30 Weeks Pregnant
What’s happening this week?
At 30 weeks pregnant, your baby’s brain is maturing and will eventually control memory, vision, emotions, thought processes, movement co-ordination, and many other functions.
Your baby can move from side to side in your uterus and follow light. Also, your baby is now capable of regulating its own body temperature, so lanugo is disappearing.
Both nails and bones are developing, as your baby builds up stores of calcium and iron. If your baby were to be born now, he would have a 9 in 10 chances of survival.
At 30 weeks pregnant, your baby weights 1.3 kg and measure around 39 cm from head to heel.
How is my body changing?
You’re 30 weeks pregnant, your uterus is about 12 cm above your navel. Your baby is running out of space, and your energy levels are seriously dropping!
Your tummy is getting in the way of everything, and chances are you can’t even see your toes!
To add to all that, third trimester symptoms are in full swing, including back pain, difficulty sleeping, restless leg syndrome, leaking breasts, Braxto-Hicks contractions and swollen feet.
So, with all this happening, no wonder you’re experiencing some wild mood swings.
At 30 weeks pregnant, you’ve gained about 21-22 pounds, which means you should try to limit your weight gain over the next 10 weeks to 10-15 pounds to stay within the recommended weight gain.
At this stage you really should start thinking about packing for hospital, both for you and your new baby. This includes some changes of clothes for you and nappies, vests and sleep suits for your baby, and a coat if it’s winter.
Signs of pre-term labour
If you go into labour at 30 weeks pregnant, it’s classed as pre-term labour.
It’s important you call you healthcare provider or your doctor if you experience change in discharge, leaking from the vagina (it may be your waters have broken), intense back pain and cramping, increasing painful and more regular contractions and pelvic pressure.
This may mean you’re going into pre-term labour.
Most of the time, doctors can stop contractions with drugs, but you’ll probably be confined to your bed for rest the remainder of your pregnancy.