Pregnancy Week By Week

31 Weeks Pregnant: Development, Symptoms and Care

At 31 weeks pregnant, you may be thinking more about the birth itself. A short list of preferences can help your care team understand what matters to you, without expecting you to predict every decision. Your comfort and your baby’s movements remain important alongside the planning.

Your baby’s development at 31 weeks

Your baby’s brain is developing rapidly and making new connections. Their eyes can open, and their pupils can respond to light. These changes do not mean brain development is complete, and shining a light on your bump is not a way to check your baby’s wellbeing.

Body changes and symptoms

Stretch marks may be more noticeable, and your changing balance can affect how you walk. Choose footwear that feels stable and take care with lifting or awkward movements. Pain that limits walking or daily activity deserves advice rather than being treated as something you must put up with.

Report new or persistent itching, especially on your palms or soles or without a rash. Severe itching needs immediate advice. Changes in vision, a severe headache or sudden swelling also need urgent assessment, even if someone has told you these things are common in pregnancy.

Your baby’s movements

Keep paying attention to your baby’s usual movement strength and pattern. There is no single daily number to count towards. Reduced or weaker movement, or a concerning change, needs immediate contact with your midwife, doctor or maternity unit.

Do not wait overnight or use a home Doppler, food or drink to decide whether everything is all right. If you cannot reach your team, attend the nearest hospital maternity or emergency unit. Less room does not make reduced movement something to dismiss.

Writing down birth preferences

You might include who you would like with you, ways of managing pain, privacy needs, cultural preferences and how you want information explained. Share the plan with your midwife or doctor and your support person.

Ask about the options available where you plan to give birth, including what happens if you need extra monitoring, an assisted birth or a caesarean. Preferences can change as labour unfolds. Needing pain relief or an intervention is not a failure, and you can still ask questions and be involved in decisions.

Your support person can help by knowing your priorities, listening and speaking up when you want help communicating. Our prenatal care guide is a place to start with questions for the team.

Care and rest this week

If whooping cough vaccination has not been discussed, ask now: the preferred window is 20 to 32 weeks in each pregnancy. Ask about any other outstanding vaccines or tests and when your next appointment should be.

Keep starting each sleep on your side, including naps; either side is suitable. If you wake on your back, roll onto your side. If worry about birth is making sleep or everyday life difficult, tell your GP or midwife so you can get support.

When to seek medical help

In Australia, call 000 for heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain, severe breathing difficulty, chest pain or collapse. Do not drive yourself if faint or very unwell.

Contact your GP, midwife or hospital immediately for vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, fever, vomiting that prevents drinking, severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling or pain under your ribs. Regular or painful contractions, pelvic pressure or persistent lower back or abdominal pain before 37 weeks may be signs of early labour: call your maternity team and go to hospital. Seek urgent care if your usual team is unavailable.