You are 31 Weeks and 3 Days 60 days to go…
Jolts and jostles are all part of being pregnant—and your baby probably won’t even notice them.
Your baby today
Here the umbilical cord is seen lying over the baby’s shoulder
and next to the wrist. This is very common, in fact at some time every
baby will have the umbilical cord lying close, especially during these
next few weeks while the baby frequently changes position.
Your belly is getting larger and larger.
As you walk you may notice that your belly also appears to move,
swaying from side to side with each step. It can be difficult to
remember that you’re so much bigger than you used to be. You may find
yourself trying to squeeze through tight spaces, or between tables and
chairs in a restaurant that previously you would have fit through and
now find yourself a bit stuck! Even if you find that your belly is
getting bumped around occasionally this really is nothing at all to
worry about: your baby is safe, protected by the pool of amniotic fluid
that acts as a cushion against the occasional jolt. Soon enough, though,
you will be back to your normal shape, or nearly your normal shape, and
it can be odd to think back to having to compensate for a belly.
… Mom
| Q: |
I’m finding it increasingly hard to focus at work. How can I best get through the next few weeks?
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| A: |
As your baby—and you—get bigger, you may find that you have
less energy and your concentration span decreases accordingly. This is
normal, but it can pose problems if you have a job to do! First of all,
take regular breaks, putting your feet up or closing your eyes for a few
minutes to rest. Make sure you drink enough, since dehydration can
affect your performance. Similarly, eating healthy snacks, little and
often, can keep you from flagging. Iron-rich foods, such as dried fruit,
are particularly important: low iron levels can make you tire easily.
Carry a small
notebook with you, and jot down anything that you need to remember, no
matter how trivial. This can help overcome lapses of memory, and keep
you focused on what needs to be done. It may also help to start your day
with a “to-do” list, and check your way down it in order of priority.
Finally, try to get enough sleep, which will give you at least half a
chance of feeling refreshed the next morning.
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Keep a notebook to hand
to jot down everything from what to do today, what to say when you make
a call, and what you need to cover in a letter or e-mail.
… Your health
Heart palpitations
Having a run of fast heartbeats, or missing a beat occasionally—or simply being acutely aware of your heartbeat—is defined as heart palpitations.
It’s common to have these in late pregnancy. They are usually nothing
to worry about and are simply the result of changes to your blood
circulation, coupled with a large abdominal bulge, although unnecessary
stresses and anxieties can play a part as well.
If, however,
palpitations are accompanied by chest pain or breathlessness, or if you
think they are occurring more frequently, mention this to your doctor.
You are 31 Weeks and 4 Days 59 days to go…
As your baby puts on muscle and its tone improves, she begins to be capable of more complex and stronger movements.
Your baby today
Measurements around the head, abdomen, and thigh bones are used
from the ultrasound image to estimate the weight of your baby.
Interestingly, on average, boys are now starting to be slightly heavier
than girls.
Your baby’s muscle tone takes some time to develop fully.
By this week of your pregnancy, head control is improving and in the
legs muscle tone now allows for smoother and more complex movements. For
once, the arms and hands lag behind the legs and feet in development,
taking another three weeks to achieve the same level of tone and
movement.
In the last few weeks
the familiar “fetal position” is increasingly seen on scans: this is not
only due to lack of space, but also because your baby’s flexor muscles
(those that bend the elbows, hips, and knees) have a better tone than
her extensor muscles (the muscles that extend the arms and legs) in each
limb.
You will also be aware
that your baby is moving more now than at any other time. You only feel
the movements that hit the lining of your uterus, but there will be
many more small movements of which you are completely unaware. Movements
inside the uterus are important: they help your baby’s coordination,
strengthen her bones, and increase muscle mass. The number of muscle
cells increases up until 38 weeks. From this point on, individual muscle
cells lengthen and expand in response to exercise, further increasing
muscle mass and strength.
… Doctor
| Q: |
Will having an orgasm cause me to go into labor?
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| A: |
In a pregnancy without problems, an orgasm will not cause premature labor,
and at full term orgasm will only cause the onset of labor if it’s
going to happen anyway. If you have had any signs of premature labor, or
your water has broken ,
you’ll be advised to avoid sexual intercourse. This is because the
hormone oxytocin increases during sexual arousal and oxytocin causes the
muscles of the uterus to contact. Orgasm may increase practice, or
Braxton Hicks’, contractions.
If you’ve gone past
your due date and are at a point when your body is ready to go into
labor, then sexual intercourse may help things to start for two reasons:
the prostaglandins in semen will help the cervix to soften at this
stage of pregnancy, and the contractions stimulated by orgasm have more
chance of developing into early labor contractions.
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Non-alcoholic drinks
Here are some ideas for delicious non-alcoholic drinks:
Cranberry juice/orange juice/lemon juice/ginger ale
Grapefruit juice/cranberry juice/soda or tonic water
Sparkling apple juice/lime juice/sugar to taste
Orange juice/bitter lemon
Lemon juice/pineapple juice/ orange juice/grenadine/soda
Diced lemon/diced lime/diced orange/ginger ale/sugar to taste
Apple juice/pear juice/ginger ale.
There is no need
to feel left out when all around you are partying: enjoy fresh fruit
juices over ice, topped with soda, tonic water, or ginger ale to add a
little fizz.
