Your babe is filling out fast at 30 weeks of pregnancy, meaning your bump may exist popping fifty-fifty more than now. A big part of that growth is in baby'southward rapidly developing brain.

Meanwhile, you may be welcoming back a few of those early pregnancy symptoms you thought yous'd kissed good-bye at the cease of the first trimester, such as frequent urination.

Your Baby at Calendar week xxx

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Big changes are underway in your babe's watery world this week. At nigh 3 pounds and still about 16 inches long, your petty chick is starting to await more like a cherub every bit she continues plumping up. She'll be piling on weight at the rate of almost one-half pound a week from hither on out.

Recall the lanugo — the downy blanket of body hair she'southward been wearing for warmth? Now that your piffling 1's got more fat to proceed her toasty, she's able to start shedding her fuzz — which means your comport will no longer be fuzzy wuzzy past the time she arrives. Other cuter pursuits on the calendar: growing thicker eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair on her caput…that is unless she'south destined to be a beautiful baldy.

Simply maybe the biggest bulletin comes from your baby's brain, which is getting ready to boot up its capacity. Once smooth, it's now forming channels and creases, creating more than brain tissue with greater surface expanse. Without this new topography, that neonatal noodle would become enormous, and of course, so would your baby'southward caput. The event: a top-heavy baby unable to fit through the birth canal… ouch.

The creases and indentations also allow for future expansion of brain tissue that is crucial as your baby goes from helpless newborn to responsive babe to verbal toddler to curious preschooler and beyond.

Another large alter this week: baby'due south bone marrow has stepped up to the plate, taking over the task of producing red blood cells from the pinch hitters, the spleen and tissue groups. These red claret cells are critical because they transport oxygen and remove waste product. With their aid, your babe begins prepping for the time to come, by storing iron, calcium and phosphorus in those tiny cells.

At a Glance

Wrinkly infant brain

The surface of your baby's brain begins to wrinkle — the wrinkles are chosen convolutions — so that it can agree more brain cells.

Concord on tight!

Your baby's hands are now fully formed and fingernails are growing. In ultrasounds, you lot may catch baby grabbing a foot.

Do your kick counts!

Your growing baby's quarters keep getting tighter, but you lot'll even so feel movement every day. And so don't forget those kick counts!

xxx weeks pregnant is how many months?

If you're 30 weeks pregnant, you're in month vii of your pregnancy. Only 2 months left to go! Even so have questions? Here's some more data on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy.

How big is my baby at 30 weeks?

Your belly's increasing size is a definite clue that your babe is getting bigger every 24-hour interval — now she's weighing in at well-nigh iii pounds. She'll be packing on weight at a rate of roughly half a pound per week for the next seven weeks.

Baby's brain is getting bigger

As well growing at a quick pace these days?Babe'south brain. Until now, its surface was smooth — but now, your fetus' brain is taking on those characteristic grooves and indentations.

The reason for the different appearance: Those wrinkles allow for an increased amount of encephalon tissue — a necessary change every bit your baby prepares to develop street smarts for life outside your womb.

Lanugo is disappearing

At present that baby'south brain and new fat cells are regulating body temperature, the lanugo — that soft, downy pilus covering your petty edible bean's body — is offset to disappear.

No need for that furry coat anymore! Simply you lot may see a few leftover strands of fur on your newborn'southward dorsum and shoulders when she'southward born.

Bone marrow is making blood-red claret cells

Some other big change at 30 weeks significant: Your infant'south bone marrow has completely taken over production of crimson claret cells — before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells. This is an important step for your baby because information technology means she'll be better able to thrive on her own once she'southward born.

Your Body at Week 30

30 Weeks Pregnant

They're baaack!

You're thirty weeks pregnant — simply x more than to go! Many of the early on pregnancy symptoms you thought you'd put behind you may be coming back to haunt you lot, at least to some extent, like the need to pee all the time because your infant'south head is now pressing on your bladder, tender breasts that are gearing up for milk production, fatigue and pregnancy heartburn.

Or you may exist 1 of the lucky ones who nevertheless feels pretty great — just remember that information technology's all normal, and everyone is dissimilar!

Heartburn

These days you may feel as though you've got a flamethrower in your chest. Indigestion is one of the nearly common (and annoying) pregnancy ailments.

Hither's why: The same pregnancy hormones that crusade your trunk's pelvic muscles to relax so you tin can evangelize your infant also relax the band of muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach.

