Pregnancy – Week 30

In Week 30 your movements will be slower and you will feel larger and somewhat clumsier. To prevent backache, it’s important to try to maintain good posture. At this stage you might have problems sleeping and become breathless when you walk too fast or climb stairs.

Mum

You should be gaining about 500 grams (1 pound) a week now as your fetus, placenta and uterus continue to get bigger with 10 weeks still to go. You may be feeling more discomfort in your pelvis and abdomen as your baby continues to push on your ribs.

As your uterus presses against your diaphragm, you may feel breathless as if you can’t get enough air. You will breath a lot easier again when baby’s head moves down into your pelvis (around 34 weeks) placing himself in the right birth position.

You may also suffer from sleeplessness as finding a comfortable position will continue to be difficult.

Bub

Now around 40cm long (close to 16 inches) and 1.5kg (3.3 pounds), baby’s head is around 8cm (3.5 inches) in diameter and his feet are nearly 6cm long (2.5 inches). Bub controls his own body temperature and his wrinkled skin is becoming smoother now because he’s getting fatter.

He is starting to store iron, calcium and phosphorus. Eyelashes and eyebrows are now fully developed with the hair on the head becoming thicker. His head and body are now proportioned like a newborn with fully formed hands, growing fingernails and eyelids opening and closing.

The umbilical cord has been bub’s lifeline to mum for several months now. Nourishment is transferred from the mothers blood, through the placenta, and into the umbilical cord to the fetus.

His bone marrow is now responsible for red cell production. These red blood cells will continue to service his body by transporting oxygen and removing the wastes.

Tips

The membranes around baby containing the amniotic fluid are called the bag of waters. They usually break just before the onset of labour. If this bag of waters breaks prematurely, it increases your risk of infection and you should call your health care professional right away.