In this article you will be able to read about everything related to being pregnant in week 30. You'll find information about the baby's development, how the mother's body is changing and tips you might need along the way. At 30 weeks pregnant, the fetus is the size of a head of lettuce.

Baby: The fetus is starting to look like a small baby

The fetus is about 41 cm long and weighs about 1.4 kg. In terms of size and appearance, the fetus is now starting to look like a small baby.

By now, you can notice the rhythm of your baby's stomach. Maybe you can predict when they are awake or sleeping for a longer period?

Development

The child's brain is undergoing a major development this week, with individual neurons intertwining and connecting, which is an important step in the child's development.

By now, the baby may have found a part of his hand or a thumb to suck on, which you may notice after birth if the baby already seems to like sucking on the hand.

Stomach and baby growing!

In the last weeks of pregnancy, your belly will continue to grow just like the baby inside, gathering more subcutaneous fat and getting ready for life outside the womb. The fetus will double its weight in the coming weeks, so your belly will grow at a faster rate and your internal organs will have less space. It may feel heavy and a little painful when the fetus kicks you in the ribs, punches you or presses against your bladder, but it is not dangerous despite the unpleasant feeling.

Mom: Pregnant in week 30

Depending on the position of the fetus, you may start to see movements or bulges outside the belly. Depending on where your placenta is located, some people see more obvious movements outside the belly than others!

Visit to the midwife

In week 30, it should be time to visit the midwife again. During the visit, the midwife will check how you are feeling - so take the opportunity to bring up anything you need support with or want to discuss. If you have any questions, now is the time to raise them! And remember that no question is too simple, but dare to ask what you are thinking about so that your midwife can support you in the right way.

The midwife will check the growth of your uterus, your blood pressure and take a urine sample. In the final weeks before delivery, midwife visits will be more regular and you will be seen every two or three weeks depending on whether you are a first-time or repeat mother.

Although it is difficult to imagine what life with a newborn baby will be like, it can be useful to take note of how you react when your daily routine does not follow the same rhythm as before, for example, if you need to sleep during the day, have difficulty sleeping or wake up frequently at night. Think about what kind of support you think you will need from your family and partner when you feel tired or listless.

Gestational diabetes

Some regions do a so-called sugar load on all pregnant women while others do it if guidelines say it should be done, for example if there would be a risk factor for gestational diabetes.

During pregnancy, your body needs to absorb more sugar from your blood than when you're not pregnant, so if your insulin levels are too low, your blood sugar levels can become high, which can lead to gestational diabetes. Any pregnant woman can get gestational diabetes, but those who are older, hereditary or overweight are at greater risk. Ask your midwife if you are unsure about the guidelines for your region, if you have a family history of diabetes or any other concerns about gestational diabetes.

You can read about week 29 here.

You can read about week 31 here.