Pregnancy Week - 30 Weeks Pregnant

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30 Weeks Pregnant - Your Pregnancy Week by Week

Pregnancy Week 30

**Please note- Your Due Date is calculated from the date of your last menstrual period, which corresponds to our Pregnancy Week by Week articles.

Week 30

Your Baby's Growth and Development
Your baby is continuing to grow and develop at 30 weeks, filling out your uterus more and more every day. You have probably noticed an arm or leg moving across your belly at one time or another. Many parents have a lot of fun playing "guess the body part" as their unborn baby moves inside the mom's belly. This game is even more interesting as your pregnancy continues week by week. A hard round lump is likely either the head or your baby's bottom, whereas a longer flat surface may be your baby's back. Your healthcare provider may be able to help you identify your baby's bumps and lumps at your next prenatal visit.

The volume of amniotic fluid in your belly will slowly start to decrease as your baby starts to take up more and more space.

Your Growth and Development
Your uterus is now about 4 inches above your belly button at pregnancy week 30. You are now in the home stretch of pregnancy, and quickly running out of room to expand!

Changes in You
You are probably starting to feel more tired by 30 weeks pregnant. This is due in part to the increasing levels of progesterone in your body and in part because you are probably having trouble getting comfortable enough to sleep at night. If you haven't already invested in a pregnancy pillow or two by now, you should. Either a Snoozer or Leachco pregnancy pillow is a great choice.

If you find you are having a difficult time shifting positions at night during pregnancy week 30 and beyond, consider investing in a set of silk sheets. Then why not splurge on a pair of silk pajamas? You'll find moving in bed and shifting positions is a lot simpler when you can easily slide across your sheets. Some women find it most comfortable to sleep in a semi-upright position. If you have a recliner available, you might try resting there for a nap or two. This may make it easier to switch from side to side, or at the very least get up after snoozing for an hour or two.

Your balance is probably quite a bit skewed by 30 weeks pregnant. This is because your pregnancy hormones have allowed your joints to loosen. Many women find that their feet go up an entire shoe size during pregnancy. This is due to these loosening joints. Most of the time if your foot grows during pregnancy, it will not go back to normal after (sorry ladies!).

Many women find that they experience mood swings once again when they enter the third trimester.

Nursing Pillows
Good Support Is A Must During Breastfeeding

Wouldn't it be great if you could turn your pregnancy pillow into a nursing support pillow after pregnancy? You can! Snoozer Pregnancy Pillows easily convert into a nursing pillow to help support your neck, shoulders, and upper back during breastfeeding sessions. This is a terrific bonus for mothers who decide to breastfeed their babies in the months following delivery.

Just as your back and legs require a little extra support during pregnancy, so do your neck and shoulders during breastfeeding. A nursing pillow is definitely a must have for all moms!
Watch our pregnancy pillows video on youtube.com.

Maternity Clothes
Crops and Capris:
Summer Can’t Live Without Items

You can’t endure an entire summer without maternity crops and capris… not if you are interested in comfort, style, and fun during the warmer months! Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look good. Let’s face it; crops and capris are some of the more popular clothing items for pregnant and non-pregnant women alike!

Most Destination Maternity crops and capris are made of stretchy fabric, so they not only feel great but they also move with you during your entire pregnancy. Go ahead, show off that belly! You earned every bit of it. If you are a hip and funky mom-to-be, why not check out the latest selections and get the hottest trends in shorts - denim, novelty, short shorts & bermuda shorts at Destination Maternity?

Pregnancy Health Tips There are many pain relief options for the laboring mother. It is important that you know your options prior to delivery, so you can make an informed decision and birth plan before you deliver. Here is a brief summary of some of the more common forms of pain relief available:

Natural Birth - Just as it sounds, natural birth means no pain relief. Most 'natural' mothers prefer to use meditation and breathing and relaxation techniques to reduce their pain during delivery. Some mothers even choose to use alternative methods of pain control including hypnosis. Many laboring women decide on a natural birth, only to find that they need some form of pain control later in the labor and delivery process. Fortunately, modern technology has afforded women a lot of safe and reliable pain control options during labor.

Analgesics and Narcotics - These medications include butorphanol, fentanyl, meperidine and nalbuphine. They are injected right into a muscle, most commonly the buttocks, or they can be delivered intravenously during labor and delivery. The duration of the effects of these medications typically range between a few minutes to few hours. Unfortunately, they can't be administered in the final stages of labor when pain is most severe, because they may pass on to the baby, causing drowsiness or depressed respiration (slowed breathing) after delivery.

Pudendal Block - This is a medication that can be injected into the vaginal wall just before delivery, and it helps block pain between the vagina and perineum (the skin between the opening of the vagina and anus). It can help relieve pain associated with an episiotomy or tear. It is short lasting, generally lasting anywhere from several minutes to an hour. A pudendal block offers only local pain relief.

Epidural - This is the most common form of pain control used during labor and delivery. It can be given during active labor or just before a c-section. The medicine is administered into your lower back, into the area surrounding your spinal column, called the "epidural space." In a traditional epidural procedure, you will receive pain medicine at a continuous stream throughout labor. If delivery is not imminent, your doctor may opt to use a combined spinal-epidural (CSE) technique for early labor pains. A CSE will relieve pain quicker than a traditional epidural; you'll feel pain relief within five minutes of administration, but it only lasts for 90 minutes. As a result, CSE is often followed with a traditional epidural infusion.

Remember that regardless of the type of pain medication you decide to use, it is your choice and your decision. The most important thing you should consider is your individual risk factors and preference during labor and delivery.

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