31-Week-Old Baby

At 31 weeks, baby is doing All. The. Things. Not only is baby more mobile than ever—exploring up a storm while mastering big physical moves (like sitting up!)—but baby’s cute babbles are also likely getting more sophisticated. Of course, there are challenges too, from teething crankiness to sleep issues. Whether super-exciting or not-so-awesome, here's what to expect when baby is 31 weeks.

31-Week-Old-Baby Milestones and Development

Growth

On average, a 31-week-old boy is 27.3 inches long and weighs 18.4 pounds. The average size for girls this week is 26.6 inches long and 17 pounds. That said, every baby grows at their own pace. Your pediatrician will chart baby's growth at well visits to make sure baby is putting on ounces and inches at the right rate for them—but if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to bring them up.

Emerging skills

What's baby working on at 31 weeks? Lots of important skills, including communicating by laughing and squealing, as well as babbling chains of syllables like “bababa” or “dadada.” Baby is also getting more physical, whether it's raking up objects with their hands, looking for partially hidden toys or sitting independently for longer stretches, and possibly even experimenting with crawling. By this age, baby can usually also roll over in both directions—sometimes even while sleeping! Socially, baby could be starting to respond to people’s expressions and emotions more but might also get a bit wary around strangers, which is totally normal.

31-Week-Old Baby Health

Feeding

Your 31-week-old is still getting the bulk of their nutrition from breast milk or formula. If you’re breastfeeding, baby typically needs to nurse six or more times a day. If you’re bottle-feeding, baby will typically have around six bottles a day, not exceeding 32 ounces in 24 hours. Keep in mind that all babies have different needs—it’s perfectly normal to have a growth spurt and drink more, and then slow down!

Solids have fully entered the chat at this point. Your 31-week-old might now be eating around three meals a day—but it’s okay if not every meal is a feast. Sometimes baby will have a tablespoon or two; other times, baby will gobble up the whole plate. It’s all normal! Some of the best choices for brand-new eaters include pureed or mashed fruits or veggies or whole grain, iron-fortified cereals. Baby-led weaning is fair game too. Offer small, bite-sized pieces of very soft foods for baby to gum safely, like avocado, scrambled eggs, cheese or broccoli. And even though baby might be getting more adventurous with food choices, keep the added salt or sugar to a minimum. Also, make sure to avoid honey, cow's milk and raw or unpasteurized foods until baby turns one.

Sleep

Baby's sleep needs have stayed pretty steady over the past month: In a 24-hour period, a 31-week-old should be getting around 12 to 16 hours of sleep, including two or three naps during the day. That's the plan, anyway! It's pretty normal for speedbumps like teething, colds, travel and exciting new milestones to send baby's sleep careening off course. When that happens, your best bet is to buckle down on your bedtime routine. While consistency won't cure every sleep woe, staying the course is often the best way to get baby back to baseline—and for you to get some rest of your own.

Common ailments

Teething
Many 31-week-olds have already cut one (or a couple) teeth, but if nothing has sprouted yet, a pearly white is likely on its way soon. A new tooth can make baby super uncomfortable, have trouble sleeping, drool a lot and show less interest in taking a bottle. But a few tricks can help ease the pain, from gentle gum massages to cold, wet washcloths. Once those teeth start poking through, be sure to brush them daily with a baby toothbrush and baby fluoride toothpaste.

31-Week-Old Baby FAQs

Why does baby love hearing the same song over and over (and over) again?

One or two rounds of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is probably enough for you. But for baby, singing the same song on repeat is a comforting experience that supports the developing brain. Engaging in repetitive activities helps baby get the message that the surrounding environment is safe and predictable, which allows baby to form healthy attachments to others. Repeating songs and rhymes also teaches baby about words and sounds, which helps hone language development and set the stage for early learning. In fact, research shows that 7-month-old babies whose parents repeat words more often have more robust vocabularies by age 2. How's that for motivation to sing it once more?

Baby has been accepting of most foods I've served. But today, baby flat-out rejected something. Should I stop serving it?

New eaters tend to be more receptive compared to their older (think 9+ months) counterparts, since they haven't yet formed their taste preferences. But even an enthusiastic eater might be put off by a new taste or texture sometimes. The good news is, baby won't necessarily give said food the boot forever. In fact, it's normal for baby to try a food several times over a few months before coming around to it. So if those mashed black beans or broccoli pieces got rejected the first time, don't give up. Try serving them again (and again, and again). Once a food feels more familiar, baby might have a change of heart.

Timely 31-Week-Old Topics

Including baby in family meals

Back when you first started introducing baby to solids, you might've squeezed in those "meals" whenever made sense. (Dinner at 4 p.m.? Why not?) But if you haven't already, now's a good time to start including baby in more family meals. Sitting around the table together gives you a chance to model healthy eating habits. And even though baby might not add much to the conversation yet, listening to mealtime chatter boosts language and social skills.

Speech development

All that adorable raspberry-blowing, gumming of toys and rudimentary babbling is starting to pay off: Having spent so much time developing the parts of their mouth, baby is now ready to put two and three syllables together—think: "ba da" and "ma mo ma." Even more exciting? After hearing you chat away during your many heart-to-hearts, baby may begin trying to imitate what you say! Reinforce their babbling—and boost their burgeoning vocab—by using a word containing the sound baby was just making. For example, if baby says "ba ba ba," show them a ball and ask, "want ball?" Keep your phrases short and simple.

Parent Tips

• Get serious about sleep hygiene. Sleep regression got you reliving newborn-days fatigue? Dealing with nighttime wakings can somehow feel even harder once you've gotten a taste of decent sleep again. If you're having trouble coping, try going to bed early rather than tackling chores or watching TV after baby goes to bed. (Easier said than done, we know!) Resist the urge to chug coffee during the day, since too much caffeine can disrupt your sleep. Also, try to stay off your phone right before bed—it can rev your brain and make it harder to doze off when your head finally hits the pillow. And if at all possible, don’t be afraid to ask for help so you can get some all-important protected sleep—the health benefits are significant.

Products You Need at 31 Weeks

• Baby bowls. A fun-shaped baby bowl (Owls! Alligators!) with a suction base will keep baby entertained and stick to the table.
• Fresh baby books. Keep encouraging baby’s speech development with new reading—and touching—material. At this stage, baby will love sensory elements like lift-the-flap and mirrors. Check out our favorite books.

Weekly Activity For Your 31-Week-Old Baby

Give baby a mini vocabulary-building session with all those new books. Flip through them together and describe what's in the pictures, using your finger to point to objects as you talk about them. You’ll be delighted when baby tries to imitate some of the sounds you make and decides to practice them over (and over and over).