerned about any of these changes at pregnancy week 31, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.
Fetal Development at 31 Weeks Pregnant
At 31 weeks pregnant, your baby is almost fully formed. He or she weighs almost 3.3 pounds at this week of your pregnancy week by week, and he or she may be as long as 16 inches! In the next few weeks, your baby continues to gain weight very rapidly.
Many babies at pregnancy week 31 will have turned into the head down position for birth. This is the best position for delivery. However, around 25 percent of babies are still in the breech position (with the head up and the legs or buttocks at the bottom). Fortunately, a majority of these babies will turn before you deliver.
By 31 weeks pregnant, your baby has an established cycle of sleeping and waking. Your baby alternates between periods of quiet rest, REM sleep (the dreaming stage of sleep), being awake with activity but no eye movement, and being awake with lots of activity and eye movements. Now that your baby's wake-sleep cycle is established, his or her actions are also more coordinated at pregnancy week 31.
Your baby's umbilical cord now contains "cord blood," which is rich in stem cells. After your baby is born, you have the option of donating this cord blood to research or storing them in a private facility, in the event that a family member gets sick and may be able to use them. (Stem cells are found to be effective in treating over 70 diseases, including cancers, heart disease, juvenile diabetes, brain injury, and more). If you are thinking about cord blood banking at 31 weeks pregnant, you should start doing research into the costs and benefits. Cord blood banking can be expensive and it may not be an option in your financial situation.
At pregnancy week 31, your baby's arms and legs are still thin, though fat is being laid down underneath the skin. Your little one's skin is still covered with fine lanugo hair and vernix, but most of this will be shed in the final weeks of your pregnancy.
Focus on Twin Pregnancy at 31 Weeks Pregnant
If you are pregnant with twins at 31 weeks pregnant, you probably can't wait until your babies are born. You are absolutely huge at this point in your pregnancy week by week, and your pregnancy weight gain may be anywhere between 27 and 30 pounds! All that extra weight in the third trimester also means a double dose of those annoying pregnancy discomforts, including back pain, fatigue, and heartburn!
If you are pregnant with twins at 31 weeks pregnant, you probably can't wait until your babies are born. You are absolutely huge at this point in your pregnancy week by week, and your pregnancy weight gain may be anywhere between 27 and 30 pounds! All that extra weight in the third trimester also means a double dose of those annoying pregnancy discomforts, including back pain, fatigue, and heartburn!
Warning signs of pre-term labor include:
A low, dull backache
Cramps that feel like menstrual cramps
Abdominal cramps that come with or without diarrhea
Pelvic pressure
Contractions that occur every 10 minutes or more frequently
Excessive fatigue
Although pre-term delivery does come with certain health concerns for your babies, your twins have a high survival rate at 31 weeks, due to the latest advancements in neonatal intensive care.
In addition to pre-term labor, having a twin pregnancy can put you at risk for complications during the labor and delivery process. You have a higher risk of delivering via cesarean section, if your babies are in lying in a non-optimal birthing position.
You may be able to deliver vaginally if both twins are in the head-down position. However, in some cases, one baby may be in a head-down position and other twin is in a transverse (lying sideways) or breech (feet or buttocks down and head upward) position. These positions can make it difficult for a vaginal birth.
At 31 weeks pregnant, you cannot control what birthing position your babies make, so you may not have a choice in whether you deliver vaginally or with a c-section. However, you want the best outcome for your babies, so try to relax and take it easy in the next few weeks. Take naps during the day and continue to eat a healthy and balanced diet.
