Week 31: Pregnancy conditions to be aware of
Image: @zarabentleyy
Welcome to week 31 of the Happy Parents Happy Baby guide to pregnancy, birth and beyond.
This week we'll be covering:
We hope you enjoy it!
When to call the midwife
Some people worry about ‘bothering’ midwives with their concerns, but it is important to know the midwifery team is there for you and will be happy to see you or speak to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and bank holidays.
You know your body and your baby, so if you are concerned don’t hesitate to reach out.
Here are some things you should call the maternity unit urgently about if they happen:
Bleeding – any vaginal bleeding or spotting at any stage of pregnancy.
Reduced movements - any change in pattern or reduction in your baby’s usual movements. It’s important that you call the same day and don’t wait until the morning if concerned overnight.
Headaches - any persistent and severe headaches that don’t improve with taking paracetamol and resting.
Blurry vision- especially if lasting more than a few minutes.
Swelling - particularly if the swelling is around your face or if is more than usual in your hands and feet.
Persistent vomiting – if constant and you’re unable to keep down fluids for 24 hours or more you may be dehydrated and need further support.
Itching - particularly if severe and more noticeable on the soles of your feet and palms of your hands
Painful urination – or an increase in trips to the loo but feeling like your bladder hasn’t emptied fully immediately afterwards.
Leaking fluid – it’s important to check and make sure it’s not your waters leaking- especially if before 37 weeks.
Signs of labour before 37 weeks - including waters breaking or any contractions /regular abdominal pain.
Your baby’s development in week 31
Size of a coconut
Weighs on average 1.5kg
Around 41.1cm long
Your baby may now be starting to sleep for longer so you may have noticed a stronger pattern of activity and rest. And they will need to rest because there’s lots going on right now. Your baby will be able to use all of their five senses, make funny faces and punch and kick their hands and feet as they move around your womb.
Week 31 Checklist
You might like to:
Choose comfortable shoes. There are a few reasons why swapping to comfy shoes might be a good idea right now. You might have noticed your feet have swollen, especially in hot weather. Tight shoes aren’t a good idea for blood circulation and general comfort. The hormone relaxin which has made your ligaments and joints a bit looser could also increase the risk of rolling or spraining an ankle so supportive shoes can help with this. Heeled shoes could exacerbate backache so it’s probably worth packing this away too now if you’re still wearing them.
Hire or buy a TENS machine. Many women find a TENS machine invaluable for keeping comfortable during labour. You can hire or rent a machine here. Use the code 10HPHB for a 10% discount.
Spotlight on: Weight gain
Each week we'll be delving into the common symptoms of pregnancy and bringing you top tips for managing them from our team of specialists and parent community.
Weight gain
You’re well into your third trimester now so we’re sure your body has changed shape and feels like it has grown substantially in the last few months.
The NHS says most women gain between 10kg (22lb) and 12.5kg (28lb) during their pregnancy. If you’re having twins or triplets the weight gain will be higher - 16.8-24.5kg (37-54lb). Eating for two really is a myth and it’s only in your third trimester that you need to be eating an extra 200 calories.
Most of the weight is put on after week 20 as your baby grows but your body will also be storing fat in preparation for making breast milk once your baby is born. The placenta, your growing breasts and fluid retention will also make you heavier.
Pregnancy is definitely not the time to go on a diet but it’s also not the time to eat excessively. Gaining too much weight in pregnancy increases your risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
Gaining too little weight can also cause issues such as premature labour and a low birth weight for your baby (less than 2.5kg or 5.5lb). Some women may lose weight during the first trimester if they have severe nausea and morning sickness. This is normal and in most cases this weight will be put on again and they will have a healthy pregnancy.
If you are in a healthy weight range you won’t be weighed at every antenatal appointment. If you’re above or below your recommended weight, your GP or midwife may weigh you more regularly.
What can I do to manage my weight?
Stay physically active - try to move your body every day you can find some useful ideas here.
Eat a healthy and balanced diet
Prepare healthy snacks to stop you from reaching for the sugary foods
Keep an eye on portion size
Birth story of the week
This week we catch up with Sam and Dean from our Leigh-on-Sea course who share the positive birth of their second baby Cody.
“My birth on paper was the complete opposite of what I originally wanted! However, the biggest thing I learnt with my second birth was that it’s not always what happens that is important but how it makes you feel that is important. I can honestly say my birth was a beautiful positive experience which is ultimately what I wanted.
“I ended up being induced at 40+12, again after a lot of resistance as they wanted to induce at 40+6. But I felt confident after my own research that I wanted to wait as long as possible. Then after no progress after 8 hours of full on contractions I wasn’t even classed as in active labour. I felt defeated to say the least! I was active, upright, using hypnobirthing and my affirmations my breathing and just felt like I’d done everything right and had gotten nowhere. It was my decision to then opt for a c section because it was the route that made me feel most empowered at the time. I could feel my mind spiralling and I just felt tired from the constant battle with what seemed like everything with this pregnancy. Thanks to HPHB I knew exactly how I wanted my c section to be. I gave the midwife my list of preferences and everything was met. They lowered the drapes so I could see the head being born, my husband announced that it was a boy and we even got our delayed cord clamping and Dean got to cut the cord. When they announced Cody was 10lb 6.5oz I was quite relieved I’d chosen the c section route!”
Well done Sam and Dean and welcome to the world Cody!
Treat of the week
Many women find a TENS machine invaluable to keep comfortable during the early stages of labour.
The Babycare TENS machine is easy to use and has a boost option that you can press during your contractions / surges.
Use code 10HPHB for a discount!
Products are based on suggestions from our specialists and community of parents. We may earn commission from shopping links.
Join our community
Happy Parents Happy Baby is here to support you through every step of your pregnancy, birth and parenting journey.
Connect with other parents-to-be and learn everything you need to know, by joining our award-winning antenatal classes.
That's all for now...
Thank you so much for joining us!
Have a great week.
Team HPHB x
Information you
can trust
Our articles are based on the latest-evidence based guidelines and scientific research and are written by our team of medical experts.
Coming up
next week
Packing your hospital bag
Spotlight on: piles
Check out our Instagram page for extra resources from our team of experts and for free live events, such as pregnancy relaxation sessions
Follow us @happyparents.happybaby
