31st week of pregnancy - a lot or a little? Rather a lot! After 5-9 weeks, your baby will be born. Why is the timing so varied? Many babies are born a couple of weeks earlier than the deadline, while being full-term - their mass is within normal limits, all organs work fully. So it is better to prepare for childbirth in advance. Moms are on maternity leave on the 31st week of pregnancy - there is a lot of free time and there is the opportunity to do things for the baby, prepare the room. The body is also preparing.
Training fights
The uterus grows rapidly and its bottom is about 11 cm above the navel. What happens in the 31st week of pregnancy? Training fights may already begin at this time. Paroxysmal muscle contractions occur suddenly and do not differ in regularity. The main difference between prenatal contractions and training is that the cervix opens. How can one understand whether this happened according to one’s feelings?
During training fights, the tension is often localized in one place - to the right or left, it can be felt in the lower or upper part of the uterus. The stomach protrudes and takes on a more pointed shape. The main thing is that there is no pain during these contractions, although physical discomfort can be observed.
The gaps between these sensations are not equal, the reductions usually occur no more than 6 per hour and they do not tend to become more frequent.
Pregnant body changes
What happens to mom at the 31st week of pregnancy? Women usually gain weight, not only the stomach increases, but also the breast - it is preparing for feeding. At the 31st week of pregnancy, the norm of weight gain will be from 9 to 13 kg. Such numbers should not be scary. Only 3-4 kg of this comes from fat deposits, which are also not a useless load - they protect the pregnant woman’s stomach from cold and injuries. The rest is the sum of the weight of the child, amniotic fluid, placenta, uterus, increased blood volume, mammary glands, additional fluid. Almost half of the weight will go away during childbirth - along with the baby born, water and the placenta will come out. Blood volume and uterus will soon return to normal.
At the 30-31th week of pregnancy, the girth of the abdomen reaches 85-95 cm. The abdomen is usually clearly visible, although it has not yet reached its maximum size. With a multiple pregnancy, the abdomen is very large, and the woman's weight can also exceed the norms established for pregnancy by one fetus.
However, an increase in the load on the spine can cause exacerbation of diseases such as osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia.
The release of the hormone relaxin does wonders with the muscles and ligaments of the pelvis - they become more flexible and stretchable to facilitate the passage of the baby through the birth canal. Because of this, a walk can become a duck. This temporary phenomenon should not confuse the expectant mother. This happens in almost all pregnant women and passes after childbirth.
But many pregnant women are pleased with thick and silky hair - also the result of the activity of hormones.
Colostrum - a salty, thick liquid that may become the first nutrient for the baby, may begin to stand out from the chest.
Feeling pregnant
By this time it is important to understand how childbirth begins in order to be on the alert in case of a risk of premature birth. Babies born at the 31st week of pregnancy survive, but are still considered premature and have many health problems. Therefore, with warning signs, you should immediately consult a doctor. If you do this on time, it may be possible to extend the pregnancy. What should you pay attention to? Pain and heaviness in the lower abdomen or in the lumbar region, thick mucous discharge, which may indicate the passage of the mucous plug and especially the outflow of water. In such cases, doctors determine whether a woman lies to preserve or will have to take birth.
What happens at the 31st week of pregnancy in a woman’s body? Changes in the body, an enlarged uterus and a grown fetus can cause discomfort in a pregnant woman. Firstly, the uterus shifts all the organs of the abdominal cavity up and they can be compressed. Compression of the stomach and esophagus, as well as the influence of hormones can lead to heartburn. The capacity of the stomach decreases, its overflow can cause a feeling of fullness in the stomach, so you need to eat fractionally - in small portions. As a snack between meals, it is better to eat fruits and vegetables.
Another common problem in the 31st week of pregnancy is lower back pain. The woman’s body weight did not just increase evenly, but concentrated in the abdomen. Therefore, the center of gravity of the body shifts forward. Lumbar lordosis - a completely physiological deflection of the spine in the lower back - deepens, and the load on the back muscles increases.
Another cause of discomfort may be active fetal movements. Muscle mass of the baby has increased, and therefore the tremors can be stronger.
Also, pregnant women sometimes experience calf cramps. They are caused by calcium deficiency and excess phosphorus.
A woman may be haunted by drowsiness and lethargy. The reasons for this are low blood pressure and hemoglobin.
Fetal development
What happens to the baby at the 31st week of pregnancy? First of all, he is developing muscle and gaining weight. Its growth is somewhat slowed down. You can see how fragile premature babies look and how much stronger born on time look. After all, the mass of the fetus at 7 months is only 1600-1800 g, and the growth is already approaching that at birth and is 40-42 cm.
The fetus at the 31st week of pregnancy takes on a more rounded shape. The increase in body fat smoothes the folds on the skin of the baby. Cheeks become chubby. In the future, in a newborn, subcutaneous fat will provide thermoregulation.
There is very little primordial lubricant left on the skin of the fetus. She is still present, but her number is declining, by the time of birth she will remain very few. Lanugo - a thin fluff covering the baby's body, will also fall out by the time of birth.
Organ work and development
At the 31st week of pregnancy, brain development is in full swing. The processes of formation of furrows and convolutions, differentiation of the centers of the cortex continue. The fetal brain weighs nearly a quarter of the adult's brain mass.
The senses of the baby are actively working and improving. For example, the sense of smell is included. Therefore, the fetus is not indifferent to the composition of the amniotic fluid. The taste and smell of this liquid depends on the nutrition of the mother. This means that garlic or spicy, odorous spices in a woman’s diet can cause the fetus to become really indignant, which he will express by jerking his legs and the whole body.
