Your little one has grown to the size of a large cabbage.

As you reach the 30th week of pregnancy, your baby is still undergoing development, but their focus is now primarily on weight gain in preparation for birth. It’s essential to prioritize your mental health while managing your to-do list, which may include tasks such as pre-registering with your preferred birthplace and exploring cord blood banking options.

As you approach your 30th week of pregnancy, you may start to feel like your belly is the main attraction. It’s not just a challenge to find a comfortable sleeping position anymore – it seems to invite comments wherever you go. While it’s important not to take all of these remarks to heart, there are some that are worth listening to.

For instance, if someone tells you that you’re glowing, it’s worth believing them – because you are!

Pregnancy Week 30 Quick Facts

• At 30 weeks, you’re seven months pregnant
• You have 10 weeks until your due time “Calculate Your Due Date”
• This is your third trimester

Your Unborn Baby’s Size at 30 Weeks

How Big is Baby?

Your little one has grown to the size of a large cabbage, measuring 15.71 inches in length and weighing 2.91 pounds approx 1.3 kilogram.

At this stage of development, your baby is experiencing cycles of sleeping and waking. After 30 to 90 minutes of sleep, you may feel a kick as a signal that your baby is now awake and alert.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 30

 In addition to the return of common third-trimester symptoms like Braxton Hicks contractions, fatigue, and swelling, you may also experience emotional symptoms such as mood swings and new physical symptoms like wrist discomfort.

Mood Swings

Mood swings, a common first-trimester symptom, may resurface during the third trimester. A variety of factors, including disrupted sleep, physical discomfort, worry or excitement about labor and parenthood, and concerns about body image, can contribute to changing emotions and moods.

Carpal Tunnel

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), often associated with repetitive computer work, is also a frequent problem during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester. Up to 62% of expectant parents report experiencing symptoms of CTS.

Weight gain and water retention during pregnancy can place pressure on the median nerve in your wrist, resulting in pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, and difficulty grasping objects.

Shortness of breath

As your pregnancy progresses to 30 weeks, your growing baby is putting pressure on your lungs, making you feel short of breath. Your baby is still positioned high up near your rib cage, but they will eventually drop down into your pelvis, which may happen around week 33 or 34. Once your baby drops down, you’ll feel relief from the shortness of breath and be able to breathe more deeply.

Prenatal Tests and Doctor’s Appointments

Ultrasound

Assuming your pregnancy is uncomplicated, you may not undergo a 30-week ultrasound. However, if you were to have one, you would see that your fetus’s skin is becoming smoother, while their brain is becoming more wrinkled to accommodate all the essential brain tissue. At this stage, your baby is now strong enough to grasp a finger, a skill they will use after birth.

If you are 30 weeks pregnant with twins, your babies have likely been growing at the same rate as singletons so far. However, between now and week 32, their growth may slow down a bit.

Your OB may order a biophysical profile for your twins around week 30 of your pregnancy. This test combines a 30-week ultrasound and a non-stress test (NST). During the NST, sensors will be placed on your belly to measure your contractions and the babies’ heart rates. The test is designed to evaluate how the babies’ heart rates respond to movement. If both the NST and the ultrasound appear normal, your doctor will rule out fetal distress and preterm labor and ensure that your twins are developing well.

Special Considerations

The blood present in your baby’s umbilical cord and placenta contains stem cells that have the potential to treat numerous diseases, including cancer. You have the option of collecting, freezing, and storing this blood after your baby’s birth.

• Cord Blood Banking

There are advantages and disadvantages to collecting your baby’s cord blood, with the major drawback for most parents being the cost. However, if you have a family member with a medical condition that could benefit from your child’s cord blood, it may be a worthwhile investment. Your healthcare provider can assist you in determining the best course of action for your family.

If you choose not to store your child’s cord blood for your own use, there is still an opportunity to utilize its health benefits. Also you can donate the cord blood to a public bank. These banks do not charge any fees and provide the cord blood to those in need who are a match.

• Developmental Milestones

At 30 weeks, your baby is developing rapidly. They now have a good amount of hair on their head and their eyes are opening wide, allowing them to begin distinguishing the world around them. Your baby is also growing fingernails and continuing to practice grabbing by holding onto their feet or umbilical cord.

• Gaining Weight

As your baby’s major body systems are already formed and maturing by week 30, the focus now shifts to gaining weight rapidly to prepare for life outside the womb.

• Hiccups and the Brain

While your baby may have been experiencing hiccups for some time, they are more common in the last trimester of pregnancy. These rhythmic movements are contractions of the respiratory muscles and studies suggest that they stimulate the brain, playing a vital role in its development as early as 10 weeks before delivery.

Survival Outside the Womb

Although 30 weeks is still considered very preterm, a baby’s chance of survival continues to increase, and the risk of major disabilities associated with prematurity decreases. With special care in the NICU after delivery, the survival rate at 30 weeks can be as high as 98%.