Pregnancy calendar: 31st week of pregnancy
Pregnancy calendar by week. An experienced doctor tells how a child develops in the womb and what changes occur in the pregnant woman’s body. All the most important things about the 31st week of pregnancy
Changes in your body:
Your weight during pregnancy should increase by an additional 10-12 kg, if you see that it has increased too much, please pay attention to the diet. A pregnant woman’s diet means switching to greens, vegetables, fruits, cereals, wholemeal bread and limiting the consumption of light carbohydrates (high-grade bread, pasta, sweets). Excess carbohydrates are not only a burden on your pancreas, which secretes the insulin necessary for the absorption of sugar by cells, but also on the baby’s pancreas. The child’s body also produces a significant amount of insulin (hormone of the pancreas), which in turn leads to the fact that the child suddenly begins to gain weight. The large weight of the child is an additional risk of complications during childbirth, and sometimes an indication for a cesarean section. In nature, everything is good in moderation, and modern sweets are a recent invention of mankind, the body is not yet good at dealing with an excess of sweets.
You are probably already used to changes in your skin, to the appearance of darker areas with pigment. Such increased pigmentation on the skin usually disappears quickly after pregnancy. However, you should not “burn” in the sun, use sunscreen, being careful with the sun is justified for many reasons.
Skin during pregnancy also becomes more sensitive to chlorinated pool water, detergents, hair dyes, and other harsh chemicals. Use liquid soap with a balanced pH, detergents with a minimum amount of fragrances or other additives. Use towels instead of hand dryers. You can use natural oils to moisturize dry skin.
Sensitive breasts need to wear a special bra. I advise you to buy bras for breastfeeding, they are mainly designed to comfortably support the enlarged breasts of pregnant and then nursing mothers. When choosing a nursing bra, be sure to pay attention to the quality of the fabric. The fabric should be natural, pleasant to the touch, not rub and at the same time be stable to gently support the breast. The quality of the accessories (fastens) is also important, because they must withstand frequent use during breastfeeding. And the underwear should be beautiful and you like it.
You can notice a yellowish discharge from the breast , this is your breast training to produce the first milk (colostrum) for the baby. There is no need to wash off the discharge, on the contrary, the best care will be a daily shower without excessive detergents. The fact is that “good” bacteria live on the skin around the nipples, which protect the cleanliness of the skin, and an excess of detergents destroys the protective layers. If you suddenly worry about the appearance of “unwanted” spots, then use disposable breast pads.
How is the baby growing (31st week of pregnancy)?
The child opens his eyes, turns his head towards the light. Also, the child reacts to sounds and turns towards the sound source. An unusual loud sound can “frighten” the baby, it can even jump up. Some parents notice that their child sometimes seems to want to start a conversation, he starts jumping, pushing or even digging. The baby inside the tummy is sensitive to vibrations during the movement of the car, especially on the old uneven cobblestones, the mother can clearly feel the baby’s efforts to rest against the walls of the uterus with a star. Such movement exercises are sometimes quite painful, the only thing you should be happy about is that your child is healthy and active!
Author: Olga Letnyanchyk, doctor
Read also:
– Pregnancy calendar: from 1 to 40 weeks
