Time passed quickly, and it’s time for a young mother to go on maternity leave. Her interesting position is obvious to others. The stomach is already visible to the naked eye and under any clothes. How many months is 31-32 weeks pregnant? Based on obstetric calculations, this is seven and a half months of pregnancy. Normal pregnancy resolution occurs at 38-42 weeks, that is, you have a maximum of 10 weeks left. Hurry up to enjoy this state, because the little legs that are actively kicking you today will start running on their own very soon, and mom will remain nostalgia for these exciting, but such wonderful moments.
Estimated Delivery Date
Since now is already 31-32 weeks of pregnancy, every woman is interested in when to wait for the birth of her crumbs. The kid has already become quite heavy and every mom wants to quickly get rid of the burden. But do not rush, your child is already a fully formed organism, however, it is still very useful for him to stay in the mother’s bosom, to build up subcutaneous fat and to get stronger. Although if the pregnancy proceeded with the threat of miscarriage, now you can breathe a sigh of relief. A baby born on any subsequent day will be completely viable. However, 31-32 weeks of gestation is only the beginning of the third trimester. To calculate the day of birth, obstetricians use special tables, and, of course, take into account the day of the last menstruation. In this case, you must make a discount on the duration of the cycle, which is individual. If you have it up to 30 days, then most likely the baby will be born on time or a little earlier. If the cycle is more than 30 days, then it is likely that the child will appear a little later.
The physical development of your baby
Today, he is actively growing and gaining weight, the accumulation of subcutaneous fat - this is the main task that a baby faces when it is 31-32 weeks pregnant. Now his weight is still not very large, about 1.4 - 1.6 kg. Its growth reaches 30-45 cm, that is, the crumb is already large enough for your abdomen and each of its movements is very noticeable. Now, before the onset of labor, he needs to grow another 5-15 cm and gain one and a half kilograms of weight, and all this in less than two months. At this time, the doctor conducting the pregnancy will definitely send you to an ultrasound scan to determine if 31-32 weeks of pregnancy are really on now. The weight of the fetus is also determined by the results of this examination. Too small, as well as too large, is an alarming symptom that should be analyzed by doctors. The reasons may be poor blood supply to the placenta or a violation of the diet by the mother, as well as various pathologies of intrauterine development.
Mental development
Today, no one is surprised by the fact that the baby in the womb begins to know the world. This is true, especially for the third trimester, when all the senses are fully formed. The end of their formation is precisely 31-32 weeks of pregnancy. The weight of the fetus is now increasing every day, in proportion to which the brain develops. With amazing speed, connections are formed between nerve cells, while the brain is already able to analyze the incoming information, although there is not so much of it in the child’s living space. However, the crumb from his refuge monitors everything that happens in the outside world. He successfully processes information signals from all five senses.
Sensory Channel Development
Let's look a little deeper into the baby’s world to understand how significant the 31-32 week of pregnancy is, what happens at this time. So, the child is rapidly developing all the senses. This is due to the survival instinct. It reacts especially strongly to light. If you direct a light source on your stomach, the baby will squint and turn away. The second source of information is sounds. He already distinguishes voices well, knows how to distinguish his mother’s voice, calms down at the sounds of classical music, and, on the contrary, becomes excited when he hears a peppy, rhythmic melody. When it is 31-32 weeks pregnant, the movements become very noticeable, but do not cause much discomfort to the mother, therefore this period is considered the most favorable for playing with your unborn baby.
Good time
Mother and child games, and even better if dad and older children connect to this, is a great way to unite the family and make it clear to the baby that they love and wait for him. The simplest games are stroking and patting on the stomach, in response to which the baby also starts pushing from the inside. Some mothers try at these moments to measure the booties on the leg, which protrudes from the abdomen. You can go even further and play the soldiers who will march across the stomach. A drawing of the future baby on the mother’s belly, made with the help of fingers and paints by the rest of the family, will also be a wonderful pastime. Such games guarantee a lot of new impressions for the future baby and a good mood for everyone else, which is of considerable importance.
What is your child doing now
How do you think he spends his leisure time? Now it is big enough, it can stay awake long enough. This is well noticed by all women who have 31-32 weeks of pregnancy. Stir frequently, continuously, which is the norm. But if the crumb subsides for more than 3 hours, it’s worth considering. Try to call him to the game, gently patting his stomach. If you felt jerks - everything is fine, he just slept. However, if the lull continues, consult a doctor, this may be a sign of oxygen starvation.
If the child is overly active, pushes for many hours in a row, does not calm down to the sound of music, or even for a walk (when the mother walks, all the children usually sleep), then this is a cause for serious concern. Immediately see a doctor for a referral.
During wakefulness, the baby usually makes faces and pushes, hiccups and swallows water, breathes and pushes with the arms and legs of the uterine wall. Favorite hobby is to suck your fist or thumb and dangle your feet. These skills are honed during 31-32 weeks of pregnancy. 3D photo will allow you to see your unborn child in one of the interesting poses to leave as a keepsake for a family album.
Internal organ development
Despite the fact that the foundations of all organs have already been formed, the future baby continues to grow actively. This is understandable, because only 31-32 weeks of pregnancy are going on , the development of the fetus continues at full speed, since in a short month and a half he needs to prepare for an independent life. Now all organs and systems are fully operational. The baby's head becomes proportional to the body. Now it is 60% of the head size of an adult. The wrinkles on his skin are gradually smoothed out. This is due to the accumulation of subcutaneous fat. Hair grows on the head. The nervous system is improving more and more every day, now the pupils can already narrow, the baby is no longer afraid of bright light. The fetus at the 31-32th week of pregnancy trains the lungs and tries to inhale. At the same time, a little amniotic fluid gets inside. So the lungs prepare for their first breath after giving birth.
