It’s now week 30 of your pregnancy and that means that you have begun your 8th month. Only 11 weeks left! It’s amazing how quickly it has gone by. There is no doubt that you have a melon for a tummy now and it’s much more difficult now to do things like tie your shoes. You are certainly aware of your baby at every move these days.
Your Baby this Week
Your baby is now around the size of a squash at about 40cm (16 inches) long and weighing in at between 1.1 to 1.7kg (2.5 to 3.8lbs).
Week 30 also means that your baby is urinating close to a half a litre into the amniotic fluid each day. For male babies, week 30 means that the testicles are fully positioned. For females, the clitoris makes its appearance. In an ultrasound, the clitoris will look rather large. This is because the labia, which are the folds of skin around the clitoris, are not yet developed.
Your baby’s head continues to grow and will do so until birth. Her lanugo (the hair that grows all over her body) is starting to shed now that she has enough body fat to help regulate her temperature. Your baby’s eyes are opening and closing and she is even looking around. Her bones are continuing to harden and are now responsible for creating red blood cells.
Your Body this Week
By week 30, most women find that they are getting very restless. Although you may love being pregnant, you are anxious to get it over with. You can’t wait till the day comes when you hear your precious little baby cry. You long for the time when you first get to hold her in your arms and kiss her. During these last months, it’s a good idea to try to finish up all the projects that have been started in preparation for the baby. It’s also a very good time for you and your partner to take some time out for yourselves. After all, it’s going to be a long time before you are able to do it again.
As for symptoms of week 30, you are probably still having back aches if you had them previously. You could also notice constipation this week. Just like gas, constipation is caused from the increased level of progesterone in your body. The progesterone makes the digestive system work slower. Combine that with the added weight of the uterus pressing down against the intestines, and you get constipation.
It’s recommended that you drink plenty of fluid and get some sort of exercise each day to help prevent constipation. Eat foods that are high in fibre. Vegetables and whole grain foods are a good source. If your constipation is severe or causes a lot of pain, talk to your doctor. There are some over the counter stool softeners that are safe to take during pregnancy.
You could also notice the onset of swelling this week. A certain amount of swelling is normal during the later stages of pregnancy; however, if you notice that you have swelled up overnight, get to your doctor right away as this could be a sign of high blood pressure or preeclampsia.