At 30 weeks pregnant, you are just another 10 weeks away from your date. This period will come with a lot of difficulties and questions, and the best way to feel relaxed would be actually to understand what you are going through and how you can make this comfortable for yourselves.
We understand now how your main agenda would be to flip through the pages and find a good baby name. In that same haste, remember to also take a moment and understand how you can deal with anxiety and stress.
Table of Content:
- Months and Trimester || What to Expect? || Symptoms || Baby Development ||
- Baby Size and Weight || Baby Position || Activities || Diet and Exercises ||
- How To Overcome Stress || Medical Tests and Scan || Ultrasound ||
- Tips and Precautions || Checklist || Risks ||
Months and Trimester Indicating Thirty Weeks Pregnant:
The weeks are separated into three stages. The first the second and the third trimester. Week 30 is considered as being in the last of the trimesters when even the mother goes through some changes. While the second trimester was somewhat peaceful, this trimester may not be so. You are now eight months pregnant.
30 Weeks Pregnant: What to Expect?
Now she has a deep bond with her baby resting in her, and she is privileged enough to support the power to bring a new life to earth. Due to medical reasons, the entire nine months have been separated into weekly checkups and monitoring assuming the entire process to take up to 40 weeks. With the 30th week rolling in, the ultrasound this week will reveal some new developments of your fetus along with some new changes in you too.
30 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms:
1. Eating:
Now the mother’s to-do list should have more the top priority. The baby wants to grow now, wants to fill the gap between his bones and skin, and that is why this time the baby will be taking a larger bite out of the food you are eating. This is also an important time to keep your desires and pang at bay and focus on nutrition more. Whatever you consume will directly land upon his plate. Your diet should include things like salads, beans and fruits. This will help your pregnancy and food cravings both by providing you with the needed nutrients.
2. Breathlessness:
At around this time, you as a mother may feel slight shortness of breath which might increase at times, especially when you lie down. This is not a mandatory symptom even though it has been seen in quite some mothers-to-be. This is because the amniotic fluid in your uterine holding is reduced to a litre because of the growing baby inside. With less space, the baby pushes upwards into the stomach, which in turn pushes the diaphragm up. This causes less space for the lungs to expand, leading to shortness of breath. Few conditions like increases in blood pressure, palpitations, and increase sweating, women should be rushed to the hospital to avoid further complications. Occasionally breathlessness can also be due to anaemia. Regular blood work is required to monitor the blood conditions.
In reality, breathlessness during pregnancy is normal, regular exercise combined with a good diet will help to ease breathlessness.
See More: 29 Weeks Fetus Development
3. Indigestion:
This is the time when the mothers-to-be would be plagued with common home health issues. This includes irregular bowel movements or frequent urination mixed with an increased appetite. Now with pregnancy, the estrogen levels in your body are going wild, and this can be the reason for the common indigestion problem. Try to minimize the production of gastric acid by keeping your diet in check, and that should work in your favour just fine. Another way to overcome this situation is to limit your liquid intake. Caffeine content must be reduced since it will increase the production of hydrochloric acid (HCL). Proteins like dal should be avoided for dinner as they can produce gas and indigestion.
4. Itching:
With the baby bump stretching more and more the muscles in your lower abdomen and uterus stretches to their limit, and this is the reason why the skin starts to itch. This is the early stage to stretch marks. Avoid scratching as it would make things all the worse. The best way is to apply the cream on it and massage it. If that does not work, use a cold compress as it should help handle the situation a little.
5. Extreme Dizziness:
Dizziness is caused due to hormonal changes and increased activity of the body to pump blood. During the 30th week, the baby has already grown quite a more when compared to the first and second trimesters which leads to increased pressure on the blood vessel of the mother causing increased oxygen supply to the arteries and veins, which is the main factor leading to dizziness.
