In this article, you can read all about pregnancy in week 30. You’ll get information about your baby’s development, changes in your body, and useful tips for this stage of the journey.

Baby: The foetus is approximately 41 cm long and weighs approximately 1.4 kilograms: when it comes to size and appearance, the foetus is now starting to look like a small baby 👶

At this point, you can notice your baby’s rhythm in your belly, maybe you can guess when they are awake or asleep for a long time?

Development

The baby’s brain is undergoing major developments this week; involving the individual nerve cells binding together, which is an important step in the child’s development.

The baby may have now found a part of their hand or a thumb to suck on, which you can see after birth if the baby already seems to enjoy sucking on their hand.

Your belly and baby are growing!

During the final weeks of pregnancy, your belly will continue to grow just like the baby inside it, accumulating more subcutaneous fat and getting ready for life outside the womb. The foetus will double its weight in the coming weeks, so your stomach will grow at a faster rate and your internal organs will have less space. It may feel heavy and be a little painful when the foetus kicks you in the ribs, hits or pushes against your bladder, but it is not dangerous despite the unpleasant feeling.

Mother: Depending on where the foetus is, you might be able to start seeing movements or bulges on the outside of the belly? 

Depending on where your placenta is located, some people see more clear movements outside the abdomen than others!

Visiting the midwife

In week 30, it should be time to visit the midwife again. During the visit, the midwife will check how you are doing – so take the opportunity to bring up things you need support with. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them! And remember that no question is too simple, but dare to ask what you are thinking about so that your midwife can support you in the right way.

The midwife will check how your uterus is growing, your blood pressure and take a urine sample. During the last weeks until the birth, the midwife visits will take place more regularly and you will be seen every two or every three weeks, depending on whether you are a first-time mother or a new mother. If you have chosen a private midwife you visits will be more frequent, normally weekly from 36 weeks.

Although it is difficult to imagine what life with a newborn baby will be like, it can be good to note how you react when the day does not follow the same rhythm as before; for example if you need to sleep during the day, have difficulty sleeping or wake up often at night. Think about what kind of support you think you will need from your family and partner when you feel tired or down.

Gestational Diabetes

Some hospital trusts do a GTT (glucose tolerence test) on all pregnant women, while others do it if guidelines say it should be done, for example if there is a risk factor for gestational diabetes.

During pregnancy, the body needs to absorb more sugar from the blood than when you are not pregnant, therefore the blood sugar level can become high if the insulin is not enough, which can lead to gestational diabetes. All pregnant women can get gestational diabetes, but those with increasing age, heredity or obesity are at greater risk. Ask your midwife if you are unsure about the guidelines for your particular trust, or if you have diabetes in your family or other concerns about gestational diabetes.

Partner: 10 weeks left until your due date 😍

Is your partner planning to breastfeed?

Your partner may come to you asking whether she should breastfeed your baby. Keep in mind that you probably have a big influence on your partner’s decisions and you are the one she will turn to when things get tough. Try to be as supportive as you can in this and talk about the options available together.

It is a good idea for both of you to learn about breast milk, how it is produced and regulated, how your baby signals comfort/hunger/fatigue and what the process of breastfeeding involves. A newborn eats approximately 8-12 times per day for an average of 40 minutes per breastfeeding session – this alone is a full-time job for the mother. So, it is important that she has your support.

Tell your partner that you would like to talk to your midwife or attend a breastfeeding class to learn more about breastfeeding and help her make the decision that seems best. And most importantly: support your partner whether she chooses to breastfeed or bottle feed.