31 Weeks Pregnant

31 Weeks Pregnant Podcast 🎧

Baby at 31 Weeks Pregnant 🚼

Baby is up to 3.5 pounds and 17 inches long—and looking more and more like a newborn. All this new weight is giving baby that “pleasantly plump” appearance that makes you just wanna squeeze those cheeks and attack her with kisses. Which you will do, soon!

Other adorable developments: Baby’s fingernails and toenails are formed, and the hair on her head is in place—if she has any, that is (mine didn’t)!

cutting babys nails – The only aspect of parenting that’s scarier than childbirth Mama Natural

I flat out refused to cut my kids' nails for the first few years of their lives (dad's job). I've heard of moms gently biting their babies' nails off because it is just too risky with the nail clipper. Either way, you have fun things in store when Baby Natural arrives!

You at 31 Weeks Pregnant 🚺

Are you growing out of your shoes yet? It doesn't happen for every mom, but some pregnant mamas will go up a half or full shoe size while pregnant. (My mom's feet actually never returned to their pre-pregnancy size. )

Pregnant mamas experience puffy feet due to the fact that they're carrying around a bowling ball in their tummy and have nearly twice the blood volume in their bodies as usual. Swelling can be particularly bad in the summer months due to heat or if mom is dehydrated.

I had feet swelling the last 6 weeks or so of my first pregnancy. The second time around, I found that eating more protein helped to ward off swelling. So, be sure to shoot for at least 80 grams of protein a day. You might even want to experiment with 100 grams for a few days to see if it helps your edema.

Believe it or not, some mamas also find relief from swelling by adding a little good-quality sea salt to their diet. Both protein and salt act as sponges to hold water inside blood vessels. When there is not enough of these two elements in your diet, fluid leaks out of the blood vessels and into the surrounding tissue—and voilà, swelling!

Regular exercise and drinking plenty of fluids also help. Check out our post on natural solutions for swollen feet during pregnancy.

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