You and Your Baby at 31 Weeks Pregnant

When you are 31 weeks pregnant, you are into your last trimester of the pregnancy. While your body has already undergone tremendous changes, there are still changes yet to come. At this time you are starting to get impatient waiting for the baby to arrive. You may also experience moments of anxiety wondering about the baby ?if it is going to be healthy, if you have everything you need for the baby arrival and if you are going to be a good mother. These are normal emotions and thoughts that all expectant mothers have, so you shouldn be concerned. You may also start feeling apprehensive about the impending labour and birth.

During this time your baby needs more oxygen as the lungs are starting to develop and the baby is starting to breathe on its own. This means you need more iron from your food. Your diet should include a lot of dark green, leafy vegetables, dried fruits and nuts and lean, red meat. Drinking lots of water is also essential so that your organs have the fluids they need to function properly. When you drink at least eight glasses of water each day it will help to decrease the amount of fluid you retain. This is especially important if you notice that your hands and feet are swelling. The water will help to build new cells in your body and in the baby and improve the blood flow.

Because your belly is expanding, you may be feeling uncomfortable when you lie down at night or just to take a nap during the day. If you have a body pillow that you can wrap yourself around, this tends to reduce your discomfort. Don drink a lot of fluids just before bedtime because this will cause you to have to go to the bathroom several times during the night. You should also avoid caffeinated drinks that may keep you awake or cause you to have heartburn.

Your baby is starting to grow rapidly at this time and the internal organs are really starting to develop. You will experience more and more kicks and a lot of movement. At this time of the pregnancy, the baby usually weighs a little over three pounds and measures about fourteen inches long.

If you were to have a 3D ultrasound at this time, you would really be able to see the facial features of the baby and see it kicking its legs. The baby will likely be sucking its thumb. If you want to know whether you are having a boy or girl, this is the time when you can really see the sex organs on an ultrasound and know without a doubt the preparations you need to make for the clothing and the nursery.

It is important for you to get lots of rest and stay off your feet whenever possible. Morning sickness has passed and you have a renewed interest in going out with friends. However, you still have to watch what you eat so that you don have indigestion problems. The growing baby is putting more pressure on your kidneys and growing back. This means you may have backache and still have to make frequent trips to the bathroom.

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Know What to Expect at 32 Weeks Pregnant

If this is your first pregnancy, you are probably wondering what you can expect to feel like when you are 32 weeks pregnant. The baby has been kicking quite a bit lately and your belly has become larger. If you were to see your baby on an ultrasound at this stage, you will see that it is able to suck its thumb. Your visits to the doctor office will change from this week onwards. Up until now, your doctor wished to see you once a month, but after this visit you will have a two-week schedule for your visits. If you have any questions, you should start writing them down and bring them with you when you do see the doctor so that you can get as much information as possible.

When you lie down, you will be able to see the imprint of a tiny foot moving across your belly and you will actually feel the baby turning over. This is an exciting time in your pregnancy because the baby starts to become a real person. When you are asleep, you may be awakened suddenly by a sharp kick or movements ?quite often just under your ribs. The baby will start to have hiccups in the 32nd week, which you will feel as short jerky movements inside you. You can alleviate the discomfort that this causes by moving around or drinking a glass of water.

The baby will start to turn in the uterus so that its head is down towards the birth canal. It won start moving downwards just yet, but it will start getting in the right position for delivery. Since the baby is starting to put on a lot of weight, you will notice weight gain as well ?often as much as a pound or two per week. Within the next two months, the baby will double its current weight.

In the 32nd week, the baby is able to blink its eyes, look around, pee and use its hands to making grabbing motions. There may or may not be hair. According to old wives?tales, if you have experienced a lot of heartburn during your pregnancy, the baby will have lots of hair when it is born. The baby usually weighs about four pounds by this week and measures about 17 or 18 inches in length.

As the baby grows, you will have increased aches and pains in your stomach and lower back. This is due to the pressure the baby places on your kidneys and your muscles. The ligaments in your stomach, hips and buttocks are still stretching, which accounts for the pulling and stretching pains you feel in these areas. You may also experience slight contractions as the baby starts to move downward, but they are mild and do not last very long.

This is the time when you should start finalizing your plans for the baby arrival ?completing the nursery and starting to stock up on diapers, blankets, undershirts and sleepers.