Third trimester
31 weeks pregnant
The fetus is around the size of a coconut and gaining weight fast. All five senses are working, and it can process information from them.
Size of
coconut
Length
41 cm
Weight
1500 g
Your baby at 31 weeks
All five senses are functional. The fetus can hear, see light, taste the amniotic fluid, feel touch, and smell.
Weight gain is rapid now, roughly 200g a week, mostly as fat that will help with temperature regulation after birth.
The lungs continue maturing. Movements are strong but more constrained as space runs out.
How you may be feeling
Braxton Hicks are often noticeable and may be mistaken for labour. They are irregular and ease with rest or a change of position.
Some people start leaking colostrum, the thick yellowish first milk. It is normal and not an indication that anything is imminent.
Common symptoms around week 31
- Frequent Braxton Hicks
- Leaking colostrum
- Backache
- Breathlessness
- Frequent urination
Appointments and tests around now
Appointments every two weeks continue. Position, growth and blood pressure are the main things being tracked.
What is normal, and what varies
Leaking colostrum is normal and varies enormously. Some people leak from the second trimester, others never do before birth, and neither predicts anything about feeding.
Worth doing this week
Distinguish colostrum from waters
Colostrum is thick and yellowish, from the breasts. Watery fluid from the vagina is a different thing and needs assessing.
Use breast pads if needed
Practical rather than medical, but considerably more comfortable than the alternative.
Time your Braxton Hicks if unsure
The contraction timer will show you whether they are irregular and easing, or getting closer and stronger.
Looking ahead
Next week most babies settle into a head-down position.
Nearby weeks
Not sure which week you are in? The week tracker works it out from the first day of your last period, and the due date calculator gives you an estimated due date.