Pregnancy week 31 - baby's development and your body

Your baby’s brain is developing rapidly and can now process more stimuli. They can fix their gaze and distinguish more clearly between light and dark. Your baby can even recognize and react to music!

Size:

Your baby is about 41 cm or 16.14 inches long, from head to foot.

Weight:

Approximately 1.5 kg or 3.31 lbs.

Fetal development:

All of your baby’s body parts and senses are now fully developed, and the brain, nervous system, and lungs are growing quickly. Your baby is also accumulating more fat, and the skin is becoming thicker.

In the coming weeks, most babies will turn head-down in preparation for birth, but for now, there’s still plenty of space, so your baby might be head-up, head-down, or even sideways.

Babies born at this stage almost always survive with intensive care, and the risk of long-term complications is very low.

Your body:

Your belly is getting larger, with the uterus now reaching the lower part of your ribcage. It might feel a bit cramped as it takes up more space, and you may notice feeling short of breath, dealing with heartburn, or feeling heavy and cumbersome, though this can vary widely.

Your breasts may start leaking colostrum, and swelling in your feet and ankles might be more noticeable. Contractions are also common now. Some people experience back pain due to the added weight and strain, while pelvic pain after exertion is common, as the hormone relaxin softens the pelvic joints in preparation for childbirth.

Skin color changes can become more noticeable too, like darkened nipples and a more defined “linea nigra”—a dark line that stretches from the pubic bone to just below the navel.

Your baby’s movements are now strong and pronounced, with regular kicks and stretches that you can often see from the outside.