The pupils still distinguish only light and darkness. Color vision will come after birth. In response to the bright light directed at the stomach, the baby squints. Stretched abdominal tissues let light in and the uterus cannot be called a completely dark place. Children born at this time often have vision problems, the so-called retinopathy of premature babies. There are several suggestions for this. One of them connects eye problems with too early contact with air, the other with light too bright for an unprepared retina.
Pigment continues to accumulate in the hair and iris of the child. But the iris lags behind the hair in this process, so the color of hair at birth can be different, and the eyes are often light blue at all, and by 6 months they change color.
Internal organs are already formed, they are gaining mass, and some of them come into work. For example, the pancreas secretes insulin, and the liver secretes bile.
The baby's teeth are enameled. Despite the fact that they will not be visible until 6 months, the fetus has the rudiments of not only primary teeth, but also permanent ones. A woman’s nutrition significantly affects their formation.
The motor activity of the baby begins to decline, because it is already cramped in the womb. Usually the fetus acquires the position that it will have during childbirth. In most cases, this is a head presentation - when the baby is located upside down, the head is directed to the exit from the birth canal. But there is also a pelvic presentation, when the fetus is placed head up. This is also not scary and many of these children are born with legs and buttocks forward. But if complications occur during childbirth, you have to resort to a cesarean section.
Nutrition at the 31st week of pregnancy
Pregnant food, as before, should be healthy and varied. Calorie needs to be gradually reduced, because weight gain can go especially intensively. The diet should include all types of products - fresh vegetables, fruits, cereals, meat, dairy products, eggs, fish. It is necessary to avoid fried, smoked. In the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, salt intake should be reduced, in contrast to the beginning of pregnancy, when many people want salt and this is permissible. Now, excess salt can lead to gestosis - late toxicosis, which is much more dangerous than early and can become the reason why a woman is put to preservation. This disease, which lies in wait for some women at the 31-32th week of pregnancy, is characterized by increased pressure, swelling and the appearance of protein in the urine. Hard foods like mushrooms can be difficult to digest. After all, the protein chitin, which is rich in mushrooms, is the material of which the shells of insects consist.
Great care must be taken with spices. Especially dangerous is such a bay leaf, familiar to our taste. Substances in its composition affect the hormonal background. Outside of pregnancy, this action will be beneficial - tonic, increasing mental performance. But during pregnancy, the same can provoke a premature birth.
It is important to use moderately allergenic foods. Some can be abandoned altogether, some are in moderation, not reaching the point of fanaticism.
You need to eat in small portions. And the stomach, pressed by the uterus, will no longer hold, and there will be no excess weight. In addition, there is no need to have dinner too late. This applies not only to the care of the figure. If you eat before bedtime, the food does not have time to leave the stomach before a lying position has been taken. This often leads to heartburn - in a horizontal position, acid with food debris gets into the esophagus more easily and irritates its walls.
It is not always possible to get all the necessary substances with food, which is why doctors often recommend that pregnant women take vitamin D with calcium - it is they who are often deficient and poorly absorbed. But taking vitamins without the recommendation of a doctor is not worth it.
Physical exercise
Most women with decreasing activity decrease. True, a regime change can be used for regular walks in the fresh air. You can supplement them with gymnastics for pregnant women, yoga, Kegel exercises for the pelvic floor, swimming.
Exercises at the 31-32th week of pregnancy may already be aimed at preparing for childbirth, for example, developing proper breathing. To overdo it when doing sports is not necessary. Hazardous activities should be avoided. With severe fatigue, dizziness and the slightest discomfort in the abdomen, exercises should be stopped.
However, a completely passive lifestyle is also not the best option. Not only will this lead to overweight, it also threatens edema and blood pressure disorders. It will be difficult for a woman’s weakened body to cope with childbirth, because childbirth is a huge physical exertion. At the same time, you need to take care of yourself, pregnancy itself is also a burden - both increased body weight and increased work of internal organs to eliminate toxins and supply the child with useful substances.
Sleep
In the 3rd trimester, sleep disturbances in pregnant women are not uncommon. At first, this may be due to the influence of hormones, then the stomach becomes so large that it does not allow you to take a comfortable pose. Already from the 28th week, sleeping on your back is not recommended. A heavy stomach compresses the inferior vena cava. The mother feels dizzy, shortness of breath, lethargy, and the fetus may suffer from a lack of oxygen. Therefore, you need to choose a position on the side. The lack of sleep can be compensated for by daytime sleep, because there is time for this. Evening walks and airing the room can also improve the quality of sleep.
The risks
As already indicated, one of the possible complications may be gestosis. It can go into even more dangerous states - preeclampsia and eclampsia. In such cases, they perform artificial delivery, regardless of the term, in order to save the life of the mother and child.
One of the dangers may be leakage of amniotic fluid. To make sure that everything is in order, you can buy a special test at the pharmacy. A test pad helps determine amniotic fluid. In case of a positive result, you will have to go to the hospital.
Premature birth
If regular contractions occur, you also need to urgently be hospitalized. If childbirth cannot be prevented, do not panic. A born baby at the 31st week of pregnancy is considered premature, but almost all survive, and 85% grow up as healthy people and live a full life. If a child was born at such a time, he can live outside the mother’s body, because all organs have already been formed and started to work. However, they do not work at full strength, so the baby requires medical attention. Such children go through a difficult period of nursing.
Later, they may lag behind others in body weight, growth, and pace of psychophysical development. When assessing the development of such a child, one cannot rely on standards for full-term children. Premature "catch up" peers in a year, two, and in severe cases, three years. However, when studying with a child, it can be achieved that according to the psychophysical development, he will practically fit into all the standards, despite and despite the smaller body size, he will sit down, walk, speak at the right age.