You have already experienced a lot of difficulties, which are related to physical strain due to the changing body, there must have been psychological shocks as well, there were many more things. Meanwhile, it’s already 30 weeks pregnant on the calendar – a considerable age, almost as old as your belly.
But you still have to go through quite a lot ahead of you in order to take the long-awaited reward in the form of your own baby in your arms. And so that you are confident in your own abilities and know what is happening inside you, we will try to reveal the most important points about this week.
The 30th week of pregnancy: how the baby is developing
Naturally, the fetus at 30 weeks of pregnancy continues to actively develop and improve. He does not stop moving and changing positions, pushing and exploring his body. If there is a multiple pregnancy, the babies are studying each other, with one of them usually being larger and more mobile.
There is active weight gain – new fatty tissue is formed under the skin. Muscles are also strengthened. These processes somewhat reduce the activity of the baby, which is not worth worrying about. The formation of a larger layer of fatty tissue under the dermis contributes to the thickening of the skin, changing its tone. It is also worth noting that day by day there are fewer downy hairs on the body, but may begin to grow dark and fairly thick hair on the head.
In the body of the baby at 30 weeks of pregnancy, the respiratory system is actively training. The lungs make rhythmic contractions, which provokes regurgitation of amniotic fluid that was previously swallowed by the fetus. The mother can also feel these contractions inside herself in the form of rhythmic, weak tremors.
Fetal size at 30 weeks of pregnancy
The size of the fetus at 30 weeks of pregnancy depends largely on the degree of development and heredity. Approximate growth of the baby may already be 45 centimeters, but it is quite normal to consider indicators of 43 cm.
The baby’s weight at 30 weeks of pregnancy is usually over 1.5 kilograms. However, here, too, much depends on the peculiarities of intrauterine development of the fetus and hereditary factors.
30 weeks of pregnancy: feelings
In addition to the feeling that the cherished moment is relatively soon, the 30th week of pregnancy brings with it such symptoms:
- Pain in the back, lower back, pelvic organs. With painful sensations in these parts of the body a pregnant woman by this term, as a rule, already accustomed. However, there is no denying that the pain brings a lot of difficulties with movement, even sleeping sometimes becomes difficult and uncomfortable. Blame these unpleasant symptoms on the continuing growth of the uterus in 30 weeks of pregnancy, which stretches the muscles and ligaments that support it;
- Heartburn is also a result of the growing uterus, which puts excessive pressure on all intra-abdominal organs. Because of this load, gastric juice is pumped from the stomach into the esophagus, which causes such unpleasant sensations;
- Many pregnant women have shortness of breath – this is also a consequence of excess pressure on the diaphragm. Such attacks of shortness of breath can occur not only when a woman climbs stairs or walks fast, but also at more gentle loads. It is impossible to get rid of this symptom, but you can learn to move in a more measured way;
- Training contractions – at this term have managed to become commonplace. Some pregnant women began to experience these sensations a little earlier. They do not bring special discomfort, but in some cases they cause a lot of trouble. They occur mostly when a woman is very tired or thirsty;
- Itching on the skin, the presence of inflammatory processes or similar allergic reactions. Such symptoms may also be observed because the sensitivity of women’s skin is quite high. As a rule, there is no objective reason to worry, but you should reduce exposure to factors that cause such a reaction on the skin;
- Changes in vaginal discharge. A discharge in the form of mucus of a transparent or slightly white color without a pronounced unpleasant odor or any inclusions is considered normal. If there is an unpleasant odor or bloody inclusions, you should promptly consult a doctor.
Ultrasound at 30 weeks of pregnancy
It is worth remembering that an ultrasound scan may be prescribed at 30 weeks of pregnancy, which is the third obligatory screening. This study is necessary to diagnose in a timely manner possible defects in the development of the baby.
In addition, at 30 weeks of pregnancy ultrasound examination is also conducted in order to study the peculiarities of placental development. The amount of amniotic fluid and uterine-umbilical cord blood flow are also evaluated.
What happens to a mom’s body in the 30th week of pregnancy?
Now the most noticeable thing on the body of a pregnant woman is her abdomen at 30 weeks of pregnancy. As a rule, the abdomen at this term already protrudes forward and is visible to the naked eye. Because of this feature of the body, it is difficult for a woman to move around, go up/down stairs, even sit or lie down is incredibly uncomfortable. Most of the usual things (e.g. putting on shoes or picking something up off the floor) become difficult and physically demanding.
Breasts also become quite heavy and weighty, since milk production processes have begun in the body. By the way, a woman at this stage may notice that whitish fluid is oozing from her nipples – it is colostrum and it is quite normal.