The upshot: Food and digestive juices can head upstream from your tummy into your chest and throat — hence, the infernal inferno. Your expanding uterus, now exerting force per unit area on your stomach, just fuels the fire.

So how do you lot spell relief? Among other things, avoid foods that can cause digestive discomfort — like spicy, fatty or fried dishes, chocolate and tomato sauce — eat smaller meals and don't lie downward while snacking or right later eating. And, of course, keep a supply of Tums or Rolaids, which too requite you a healthy bonus of calcium, at popping distance.

Fortunately, one time your baby is born, heartburn will exist a thing of the by — at least until you endeavor to gobble dinner during a colic marathon.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 30

Changes in fetal movement

Yous'll feel your baby moving every day now, sometimes with a punch or a kick — your itty-bitty boxer is getting stronger! — other times with a wiggle or stretch. You lot can also look more activity after you've eaten and (sadly!) when yous're lying down. Babe's quarters are getting more cramped, though, so you may feel fewer difficult kicks at this phase. Always cheque with your practitioner about any changes in fetal movement to be certain. Read More

Bloating and gas

As your uterus expands, it puts pressure on your rectum, which can weaken musculus control and lead to uncontrollable passing of gas. Beverage plenty of h2o to avoid constipation, which aggravates the condition. Read More

Swollen feet and ankles

Virtually 75 percent of pregnant women suffer from puffy ankles and anxiety. As well wearing comfy shoes, you tin relieve your swollen tootsies by taking breaks and putting your feet up. You deserve it! Read More

Constipation

Even if you lot managed to conquer constipation earlier in your pregnancy, you may have to contend with a return to more than sluggish bowels — thank your ever-expanding uterus, which is putting pressure on them. Remember that fluids and fiber are your friends, as are probiotics, which you can find in yogurt. Read More than

Stretch marks

Equally your peel stretches to adapt your growing belly and body, you — and up to an estimated 90 percent of the pregnant set — are probably starting to see pinkish, reddish, xanthous, tan or sometimes purplish or brownish streaks known every bit stretch marks. There's no miracle cure for stretch marks, so don't blow the bucks on expensive creams that promise to make them disappear. Creams will soothe your itchy belly, though. Read More than

Fatigue

Your second trimester get-upward-and-go may have upwards and left now. Your growing infant is putting more demands on your torso, and insomnia may be leaving y'all pooped during the day. At present's the time to enquire for help — a skill that will come in handy afterwards childbirth — especially while doing something strenuous. Read More than

Tips for You This Week

Prop upwards with pillows

Breathless? Your growing baby is pressing confronting your diaphragm. As your pregnancy progresses, you may get-go to feel winded even after minimal amounts of physical exertion.

You tin't completely save shortness of breath during pregnancy, simply standing upwardly straight can give your lungs a little, well, animate room. At night, effort sleeping in a semi-seated position on your left side, with pillows propping you upwardly.

Opt for flats

Put away the heels! Your shifting sense of gravity and loosening joints (thanks to that all-important hormone, relaxin) exit you clutzier than usual. Prevent falls by wearing flats and watching your step.

Ask about episiotomies

Talk to your wellness intendance provider near episiotomies during labor. The procedure involves a surgical cut in your perineum, the muscular surface area between your vagina and your anus, right before delivery to enlarge your baby'due south leave.

In the by, episiotomies were routine, but now, they're done much less often unless there'south a good reason. What you want to hear from your doctor: "I only perform them if absolutely necessary."

Think your Kegels

The name Kegel may be silly — at least when you say it out loud — but these pelvic floor strengthening exercises actually work wonders.

Why? A stronger pelvic floor better supports your uterus, bladder and bowels, and it tin can ease pregnancy and postpartum symptoms such as hemorrhoids and urinary incontinence. More skillful news: Kegel exercises are easy to exercise no affair where you are.

To give them a shot, tense the muscles around your vagina and bottom and concord, aforementioned as yous would if you were trying to stop the flow of urine, working up to 10 seconds. So slowly release and repeat. Shoot for 3 sets of 20 daily. Endeavour doing them during sex too.

Combat water retention

Here's a "nifty" reason to drink water: Though most people associate lots of water with water weight, the opposite is actually true. Paradoxically, drinking plenty of liquids can continue excessive water retentivity and swelling under control.

