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🌳Third Trimester•Weeks 28-40
Week 31 of Pregnancy
Your baby is the size of coconut
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Length
16.2 inches
⚖️
Weight
3.3 pounds
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Size Comparison
Coconut
👶 Baby Development
- •All five senses are fully functioning and processing information
- •Baby can see shapes and shadows, hear voices, smell and taste amniotic fluid, and feel touch
- •Lungs are nearly mature and would likely need minimal support if born now
- •Most babies move into head-down (vertex) position around this time
- •Fingernails have reached fingertips and baby may scratch their face
- •Baby's movements may change from kicks to rolls and shifts due to limited space
- •Connections between nerve cells in brain are proliferating rapidly
💭 Common Symptoms
- •Braxton Hicks contractions becoming more frequent and intense
- •Pelvic pain and pressure (SPD - symphysis pubis dysfunction) from loosening joints
- •Increased clear or white vaginal discharge
- •Continued shortness of breath
- •Possible numbness or tingling in hands and fingers
- •Difficulty sleeping more than a few hours at a time
- •Frequent urination, especially at night
🥗 Nutrition Tips
- •Continue prenatal vitamins without missing any doses
- •Eat omega-3 rich foods (200-300mg DHA daily) for final brain development surge
- •Include iron-rich foods (27mg daily) to build baby's iron stores
- •Stay hydrated despite frequent bathroom trips
- •Eat small frequent meals that are easy to digest
- •Include foods rich in vitamin K for blood clotting
- •Focus on protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates
✅ To-Do This Week
- •Discuss early labor signs and active labor signs with your doctor
- •Finalize your written birth plan including pain management preferences
- •Prepare older siblings (if any) by reading books and visiting baby
- •Stock up on postpartum supplies like pads, witch hazel, nursing bras, and stool softeners
- •Meal prep and freeze easy postpartum meals
- •Pre-register at your hospital to save time during labor
- •Arrange for someone to care for pets during hospital stay
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Did You Know?
Your baby is using all five senses now and actively learning about their environment! They can recognize familiar voices and may respond with movement.