Another noticeable feature of the body is an increased weight. A woman may feel as if she is inflated, but there is no feeling of lightness. This can occur because of significant swelling, and if previously swollen mainly only the extremities, now it seems that the whole body is poured.
The 30th week of pregnancy: peculiarities
The baby in the 30th week of pregnancy is already active and often declares itself, which can not fail to please the future mother. However, you should understand that at this term, early premature birth can begin. This does not happen on the spot, so to speak, there is always a number of valid reasons that are diagnosed at an early stage. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of attending routine examinations of a doctor and follow all his recommendations.
At this term, you may notice some psychological changes – for example, quite simple tasks are extremely difficult to remember. You may also feel that you are tired two, or even three times faster than usual, which causes drowsiness and apathy towards everything. Such phenomena are quite normal, as the body is trying to save maximum strength to ensure an easy birth in the not-too-distant future.
Do not be too surprised if you visit the nausea in 30 weeks of pregnancy – it may be toxicosis, if such a symptom was not observed in the early terms. However, feelings of nausea or vomiting can sometimes be a manifestation of food poisoning. To avoid this, you should eat only good quality and only fresh food.
30th week of pregnancy: what you need to discuss with your doctor
Toxicosis at 30 weeks of pregnancy, or at a later stage, is a very serious topic for you. In view of this, you should ask at your next consultation with your doctor about the dangers of late toxicosis. If you are attentive during the doctor’s consultation, it is quite possible that you will be able to avoid the manifestations of this disease.
Another question that you will be able to solve with the participation of the doctor concerns the sexual life during this period. There is no strict prohibition to have sex at any gestational period, but the question is decided on an individual basis, because the foetus develops differently in utero, and the well-being of the woman herself varies.
Pains and cramps in the abdominal area at 30 weeks of pregnancy – are they training contractions? If you have not yet experienced training contractions, you should definitely consult a specialist who will explain the nature and nature of such phenomena. If the painful sensations are tolerable, then most likely they are triggered by muscle strain, which can be reduced or eliminated by wearing a special bandage or a course of massage.
The 30th week of pregnancy: tips
If you have already taken all the necessary tests and made the obligatory ultrasound at 30 weeks of pregnancy, which your doctor prescribed, it does not mean that you can relax – there is a very important task ahead. You should begin to actively engage in self-development in the care and education of the child, and you can do it this way:
- Ask your acquaintances or even your own mother for worldly tricks, but do not turn off common sense and take note of the obvious wildcards;
- Read informative books, of which there are many today, so you will certainly be able to make a choice for yourself;
- If there is a desire, enroll in courses for young mothers – this can be done online and study in the comfort of your home, staying on maternity leave.
By the way, not all expectant mothers have gone on a well-deserved maternity leave by 30 weeks of pregnancy, especially in the absence of tangible symptoms on the previous terms. However, by this week you should think about going on maternity leave – it will benefit not only the baby, but also you.
Because of the dramatically changed body in a relatively short period of time, you may experience some nervous tension – this is quite normal. You may not like the current size of the body, stretch marks on the abdomen and chest, some swelling on the face, but do not worry too much, because it is natural. However, you should relieve the tension – you can do it in a friendly conversation, during psychological counseling, or just when talking to your loved one.
To ensure that your baby is developing normally and growing steadily, do not forget for a single day about the need to eat right. Remember that you need a lot of nutrients, which can also be supplemented with prescription food supplements. Also, drink plenty of water.
30 weeks of pregnancy: Questions and answers
30 weeks of pregnancy – how many months is it?
The 30th obstetric week of pregnancy means that there are already 205 days of life developing under your heart. In monthly terms, this term is the eighth month, which refers to the third trimester.
What does the fetus look like at 30 weeks of pregnancy?
The fetus is already quite large – its height is between 43 and 45 centimeters, and its weight can slightly exceed 1.5 kilograms. Externally, its body has become more dense, the skin is gradually smoothing out and is not as red as it was before. At this term, changes with the body are still going on, preparing the baby for an imminent birth.
30 weeks of pregnancy – how often does the lower abdomen move?
Experts consider it normal if the fetus makes 10-15 movements during 12 hours. However, at this stage the baby may be quiet for a while, which is not worth worrying about, because the resting phase is necessary for the normal development of the baby and the formation of muscle and fat tissue.
Is it possible to give birth at 30 weeks of pregnancy?
The answer is yes. Labor that occurs between 28 and 30 weeks is called early preterm birth. Naturally, it is better not to get to such situations, so you should not ignore the doctor’s recommendations.
What should be wary of at 30 weeks of pregnancy?
At this term, you should be quite seriously afraid of inflammatory processes, because they are the most frequent cause of a newborn by 30 weeks of pregnancy, that is, premature birth. Also, you should abandon active physical exertion, work stress and similar dangers by this period.