While a sure amount of pregnancy edema is to exist expected when you're expecting — and represents a normal and necessary increase in body fluids — keeping the fluids flowing (besides as cut back on your salt intake) can preclude too many from accumulating where yous'd rather they didn't…like in your ankles. Back up stockings can also assistance reduce swelling, every bit can soaking in epsom baths and swimming.

Check skin care products

Before you treat those fine lines on your face up, read the fine print on your peel care products' ingredient labels. If they contain vitamin A (retinoids) or BHA (beta hydroxy acid or salicylic acid), you might need to bid it a addicted cheerio for a while — though bank check with your doctor to be sure.

Most practitioners will dark-green-light products containing AHA (alpha hydroxy acid), but do inquire beginning. And proceed in mind that AHA products can make your already sun-sensitive pregnancy peel even more than vulnerable to the dissentious effects of the sunday's rays.

Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher is your friend, then wearable it daily, even when at that place are more clouds than sun. Not only will you protect your skin, you'll ward off wrinkles more effectively than any foam at whatever price.

Cull safe saccharide substitutes

Here's what you demand to know about lite and no-cal carbohydrate substitutes and artificial sweeteners during pregnancy:

  • Sucralose (Splenda), which has less of an aftertaste, appears to be safe during pregnancy, and then you tin can sweeten your twenty-four hours — and your coffee or tea — with it.
  • Aspartame (including Equal and NutraSweet) has experts divided. Some call back it'due south harmless, while others think information technology'south dangerous. Given this lack of consensus, it'southward probably smart not to give Equal equal billing with other sweetener options.
  • Saccharin (like Sweet 'N Low) has never been proven unsafe during pregnancy, but information technology's never been proven prophylactic either. It gets to your baby through the placenta, and when it gets in that location, it'southward slow to leave. To exist safe, avoid it while y'all're expecting, or at the very least, bank check with your doc before using it.
  • Xylitol is a sugar alcohol derived from plants that's naturally occurring in many fruits and veggies and is considered safe during pregnancy in moderate amounts.
  • Stevia (steviol glycoside) is a food additive that's "more often than not recognized every bit safe," and therefore doesn't need approval from the Food and Drug Assistants (FDA), but at that place'southward no research showing that it's okay for pregnancy. Ask before using it.

Your best bet? Bank check with your practitioner earlier using any of these carbohydrate substitutes. And just call up: When information technology comes to artificial sweeteners, consumption in moderation is always a adept idea and y'all may be amend off just using the existent affair (sugar) in minor amounts.

From the What to Expect editorial squad and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When Yous're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses simply credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic enquiry institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how nosotros keep our content authentic and up-to-engagement by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  • What to Look When Yous're Expecting, 5th edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy, Oct 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Are Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Safe During Pregnancy?, May 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Pregnancy-Safety Skin Care Guide: Ingredients to Avoid, May 2021.
  • WhatToExpect.com, What Sunscreen Is Safe During Pregnancy?, May 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Kegel Exercises: How, When and Why to Do Your Kegels During and After Pregnancy, November 2019.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Episiotomy During Labor and Delivery, May 2021.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Shortness of Breath During Pregnancy, October 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Edema (Swelling of the Ankles and Feet) During Pregnancy, Oct 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Postpartum Symptoms & Solutions to Get You Through, Apr 2020.
  • WhatToExpect.com, Clumsiness During Pregnancy, Oct 2020.
  • American Academy of Dermatology, Sunscreen FAQs, 2021.
  • American Higher of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Pelvic Support Bug, January 2020.
  • American College of Osteopathic College of Dermatology, Striae.
  • Food and Drug Administration, Boosted Information About High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for Use in Food in the Us, February 2018.
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  • Mayo Clinic, Episiotomy: When It's Needed, When It'south Non, August 2020.
  • Mayo Clinic, Fetal Development: The 3rd Trimester, June 2020.
  • National Institutes of Wellness, National Library of Medicine, Carbohydrate Substitutes During Pregnancy, November 2014.
  • National Institutes of Wellness, National Library of Medicine, Safety of Skin Care Products During Pregnancy, June 2011.
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  • National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin K, March 2021.
  • National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Striae Gravidarum: Hazard Factors, Prevention, and Management, June 2017.
  • The Urban Child Institute, Babe'southward Brain Begins Now: Conception to Age 3, 2021.

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