We grow not by the day, but by the hour
The child at 31-32 weeks of gestation changes just before our eyes. Every week he adds about 200-300 grams. That is, by the end of 32 weeks, he is likely to reach a weight of 1700 - 1900. Such significant gains can not be overlooked by his mother. It’s getting harder for her. It is this period that is transitional, a little time will pass and the stomach will go down, which means it will become a little easier. In the meantime, the large uterus presses on the diaphragm, making it difficult to breathe. The uterus is now 10 cm above the navel, which means that all organs are displaced to give the baby more space for development. It affects everything. Pressure on the stomach leads to severe heartburn, digestive problems and constipation. The bladder, also experiencing a certain pressure, requires frequent emptying. However, if this reassures you, then all these points are temporary, they can be compensated for by longer walks in the fresh air and rational nutrition.
What's new
What changes does a 31-32 week pregnancy give us? The weight of the child is increasing, changes are waiting for you in the near future. As we already said, in a child all organs are fully formed. Now one of his main tasks is to roll over and take upside down position, which will ensure normal delivery. In this position, he will have to remain until birth. Now the child has an immune system. Mom during this period is very concerned about heartburn and shortness of breath, constipation. In case of toxicosis, nausea and increased pressure are possible, sometimes swelling or even protein in the urine. If all these signs are collected, then the mother can be hospitalized, since a complication such as gestosis is possible.
Ultrasound scan
This is a diagnostic method that allows the doctor to assess the condition of the child, and the mother for the first time to see her baby. Recently, technology has made a huge leap, now a trip to ultrasound resembles a visit to the auditorium. Usually the expectant mother comes along with the father, and sometimes the grandmother of the child, and everyone can watch the movements of the crumbs in the stomach.
We would like to consider in more detail what the ultrasound procedure is 31-32 weeks of pregnancy. Ultrasound at this time is designed to determine whether the size of the fetus is appropriate for development. The second point is to find out if the child has turned head down. Usually, he will not be able to roll over again, as he continues to gain weight. In parallel, the doctor will evaluate the amniotic fluid index. It should be in the region of 80-250 mm. If less, then the diagnosis of water shortage, and if more, then polyhydramnios.
Sometimes the doctor conducting the ultrasound procedure may notice signs of inflammation of the placenta. It can be caused by fungi or viruses, as well as pathogens. In this case, the specialist passes the information to the attending physician, and he, in turn, decides how to treat this pathology. But entwining the umbilical cord, which sometimes doctors scare mothers at this stage is not a big deal. In the next few hours, the baby can be freed from the entanglement, and it will not be found in childbirth. Maybe vice versa, there was no entanglement on the ultrasound, but it was in childbirth.
Feelings of a future mother
Every day she is adding more and more anxieties. How will the birth take place, will the baby sleep peacefully, is everything all right with his health. These and other questions sometimes cause a woman a lot of excitement. But now the main thing is to calm down. Listen to nice music, go for a walk, sleep. Now it is extremely important to gain strength, they will soon be needed.
Now the baby turns upside down and all of his motor activity falls on the area of the mother’s chest. It causes pain. Therefore, doctors recommend expectant mothers to monitor posture and keep their back straight, so you can slightly reduce the discomfort.
Swelling
Very soon you may encounter such a problem as the retention of excess water in the body. During pregnancy, this is almost inevitable, leading to swelling of the extremities and swelling of the veins. The best prevention will be getting rid of tight clothes and jewelry, normal physical activity and a water-salt diet. First of all, it is necessary to minimize salt intake, and if this does not help already, the doctor will determine the maximum dosage of liquid (including soups) per day.
Uterine contractions
For the first time, they can appear during 31-32 weeks of pregnancy. This is how many months, you already know. Based on ordinary calculations, then seven and a half, and by obstetric standards a little less. Be that as it may, it is this week that frequent uterine contractions appear, which are training and do not pose a threat to the life of the child. Uterine pressure on the bladder can provoke uncontrolled urination. From this there may be minor pains that stop with the help of valerian and other sedatives.
What you need to pay special attention to
Uterine training contractions will become stronger as the day of birth approaches. This is normal, however, you need to know how to distinguish them from real fights. Harbingers are usually not intense and pass, if you move a little. Real fights from physical activity will only intensify.
The greatest danger for mom at this time are various diseases. One of the most dangerous is late gestosis, placental insufficiency, or placental abruption. A large load can cause back pain, for the correction of which doctors can recommend wearing a special corset and doing a set of exercises. It's time to sign up for gymnastics for pregnant women, where, under the guidance of a trainer, you will not only do useful stretching and breathing exercises, but also share your experience and gain new knowledge.
Especially now we should be wary of colds and infectious diseases. The course of the disease, as well as the medications that are used to treat it, one way or another, will affect the health of the baby. Therefore, even with the most minor disease, for example, a runny nose, you should consult a doctor so that he examines you and prescribes adequate treatment. Most often, expectant mothers are prescribed herbal remedies or homeopathic treatment. Such drugs are more gentle and do not harm, but at the same time give a good effect. In addition, doctors recommend various herbal preparations. But, of course, prevention is the main task of every expectant mother. Efficient nutrition and optimal physical activity, avoiding crowded places, airing and damp cleaning of the room are simple actions that help to avoid unpleasant consequences and survive without illness until birth.