Pregnancy at week 31

Your baby

Your baby’s brain is developing, sending lots of messages to their body. Their eyes can now open and they can focus. They can hear sounds outside the uterus, and a loud noise might even make them startle. You may like to talk to your baby or play some of your favourite music, this can help you build your connection before they are even born.

Your body

It’s normal to feel tired and to lack energy at this stage.

Many women find they get more emotional in the third trimester. If you’re feeling sad, it might be because of your hormones, because you’re not getting a good night’s sleep, or because the thought of becoming a parent can stir up deep emotions.

Keep in mind, anxiety and depression are common during pregnancy and after the birth, and it’s important to seek help If you feel very emotional and stressed, have a chat to your doctor or midwife, or you can contact Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) on 1300 726 306 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.

You might notice your breasts are leaking more as the birth approaches. This is normal. You can buy breast pads from a supermarket or pharmacy to help you feel more comfortable.

Things to remember

It’s a good idea to organise a car restraint for your baby now. By law in Australia, babies under 6 months must have a properly fastened, rear-facing child restraint with an inbuilt harness.

Your car will need to have the correct anchorage points and have enough room to fit the child restraint properly. Although you can do this yourself, it’s best to have the restraint professionally fitted, and you will need to book this in.

If you’re buying a restraint, make sure it meets Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1754 (this will be on the packaging or the seat itself). Alternatively, you can hire a restraint from your local council, private company or ambulance service.

All this can take a while to organise, so it’s a good idea to do it soon in case the baby comes early.

Resources and support

Speak to your doctor, midwife or obstetrician if you have questions about your pregnancy.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby also has more information on:

• maternity care in Australia
• having a healthy pregnancy
• exploring the anatomy of pregnancy and birth
• checkups, screenings, scans and tests you can have during your pregnancy
• common conditions you might experience during your pregnancy
• looking after your mental health and wellbeing

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.