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At 30 weeks pregnant, you are quickly approaching the end of your pregnancy week by week. Are you ready for your baby's birth? It will be here before you know it. Your baby will be full term ( 37 to 42 weeks ) and ready to be born in only seven weeks, though some babies may arrive earlier than that.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy Week 30
Your pregnancy weight gain at 30 weeks pregnant is over 20 pounds now! As a result of your huge belly, it's no wonder that you're probably feeling exhausted. Your fatigue may also be tied to the fact that you are probably struggling with insomnia this week.
Insomnia During Pregnancy
Insomnia is very common in the last trimester of your pregnancy week by week. As your uterus continues to grow, you may find that it's difficult to sleep in a comfortable position. You may want to purchase a full-body pregnancy pillow that conforms to the shape of your growing body. Pregnancy pillows come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they may be able to give you a good night's sleep.
Heartburn in Pregnancy
During pregnancy week 30, heartburn may also contribute to your sleep problems. In the third trimester, your growing baby and uterus pushes against your stomach and intestines, which may push stomach acids back up into your esophagus.
Prevent Heartburn
Heartburn is a very uncomfortable sensation that you will want to avoid, if possible. At 30 weeks pregnant, you can try to prevent heartburn by:
- Eating smaller meals throughout the day. This helps your body digest your food more easily.
- Don't eat foods that may trigger heartburn. These include foods that are spicy, greasy, or fattening.
- Avoid lying down immediately after you eat. You may want to sit up, or take a walk, to give your body a chance to digest the food you just ate.
- Try to maintain the recommended pregnancy weight gain for your size. Extra pounds add more pressure on your abdomen, increasing your risk of heartburn.
- Avoid tight clothing, especially around your belly.
If you find heartburn unbearable, talk with your doctor. He or she may give you the green light to take a calcium carbonate heartburn reliever. Remember: do not take one before you talk with your doctor!
Baby has Regular Sleep/Wake Cycle
At 30 weeks pregnant, you may have noticed that your baby has a regular sleep-wake cycle now. There are times during the day and night when your baby is active, and other times when your baby is moving less. Once you understand your baby's movement patterns, you may want to start paying attention to them.
If you notice a decrease in your baby's movement during pregnancy week 30 or beyond, you should contact your healthcare provider right away. This may be a sign of a problem.
Start Counting Baby's Kicks
Some healthcare providers recommend that you start counting your baby's kicks in the third trimester. There are many ways to "count kicks," so you should ask your healthcare provider for instructions.
A popular way to track your baby's movements is by choosing a time of day when your baby is most active, and keeping track of how long it takes for you to feel ten distinct movements. If you don't feel ten movements within a two-hour period at 30 weeks pregnant, call your doctor right away. He or she will want to do further testing to make sure that your baby is still healthy.
Braxton Hicks Contractions at 30 Weeks Pregnant
During pregnancy week 30, you may also be feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions (false labor pains) pretty regularly. These false contractions are helping prepare your body for labor and delivery. When you experience them, you may notice that the lower part of your belly temporarily tightens and releases. As long as these contractions come and go at unusual intervals, you shouldn't worry.
Braxton-Hicks contractions will continue throughout the rest of your pregnancy week by week until you give birth to your baby.
Again, if you are concerned about anything at 30 weeks pregnant, don't hesitate to give your doctor's office a call!
At 30 weeks pregnant, your baby weighs almost 3 pounds and he or she is 15.7 inches long. According to the March of Dimes, if your baby was born premature this week, he or she has a 96 percent chance of survival.
The bridge of your baby's "button" nose is more apparent during pregnancy week 30 than in earlier weeks. The tip of your little one's nose still looks upturned now, but as your pregnancy week by week continues, your baby's face will lengthen and the tip of the nose will make a downward tilt.
The nerve cells in your baby's brain continue to mature this week. The neurons of the brain's cortex (the area of the brain that controls memory, coordinated movement, vision, emotion, and thought processes) start to develop into six distinct layers, each with specific functions, at 30 weeks pregnant.
At pregnancy week 30, your baby's brain starts to wrinkle and fold like a typical adult brain. Up until now, the surface of the brain has been very smooth.
At 30 weeks pregnant, it won't be long before your baby makes his or her grand appearance into your world. In fact, there's a small chance that your baby may arrive early.
According to the March of Dimes, in the United States, an estimated 12.8 percent of babies are born premature. Out of this 12.8 percent, only about 10 percent of these preemies are born between 28 weeks and 31 weeks.
Outlining Your Birth Plan
Fortunately, if your pregnancy has been healthy and uncomplicated, there's a good chance that your baby will be born full-term. But you should start preparing for your labor and delivery as soon as possible, just in case!
As you are thinking about your baby's arrival, you should seriously consider creating a birth plan. A birth plan is basically a written document that details how you want your baby's birth to be handled.
During pregnancy week 30, as you are thinking about what you want in a birth
plan, just remember that you won’t be able to control everything that occurs
during labor and delivery. Possible complications can happen at the last moment,
even in the most uncomplicated, low-risk pregnancies.
Some things to think about when creating your personalized birth plan at 30
weeks pregnant:
- Where do you plan to deliver your baby?
- Who will assist with the labor and deliver? (An OB/GYN, certified nurse-midwife, or family practitioner?)
- Do you want to a vaginal birth, or a planned cesarean section?
- What are your thoughts on pain medication? Or would you prefer to attempt natural methods of pain management?
- What are your feelings on an episiotomy?
- Do you have a preference on what birthing position you take?
- Are you okay with labor induction if it is necessary?
- How do you want your baby handled after he or she is born?
(Women's Healthcare Topics has created a personalized birth plan template that will give you food for thought. Our birth plan template can be found HERE.)
Discuss Your Birth Plan with Your Doctor
After you create your birth plan, you should discuss your wishes with your healthcare provider. As the two of you are going over the plan, you may realize that there are certain aspects of your birth plan that your doctor cannot honor. You should make adjustments as needed.
Remember that your personalized birth plan at pregnancy week 30 is merely a guideline of your preferences. It is not a contract and is not set in stone. You may even find that you change your mind about certain aspects as you get closer to your due date in the third trimester.
Read About Your Pregnancy Week by Week - 31 Weeks Pregnant
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