Development Calendar

Your Pregnancy Month 8

What's Your Baby Up to This Month?

MONTH 8: 31-35 weeks gestational age

Your Pregnancy Month 8: 31-35 weeks gestational age

She will remain active, but may calm down as her quarters become cramped
She'll receive antibodies from you to protect her from illness
Her brain is making billions of complex connections
She'll weigh 4-5 pounds at week 32, and will gain up to ½ pound per week this month

Those Synapses are Firing

Your baby's brain is making incredible progress. She is producing tiny neurons and synapses at an amazing rate. All those components will hook together to give her the skills she'll need as a newborn. Like being able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing. This way, she'll be ready to start feeding as soon as she's born.

Your Antibodies: Defenders of the Small and Vulnerable

During the last weeks of pregnancy, you pass along antibodies to your baby in your blood. These will help protect her from many illnesses and infections she may face in the months after she's born.

This immunity lasts for a few months, until she develops her own resistance. Breastfeeding can prolong the immunity by giving your baby even more antibodies. That's why it's more important than ever to make sure you are getting all the nutrition you need during pregnancy and beyond.

Almost Ready to Move Out

It's getting pretty cramped in there. This month, your baby will gain up to ½ pound a week. She's stocking up on calcium, fat, phosphorus and other nutrients she'll need when she's born. And it feels like she's taking several aerobics classes a day, with all the kicking and rolling around.

So what does all of this mean for mom? For one thing, sleeping might be a challenge these days with all the activity. Though you may catch a break in the coming weeks, when she gets too big to move around as much.

If you start feeling some mild cramping, you probably don't need to head to the maternity ward just yet. You may be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, which are mild contractions of the uterus commonly felt during this time in your pregnancy. True labor contractions are regular and grow in intensity. Ask your doctor to explain the difference.