Week 30 of Pregnancy

At 30 weeks pregnant, you’re probably noticing you’re becoming tired more easily. This may be especially true if you are having difficulty sleeping at night. Some women are able to experiment with different sleeping positions to help them sleep more soundly. Also at this stage, your baby has a good amount of hair on their head and eyes that open wide to begin to distinguish what they see around them. Baby is also growing fingernails and continuing to practice grabbing by holding their feet or umbilical cord. Continue reading the blog to learn more –

Pregnancy Developments and symptoms at 30 Weeks Pregnant:

  • At this stage, Leg cramps at night are common. You may find it hard to sleep because you cannot get comfortable. Try lying curled up on your side with a pillow between your legs and a cushion under your bump.
  • Itching is common in pregnancy and often gets better with self care, but sometimes it can be a symptom of a liver condition called intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), also known as obstetric cholestasis (OC).
  • Heartburn : If you’re feeling the burn, pay attention to which foods may be causing it. (Often, it’s greasy, heavy, spicy or acidic food.) Avoid them as much as you can, especially before bedtime, since this annoying 30 weeks pregnant symptom can make sleep hard to come by.
  • Swelling : A little puffiness is to be expected and will typically go down if you put your feet up for a while. Just know that sudden or severe swelling can be a sign of a problem, so keep an eye out for that.
  • Shortness of breath : Those lungs just keep getting more crowded, right? Baby is still up high near your rib cage during pregnancy at 30 weeks but should drop down into your pelvis a little later in your pregnancy—maybe as soon as week 33 or 34. You’ll know when they do, because you’ll be able to take a deep breath again.
  • Belly button changes :
    • Your belly button may be looking different now that you’re 30 weeks pregnant. In your third trimester, your expanding uterus can put enough pressure on your abdomen to push your belly button out.
    • Your belly button may also feel sensitive to the touch or uncomfortable when clothes rub against it. Some women wear looser tops or even put an adhesive bandage over their belly button in late pregnancy to avoid the sensation.
    • In very rare cases, pregnant women can develop an incarcerated umbilical hernia, which is very painful. An incarcerated hernia happens if a piece of your intestines pushes out through an opening in the tissue, bulges into your bully button, and gets stuck. The intense pain comes from the piece of intestine getting squeezed into a small space.
    • If this happens, along with pain, you’ll probably feel a hard lump next to your belly button. This can be a surgical emergency, so call your doctor if you have severe belly button pain during pregnancy.
  • Brown discharge :
    • During pregnancy, your body’s increased estrogen production leads to more vaginal discharge. Brown discharge is that color because it’s tinged with old blood, and it’s usually nothing to be worried about.
    • Your cervix is more sensitive during pregnancy, so these things can irritate it and lead to a little bleeding. As labor gets closer, you may see discharge that looks like thickened mucus and is clear, pinkish, brownish, or tinged with blood.
    • Sometimes vaginal discharge during pregnancy can signal a serious problem such as placenta previa, placental abruption, preterm labor, or an infection. Call your provider immediately if the discharge:
      • Is bright red and more than about two tablespoons
      • Comes out when you’re less than 36 weeks pregnant
      • Is green or smells bad
  • Mood swings :
    • The combination of uncomfortable symptoms, stress, and hormonal changes can result in the return of mood swings in the third trimester.
    • If your mood swings are becoming more frequent or intense, or if they last longer than two weeks, you may be battling depression during pregnancy or pregnancy anxiety.
    • Let your doctor/ healthcare provider know so you can get help during pregnancy. Research has shown that untreated emotional health problems can affect your baby’s physical well-being and increase your risk of preterm labor and postpartum depression. Both psychotherapy and medication can be very effective for treating these conditions.

Baby Development:

  • At 30 weeks pregnant, Your baby is about the size of a large cabbage. Your baby has grown to be about 15.15 inches (38.5 cm) long and weighs about 3 pounds (1.4 kg).
  • Your baby’s eyes : Your baby can open their eyes wide, and may be able to see dim shapes. By 31 weeks, the pupils are able to constrict and expand, allowing the eyes to let in more or less light.
  • Baby’s brain is getting bigger :
    • Until now, its surface was smooth — but now, your baby’s brain is taking on those characteristic grooves and indentations.
    • The reason for the different appearance: Those wrinkles allow for an increased amount of brain tissue — a necessary change as your baby prepares to develop street smarts for life outside your womb.
  • Lanugo is disappearing :
    • Now that baby’s brain and new fat cells are regulating body temperature, the lanugo — that soft, downy hair covering your little bean’s body — is beginning to disappear.
    • No need for that furry coat anymore! But you may see a few leftover strands of fur on your newborn’s back and shoulders when they’re born.
  • Bone marrow is making red blood cells : Another big change at 30 weeks pregnant: Your baby’s bone marrow has completely taken over production of red blood cells — before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells. This is an important step for your baby because it means she’ll be better able to thrive on her own once she’s born.
  • Your baby’s skin : Your baby’s skin cells are making melanin, which gives skin its color. (The more melanin cells produce, the darker the skin.) But most melanin production doesn’t happen until after birth. Your baby’s permanent skin tone will be fully developed around 6 months old.

30 Weeks Pregnant: What you should be preparing for

  • Get a prenatal massage : Prenatal massage can be a wonderful way to relax and relieve those late-pregnancy aches. It can also help reduce swelling and even improve your mood. Choose a licensed massage therapist trained in prenatal massage.
  • Consider cord blood banking :
    • Your baby’s cord blood – the blood that remains in the umbilical cord after birth – is rich in life-saving stem cells. These stem cells are used to treat diseases including some forms of cancer, sickle cell anemia, immune disorders, and more. Some parents choose to privately bank (collect and store) their baby’s cord blood for future use in case their baby or someone else in the family needs it for medical treatment.
    • You can also donate your baby’s cord blood to a public cord blood bank. (These donations are available to anyone, anywhere in the world, who needs cord blood.) It’s best to start researching and planning cord blood banking well before your baby arrives, as it takes time to find the right bank and complete the necessary steps.
  • Get vaccinated :
    • Vaccines help keep you safe from diseases and lower your risk of a bad outcome. During pregnancy, it’s important to have the flu vaccine, the RSV vaccine, and a Tdap vaccine. Pregnant women are at especially high risk for severe illness and hospitalization from the flu which is why doctors and all major health organizations urge expecting moms to get these vaccines.
    • Vaccines also help keep your baby healthy, since antibodies from vaccines pass through the placenta to your little one. This is especially important when your baby is a newborn and hasn’t had all their vaccines yet.

Conclusion

Always consult with healthcare professionals for guidance tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Enroll in our free lactation webinar to understand more about pain suffered during breastfeeding, possible causes, and solutions for the same.