30 Weeks Pregnant Baby Development:
1. Brain Ahead:
The 30th week of pregnancy is considered the third trimester, which is the last trimester before the arrival of the baby. At around this time, the baby’s brain starts to develop and form into a more confined human brain shape. All this while what was just a simple smooth surface now shows the development of a wrinkled mass we call a brain. These wrinkles are called convolutions which indicate the growth of cells in the brain. With the ongoing cell formation increasing, the brain shows greater functions.
See More: 31 Weeks Pregnant
2. Skin Care:
When the fetus is first formed in the body, the ultrasound would reveal a rather skinny skeletal figure small human where the rib cage and hip girdles formed a month or so ago can be prominently identified. By the end of the 30th week, you would notice your baby bump getting heavier and heavier. This is because by now, your baby would probably weigh somewhere around 1.3 kg give or take. Most of this weight is responsible for the fat layers developing underneath the skin now. These layers would soon fill up your baby, and the crinkly saggy skin would change. Also the lanugos, the soft brown hair covering the fetus’ body and protecting it from harsh frictions are starting to wear off revealing the soft baby skin as the baby gears up to leave.
3. Gift of Vision:
By the 30th week, your baby has been granted the gift of vision already. The baby is now able to flitter eyes open and shut them. If you are lucky enough, you can catch this action on ultrasound. However the iris of the eye still due to lack of pigment has no colour, the reason why it might seem white or light in colour. The baby can now survey the area she has been housing in all this time. With time light sensitivity develops.
4. Blood Production:
At the initial stage, the baby’s blood was produced by the liver. The sole reason was the improper growth of bone marrow at the initial stage. Now in the 30th week, you will notice your baby’s bone marrow strengthening. With this, the marrow starts producing stem cells. This is one of the most important functions of the human body which the baby is now mastering. These stem cells once released get broken down into the red blood cells, which are our blood, the white blood cells which the baby develops for its own inner protection and the platelets too.
5. Breathe Free:
All this time, the baby was using the assistance of the mother to breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide, which was then released through the mother itself. The 30th week announces the proper working of the lungs and the trachea or windpipe, the reason why the baby now can breathe on its own even though with the mother’s help.
6. Position in Point:
Your baby has now taken the position and will soon push himself out of the uterus. It can be either upside down or more towards the pelvic region edged. It can also be the one where he is bent on his knees, and his chest and arms are close together.
30 Weeks Pregnant Baby Size and Weight: Baby and Belly Looks
30 weeks pregnant baby’s weight in kg is about 1.36, and its height is 38cm. Your baby is now the size of a cabbage.
30 weeks pregnant belly looks like you have stuffed a watermelon inside! It is big and surely heavy now. Your baby has now taken a larger portion of the uterus. The uterus will begin to expand underneath your rib cage of yours. This will give more space for the baby to grow. Often, you will feel like you are losing your balance.
30 Weeks Pregnant Baby Position:
Your little one has already started preparing for his/her big day. Your baby will likely be in its head-down position. The baby would have turned down and will continue to do so, further into your pelvis in some more weeks.
30th Week Activities:
In a few weeks, the most awaited day will arrive and with that that in mind, pregnant women should relax their bodies and engage themselves in physical activities and nourish the fetus with a well-balanced diet.
Pregnancy Diet and Exercises During Thirty Weeks Pregnant:
30th Week of Pregnancy Diet:
- Healthy 5: Iron, vitamin C, Folate, Omega fatty acid and vitamin D
- Indulge in foods like grains, vegetables, bananas and beans.
- Iron: Blood is something that is needed in crucial amounts for the development of your baby.
- Vitamin K nourishing food is very important since it is the clotting factor which helps in good healing after delivery. Consume more broccoli, bell peppers, Swiss chard, and parsley.
Exercise:
Squats will leave more space for your pelvic region expansion. Add that as a first on your 30th-week exercise list.
- Walking is a habit that you should not abandon even if there is a baby on the way. Taking a walk in the park always helps you de-stress.
- Pelvic stretching exercises like aqua aerobics are recommended for water-loving women. Water helps to take away the tiredness from the leg and reduces overheating.
