30 Weeks Pregnant - Trimester 3

BABY DEVELOPMENT

Ooh, what was that? Felt a movement that didn’t feel like their usual kicking? Your baby might have the hiccups. It can happen if they swallow a large mouthful of amniotic fluid. You can feel this as well as hear it. Should you be worried? Not at all, this could just be how they are practising their breathing movements. This week, if you are having a boy, his testes are descending into his scrotum. Your baby can now hear low frequencies of certain music or familiar voices that can trigger movements or increased heart rate, visible on ultrasound.

At 30 weeks, your baby is around the size of a cauliflower and you might start feeling (and possibly hear) them hiccup in the womb when they swallow too much amniotic fluid.

YOUR BODY

It may not feel that long ago that you greeted the first movements of your little darling with delight. Now your baby’s gymnastics can sometimes feel less than lovely: your uterus has now grown so much that when they push against your ribs with a violent movement, it can hurt. In addition to little kicks, you may also start to feel uncomfortable muscle strains if sitting or standing for too long, as your ligaments are stretching in preparation for delivery.

NUTRITION

From the beginning of your pregnancy to now, your blood volume has about doubled. This ensures proper blood flow to the placenta. Drink plenty of water to support your total blood volume, and eat foods rich in iron to support your red blood cells. Everything should even itself out after your baby is born.

TIPS

Are you finding that your legs feel sore or you think you might be developing varicose veins? Normal blood flow from your legs back to your heart are controlled with the help of one-way valves. Varicose veins can occur when these valves fail to close properly, causing blood to pool in the superficial veins.  During pregnancy, this may be happening due to the natural increase in blood volume thanks to hormonal changes and growth of the uterus. Wearing compression stockings man help ease the pain. So can putting your feet up as often as possible. Finally, try and go for a brisk walk every day. If the pain gets worse, talk to your healthcare professional.