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Week by Week Pregnancy Guide – Week 31 of your pregnancy

As you enter the 31st week of your pregnancy, there are chances that you might feel it is becoming increasingly difficult for you to pull through each day. But this is no time to give up, instead, gather all the courage and might that you have to help you wade through the final weeks of your pregnancy smoothly. This week onward, your existing symptoms might start getting more severe and your pace more sluggish.
Here is what happens to you this week

False contractions: Many expectant mothers experience false contractions or Braxton Hicks contraction frequently during this week as labour approaches. These contractions can last for up to 30 seconds and then fade off. In case you have even the slightest of doubt that it might be more than just mere flutters, rush to your doctor for an evaluation.
Fatigue and tiredness: Your body weight coupled with the bulging belly, hormonal surges and increased fetal movements can make you feel weary and fatigued throughout the day. The best way to beat this symptom is to avoid physical exertion and eat a balanced diet for proper nutrition and strength. Remember, drinking adequate water and regular exercise can also help combat fatigue and tiredness. Here is why it is important to drink water during pregnancy. 
Urinary incontinence: This symptom might come as a surprise now. But as the bulging uterus exerts pressure on the bladder, not only will you feel a frequent urge for urination but might also leak while you cough, sneeze or laugh out loud. This could also pose to be a problem postpartum. Here is what you need to know about postpartum urine incontinence.
Problems during sleep: You might have to work on sleep positions now as the belly might come in the way of your casual resting positions and disturb your sleep. If you are already practicing sleeping on your left side, try popping a pillow for more comfort. Sleeping on your sides will also help ease backache and give your lungs enough space to help your breathe.
Apart from these, constipation, hemorrhoids, indigestion, and leaky breasts can still be a concern.
Development of your baby
Here is what happens to your baby this week:
Your baby gains weight: At this point in time your baby is just half the weight it would be during the time of birth. This means that from now onward, your baby will be putting on weight rapidly to reach its optimum birth weight. Also as fat tissues keep on layering themselves beneath the skin, it accounts to fetal weight gain naturally.
Your baby’s five senses develop: By this week your baby can hear your voice and that of your surroundings more clearly, its vision develops and so does the sense of taste and smell. If you caress your belly often, your baby might also respond to your touch. This is a great way of bonding with your child while in the womb. Here is why talking to your baby bump is a great idea.
Your baby’s finger and toenails develop: An essential development that happens this week is the development of finger and toe nails. You need to trim them after birth as they could hurt your newborn in case your baby scratches itself.
Apart from this, your sonography will give a better evaluation of your baby’s health status and the level of amniotic fluid in the womb. This is a very crucial parameter in establishing your baby’s well-being. Since your baby will be breathing and swallowing the liquid and also urinating in the womb, amniotic fluid will give a fair idea if your baby’s systems are functioning to its optimum. Too much amniotic fluid in the womb might indicate that your baby might not be swallowing enough liquid and can suggest a gastrointestinal problem. On the other hand, little amount of water would indicate that your baby isn’t urinating enough.
This week your baby can weigh around 1500 to 1550 g and measure up to 500 mm from crown-to-rump approximately.
What you should do:

• Learn about various options available for pain management during your visits to the doctor so that you are able to take an informed decision. Many mothers prefer to opt for natural remedies like acupressure, massage or clod sponges. On the other hand, many others  opt for epidurals or painkiller injections. Whatever your decision, make sure to learn about their pros and cons and include them in your birth plan. Here are few ways to manage back pain during labour. 

• If you want to go for cord blood banking, connect with one of the banks now to prepare ahead of time. However, if you wish to have a delayed cord clamping, discuss about the same with your doctor. Here is what you need to know about delayed cord clamping.

• Since you might be experiencing false contractions, it is better to learn about the symptoms of preterm labour. In case you feel the contractions more than four times within an hour, it is quite possible to qualify as a sign of preterm labour. Here are some symptoms of preterm labour you need to be watchful of. 

• While you can still enjoy an active sex life, it is wise to slow down a bit. Try positions that are comfortable for you and agreeable to your spouse. Remember it is best to abstain from sexual activities for at least four weeks prior to labour. Yes, you can have sex during pregnancy too, here are a few myths about pregnancy sex busted.