- Exercises like Pilates, Yoga are highly recommended as these are low-impact exercises.
- Kegel exercises help increase flexibility in your vaginal area so that the delivery is less painful for you.
- Swimming or cycling can be your preferred weight-loss regime as well. It keeps you equally fit as the others on the list.
Sex During Pregnancy in the 30th Week:
There will be ups and then there will be downs, so much on your mind and constant cravings and mood swings to deal with. You will be in a bad position when it comes to sexual libido. A little intimacy will take you a long way. During the third trimester, it is recommended to control the emotions and remain cool-headed. Though hormonal changes bring out different kinds of emotions which are not predictable; this can be taken away with yoga and exercise, which helps to control all sexual desires.
How To Overcome Stress During Pregnancy:
- Try to talk to your baby and rest well as he develops in your womb. He will also recognize your voice. Nothing will make you happier.
- Regular counselling with a gynaecologist and nutritionist will not only clear things up for you but also will make it easier for you to know where you are heading.
- Keep attending your prenatal classes regularly.
- Getting involved in decorating the house for the new member’s arrival will ease the stress
- Music is an excellent key for relaxation. Listening to light music songs not only relaxes the mother but also the baby too.
Medical Tests and Scan While 30 Weeks Pregnant:
Monthly visit to the doctor for the usual baby monitoring. Ultrasound scans to check the position of the baby in the last trimester, which will reveal the kind of delivery it can be, either a normal delivery or a C-Section. The medicinal cure is highly not recommended for pain and other allergic conditions, but some of the over-the-counter medicines that do not interact when pregnant and can be safely taken are:
- Soreness- Acetaminophen. Do not indulge in ibuprofen and naproxen.
- Allergy- Antihistamines and Loratadine. Do not even bother to make use of Pseudoephedrine and decongestants like Phenylephrine since they might interact.
- Cough– Dextromethorphan.
- Constipation– Metamucil. Avoid laxatives and mineral oil.
- Heartburn– Antacids should be your friend for the 30th week.
30 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound:
It is not really needed that you have to take an ultrasound now, but when you do so, you will notice that your baby’s facial lines have developed. Sometimes, the baby’s eyes are open in the ultrasound. It is during this period that a fetal non-stress test is performed. Typically, a belt is tied around the abdomen to measure the heartbeat of the baby. Another belt is also attached to check and measure the contractions. The non-stress test will say if the baby is receiving the right amount of oxygen or not.
See More: 32 Weeks of Pregnancy Symptoms
Tips and Precautions:
- You will notice a reduction in metallic taste or food cravings. This is because your child who was once developing rapidly is now taking it slow. It is normal, however, if something unusual happens, inform your doctor.
- Applying sunscreen lotion before going out in the sun will prevent unwarranted sun exposure and damage and also will help in preventing pigmentation
- You do not want indigestion to bring you down. This is why you have to finish your dinner at least 2 hours before sleeping.
- Avoid eating heavy dinners like pasta with cheese, rice or dal.
- Early to bed and correct sleeping posture is recommended. Instead of lying down straight, which applies pressure on the spine, turning to one side with the knee slightly bent reduces pressure and oedema of the foot is also under control.
Checklists During 30 Weeks Pregnancy:
- Start to learn relaxation techniques. This will let you be more calm and relaxed. It is an absolute necessity now.
- Buy a crib and decorate it the way you like. Do not wait for D-day because we know that labour does not always take place on the specified date.
- Discuss who will stay with you during labour. Read about the kinds of anaesthesia and get to know more so that you do not freak out that day.
What Are The Risks to Face?
You are pretty safe at this point if you have followed the right diet and exercise. You are also not prone to any big risks. However, you may want to immediately report any contractions that you may experience. Before doing this, you need to understand what is a false contraction, and when should you be alarmed.
It is absolutely necessary that you find peace and the right mental state of mind is necessary to make sure you have a calm and relaxed birthing. Doing things you like will help to some extent. Talk to other mothers about their experiences.
