This is the week of fast weight gain for both the new mom to be and the baby. The baby’s are mature by now and the baby can open and close their eyes by themselves at this week in pregnancy. You will see that your appetite will increase more and more in these last weeks. The baby is looking for more nutrients. At this stage of pregnancy you may hear people tell you that you have the pregnancy glow. Now is the time, right before childbirth that you try pampering yourself with scented bath oils or gentle massages, pedicures and manicures.

There are some women who let the weight gain affect them. But don’t let it. Pregnancy is a special and exciting time in a woman’s life. You can always lose the weight but you may not always be able to have a baby. If your doctor is not worried about it then you shouldn’t be either. If you have not made a choice either way about bottle-feeding or breast-feeding, it has been noted that women who breast-feed lose weight faster than those women who bottle-feed. Plus, they say breast-feeding is also good for the baby.

Baby’s Development

At week thirty-one, the baby is starting to pick up gaining weight gain. The baby should be about 3-1/2 pounds to 4 pounds by now and about 15 inches in length. The baby will continue to develop a layer of fat and as the pregnancy winds down the baby will start gaining about ½ a pound per week. The baby’s lungs developed and they are able to inflate and deflate by breathing. The lungs will produce surfactant; this will stop the baby lungs from collapsing right after birth.

The baby’s hearing is now 100% completed and can hear sounds and voices clearly inside the womb. The skin is pink at this stage of pregnancy and won’t change too much in color before they are born. The baby’s bones are hardening nicely and they will still need all of the calcium they can get before they are born. The baby is still receiving their nutrients and they will require more and more as the pregnancy winds down.

The baby can now urinate, the y actually urinate about half a liter every day. The baby continues to swallow amniotic fluid that gets replaced a few times every day. The doctor will have the amniotic fluid measures to see if there are any problems that they should be aware of. If there is too much amniotic fluid it could mean that the baby may not be swallowing properly and less fluid could mean that there may be a problem with the baby’s kidneys.

Changes With Your Body

Your weight gain should be estimated at 21 and 27 pounds. It is entirely possible that you have gained more weight. The weight gain includes the baby’s weight, placenta, fat, water, the uterus and the amniotic fluid. The ligaments and muscles and supporting the back are becoming relaxed and loose to prepare for childbirth. By now, you will notice a change in your breast size and they are preparing for lactation, so make sure that you have a supportive bra. You may notice that there is a creamy white discharge, this is called colostrums. This will last a few days or a week after the baby is born.

Some new moms to be will experience Braxton Hicks Contractions. Some women feel these contractions back in the second trimester. Don’t worry these are normal and they cannot affect the birth of the baby. Some women experience hemorrhoids are very common at this stage of pregnancy because of the pressure that baby puts on the rectum causing constipation.

Try to avoid standing in one spot for a long period of time. The hemorrhoids will disappear after the baby is born. Try to stay hydrated during the pregnancy, if you can avoid constipation you can avoid hemorrhoids. Try taking a warm bath with baking soda; this will help alleviate the itchiness. Use Tucks pad or lotion to help with the swelling and sometimes bleeding.

What To Expect

At this week of pregnancy, the baby will soon start taking all of the nutrients from the food that you are giving. Try to keep eating healthy until the end of the pregnancy. If you have not given up smoking, it is not too late. The ultimate idea is to quit right away. But you don’t want to continue smoking after the baby is born. You will need to start resting more and more. You may have trouble getting to sleep because you have gained weight and it is becoming increasingly hard to find a comfortable position to rest in.

You will continue to experience frequent urination until the baby is born. Normally, this wouldn’t be difficult but if you have trouble getting a comfortable nights sleep then the constant getting up and down will cause more stress. Try sleeping on your left side with pillows between your knees; you will take off a lot of stress from your body this way. Try to stay away from sleeping on your back; it is not good for the circulation.

You should be attending every doctor’s appointment and if you are considered to be a high-risk pregnancy, you will be going to the doctors and having sonograms every week. This will help the doctors apprised of the baby’s condition. It is very important at this stage of the pregnancy that the doctors continue to monitor the baby.

Tips/Advice

This is the week total to your boss and your doctor and see what they determine would be a good time for you to take maternity leave. Cut back on hours if you are not feeling physically up to it. Try to get some help at home, doing cooking and cleaning. If you have other children, you may need some help taking care of them as well.