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30 Weeks Pregnant (Fetal Age 28 Weeks)

The lanugo hair starts to disappear. Learn what's going on with you and your baby-to-be while 30 weeks pregnant.

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29 weeks pregnant

31 weeks pregnant

30 weeks pregnant you are likely to have increased at least 18.7 lb (8.5 kg) of which the baby is actually only some 18-19%. Want to know what the rest is? Read about pregnancy weight gain here.

You baby's brain is developing fast this week. Mom may be getting more and more uncomfortable as your belly grows.

Heartburn is common this week, as are mood swings. Anything you recognise?

Your Baby

Image by DeanWissing

30 weeks pregnant, your baby now weighs almost 3 pounds - that is like a head of a cabbage! And the length is about 17.7 inches. Your baby's proportions are now a newborn. Becoming so tall, this is one of the last weeks when your baby still has enough room to do a somersault in your womb.

The major development during this week is your baby's brain. Earlier, the brain was just a smooth surface. Now it is characterized by grooves and indentations. This wrinkled appearance allows for the growth of the brain tissues. The bone marrow now begins to produce red blood cells.

The toenails are now beginning to grow.

Your baby's lanugo - which are the fine, downy hairs found in the body are starting to disappear. This is also the reason why premature babies have more lanugo than the full term ones.

Lanugo serves as a furry coat to protect your baby from extreme temperature. Since there are already baby fats and the brain can now function to regulate the body's temperature, then there is no need for these hairs anymore. But a few can still be seen during childbirth.

Aside from the decreasing number of lanugo, the amniotic fluid also decreases in volume as the baby gets bigger - so she will need more space in the uterus to take up.

Your baby's eyesight continues to develop although it's not that clear yet. Even after birth, the baby can't see clearly until after two to three months. The vision then continnues to imporve throughout childhood. 30 weeks pregnant, the baby's vision vision is still 20/400 out of the normal vision, which is 20/20.

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Mom's Body

Image by Graham and Sheila

You may easily get tired and exhausted now that your baby weighs much heavier compared to the past months and especially if you have problems falling asleep.

Hormonal changes will make your ligaments more lax and the joints become looser. This is also in preparation for childbirth.

Another effect of the hormonal shifting is your mood swings. These may also be due to the uncomfortable symptoms that you are experiencing during the span of the pregnancy. These are just a normal part of pregnancy. But if you feel that the condition worsens from time to time and you can no longer handle it, then better consult your obstetrician or your psychologist, for you might be developing maternal depression.

You will still continue to have impaired circulation due to the fact that your growing uterus is continuing to put pressure on your veins and arteries.

The best position to allow better blood flow would be a left lying position when sleeping, which can aid in proper circulation to your organs and extremities.

The head of your baby is now putting pressure on your bladder, causing you to urinate more frequently. Your breast may become tender (again!) as they gear up for the production of milk.

You may notice that your heartburn is getting worse each week.

There are actually ways in which you can prevent heartburn like avoiding foods that are gastric irritants like spicy foods, fatty or fried foods, coffee, carbonated beverages, and also chocolates. Eat small yet frequent meals, and don't lie down while you are eating or right after a meal. Stress has also been associated with heartburn. So take time to relax and have frequent rest periods. You may also want to go to your health care provider if these things won't work.

Have you started to plan for the Big Event, due in about 10 or 11 weeks or so?If not, check out or articles about giving birth here.

If you are at all considering natural childbirth, I can really recommend these online birth classes. You can also read my exclusive interview with Catherine Beier, the childbirth educator who has created these classes.

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30 Weeks Pregnant Video

If seeing means believing for you; watch this video explaining the 30th week of pregnancy in pictures and words.

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Diary of a Daughter

What's it really like being 30 weeks pregnant...? Here's a true diary from a 30 weeks pregnant mom-to-be. (Me..!)

Diary Of A Daughter

This week was tough. I had to medicate twice to alleviate the contractions.

The visit to my midwife went well though, my belly (and the baby) is growing and my iron levels had increased a bit.

29 weeks pregnant

31 weeks pregnant

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References:
MayoClinic (2011), Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
Joanne Stone MD and Keith Eddleman MD (2008) The Pregnancy Bible: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Early Parenthood
Nilsson, L; Hamberger, L. (2004) A Child Is Born.
Soderberg, L. (2010) Mammapraktika. B Wahlstroms.