Baby's Growth and Development When You're 30 Weeks Pregnant
During this 30th week of pregnancy, your baby continues to steadily add weight and important, insulating layers of fat to his body.
- At 30 weeks of pregnancy, your baby weighs about 3 pounds and is about 10½ inches long from crown to rump, or about the length of a bunch of celery. (His legs and feet increase this measurement by many more inches.)
- From this week until week 37 of pregnancy, your baby gains an impressive half a pound a week!
- Your baby might be practicing breathing movements as he rhythmically moves his diaphragm. You even might notice a slight twitching in your abdomen when this happens.
- Your baby's brain continues to expand and develop, creating additional grooves and folds in the brain's surface. These wrinkles give your baby's brain tissue the needed room to expand as he develops and learns throughout his lifetime.
- Your baby's brain can now regulate his temperature, so he begins to lose the lanugo — fine hair that has been covering his body for warmth.
Your Changing Body When You're 30 Weeks Pregnant
By the 30th week of pregnancy, that 2nd-trimester energy already might seem long gone. You might feel tired as your body carries extra baby weight and your ever-expanding uterus places additional pressure on your body's other organs and systems. Also during your 30th week of pregnancy:
- Your uterus continues to expand to the bottom of your rib cage.
- Hormones continue to soften and loosen connective tissues in your body as it prepares for childbirth. You might notice hip pain, probably on just one side, as well as lower-back pain from your growing uterus.
- It's all in the wrist! With swelling and additional baby weight, sometimes the nerves in your wrist might become temporarily compressed.
- If you notice numbness, tingling, or even pain in your hands, you might have carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects 25% of pregnant women.
- These effects should disappear after your baby is born.
- Your doctor might suggest a special wrist splint if your symptoms cause you trouble.
- Numbing or tingling in other places? When you’re 30 weeks pregnant, your growing uterus might press on nerves connecting to your legs or arms, causing legs, toes, or entire arms to tingle. This is normal for some women and will disappear after your baby's birth.
- Short of breath? This is normal for women when you’re 30 weeks pregnant and through the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Your expanding uterus is pushing your diaphragm out of place.
- You might feel as if you can't get enough air, which can be uncomfortable.
- But, remember, with your body's progesterone boost, you are breathing deeply and taking in more air with each breath than before you were pregnant.
- Tips for better breathing during your 30th week of pregnancy (and beyond!):
- Take it slow. When you move slowly your lungs don't have to work so hard.
- Need some breathing room? Good posture is key. Sitting up straight gives your cramped lungs more room to expand.
- Sleeping propped up also gives your lungs more space.
Wellness and Nutrition When You're 30 Weeks Pregnant
When you’re 30 weeks pregnant, your days become filled with preparations for your baby's arrival. And you might find yourself with less and less time for menu planning or routine exercise. During your 30th week of pregnancy, try these tips:
- Little changes now can go a long way later! If you've found yourself reaching for convenience foods, work in these healthy substitutes:
- Substitute a bag of crunchy chips for prepackaged, crisp baby carrots.
- Replace fried chicken with tastefully seasoned grilled chicken.
- Exchange salty chips or pretzels for a handful of tasty almonds, cashews, or your favorite protein-packed nut.
- Satisfy your taste for an ice cream sundae with frozen yogurt topped with fruit.
- During your 30th week of pregnancy, you might want to break up exercise into several 10- or even 5-minute sessions. You might find small segments of exercise easiest on your body … and your busy schedule … at this time of your pregnancy.
- Exercise is still best for countering many of those late-pregnancy symptoms and pains, and will help you lose baby weight more quickly.
- Low-impact choices in pilates or yoga might help you stop and relax, which can help mind as well as body! Just be sure to limit any time on your back, as this can restrict blood flow to your baby.
- Gentle stretches might be particularly useful in your exercise routine right now. Be sure to take it slow and easy on pregnancy-loosened joints and ligaments.