3rd trimester: Week 31

As the womb becomes more cramped, the baby draws up his legs in what is known as the fetal position.

Your Baby

Your baby is packing on the ounces at such a clip that his weight gain outpaces the speed at which his limbs are growing. He's now almost 15 inches from head to toe. He's shedding the lanugo, and his eyebrows and eyelashes are filling in.

Your Body

Your prepregnancy shoes may no longer fit you well. Pressure from your increasingly heavy uterus is funneling blood and other fluids to your legs, resulting in swollen feet. It's also squeezing your stomach, which makes it difficult to eat without quickly feeling too full. Elevate your feet at every opportunity and, if weather permits, wear sandals.

Do's and Don'ts

Do write a birth plan if you haven't already. It will make you think ahead to choices you will need to make about labor and delivery. Think about whether or not you want an epidural, which birthing positions you'd like to try, and, if you are having a boy, whether you'd like him to be circumcised. While childbirth may not turn out exactly as you imagine it, the document will be a useful reminder of your goals once you're in labor. If you want to do a little research on the pros and cons of your choices, now's the time.

Health

When you're pregnant, your eyes can become easily irritated and sensitive to light, so ask your ophthalmologist to recommend eye drops. Take frequent breaks from the computer screen, and if you use contacts, wear them for fewer hours each day than you ordinarily do.

Mom to Mom

Advice from the trenches: "My biggest regret is not making sure that the mirror above me was properly positioned so I could view everything that was going on."--Beth Laserre, Fishing Creek, NJ