Pregnancy Weeks 30 & 31
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It may be difficult to believe, but you are almost there! You're unlikely to go beyond another 9 or 10 weeks. You could have your baby in as little as 6 weeks and it would not be considered premature.
Your Pregnancy Week 30
You've made it three-quarters of the way!
What is happening with your baby at pregnancy week 30?1
- Your baby is gaining weight and adding layers of fat. This fat makes the newborn appear less wrinkled and helps to keep the baby warm after birth.
- Your baby will imitate breathing motions by regularly moving the diaphragm to prepare for breathing after delivery. Hiccups can occur in your baby, which you may notice as rhythmic spasms in your uterus.
How big is your baby?
Your baby is approximately the size of a cabbage and the weight of a big bag of muesli.2
Your Body
- You can have trouble sleeping because you can't get comfortable.3
- Try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees and a cushion beneath your belly button.
- Constipation is one of the most frequent pregnancy complaints. The digestive system is greatly slowed by pregnancy hormones.1
- Regular exercise and a diet rich in high-fiber foods such as vegetables and whole grains will help keep everything in control.
- Regular exercise and a diet rich in high-fiber foods such as vegetables and whole grains will help keep everything in control.
Your Pregnancy Week 31
What is happening with your baby when you are 31 weeks pregnant?4,5
- Your baby is quite active, moving around, sucking their fingers, and even somersaulting now and then.
- Your baby is becoming plumper and less wrinkled by the day.
- Because your baby is peeing into it, the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby is increasing.
- Outside the womb, your baby will recognize voices, so encourage your partner and any other children to chat to your bump to help them form a deep attachment.
How big is your baby?
- • Your baby is approximately the size and weight of a coconut.4
Your Body5
- By now, the milk glands in your breasts may have produced colostrum.
- Colostrum is a type of pre-milk that offers calories and nutrients to your infant for the first few days before your milk arrives (if you plan to breastfeed).
- It is thin and watery for some women. It's thick and yellowish for others.
- You can buy disposable or washable breast pads to protect your clothing if your breasts leak colostrum
Tips for Tips for making your pregnancy better
Get rid of the itch2
- Is itching skin causing you to lose your mind? Many pregnant women have itching, which can be alleviated by:
- wearing cotton clothing
- taking a cool bath.
- You'll need a crib, carrycot, or Moses basket for the first few months.4
- If you're borrowing a cot, you'll most likely require a new mattress. It should be clean and waterproof, and it should fit properly with no gaps.4
- You should not use pillows and duvets since they can cause your infant to overheat or suffocate. Instead, get a baby sleeping bag or a layer up with light blankets.4
References:
- Nemours KidsHealth. Parents: Week 30. Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/week30.prt-en.html. Last accessed at: 14.11.2021
- NHS. Start 4 life. Week-by-week guide to pregnancy. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/week-by-week/3rd-trimester/week-30/#anchor-tabs Last accessed at: 14.11.2021
- NHS You and your baby at 30 weeks pregnant. Page last reviewed: 04.10.2021. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/week-by-week/28-to-40-plus/30-weeks/ Last accessed at: 14.11.2021
- NHS. Start 4 life. Week-by-week guide to pregnancy. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/week-by-week/3rd-trimester/week-31/#anchor-tabs Last accessed at: 14.11.2021
- Nemours KidsHealth. Parents: Week 30. Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/week31.prt-en.html Last accessed at: 14.11.2021