I Cant Keep Calm Im 30 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is filling out fast at 30 weeks of pregnancy, meaning your bump may be popping even more now. A big part of that growth is in baby's rapidly developing brain.

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

Your Baby at Week 30

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Big changes are underway in your baby's watery world this week. At about 3 pounds and still about 16 inches long, your little chick is starting to look more like a cherub as she continues plumping up. She'll be piling on weight at the rate of about half pound a week from here on out.

Remember the lanugo — the downy blanket of body hair she's been wearing for warmth? Now that your little one's got more fat to keep her toasty, she's able to start shedding her fuzz — which means your bear will no longer be fuzzy wuzzy by the time she arrives. Other cuter pursuits on the agenda: growing thicker eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair on her head…that is unless she's destined to be a beautiful baldy.

But perhaps the biggest bulletin comes from your baby's brain, which is getting ready to kick up its capacity. Once smooth, it's now forming channels and creases, creating more brain tissue with greater surface area. Without this new topography, that neonatal noodle would become enormous, and of course, so would your baby's head. The result: 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 infant to verbal toddler to curious preschooler and beyond.

Another big change this week: baby's bone marrow has stepped up to the plate, taking over the job of producing red blood cells from the pinch hitters, the spleen and tissue groups. These red blood cells are critical because they transport oxygen and remove waste. With their help, your baby begins prepping for the future, by storing iron, calcium and phosphorus in those tiny cells.

At a Glance

Wrinkly baby brain

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

Hold on tight!

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

Do your kick counts!

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

30 weeks pregnant is how many months?

If you're 30 weeks pregnant, you're in month 7 of your pregnancy. Only 2 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information 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 baby is getting bigger every day — now she's weighing in at about 3 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

Also growing at a quick pace these days?Baby's 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 brain tissue — a necessary change as your baby prepares to develop street smarts for life outside your womb.

Lanugo is disappearing

Now that baby's brain and new fat cells are regulating body temperature, the lanugo — that soft, downy hair covering your little bean's body — is beginning to disappear.

No need for that furry coat anymore! But you may see a few leftover strands of fur on your newborn's back and shoulders when she's born.

Bone marrow is making red blood cells

Another big change at 30 weeks pregnant: Your baby's bone marrow has completely taken over production of red blood cells — before, tissue groups and then the spleen took care of producing the blood cells. This is an important step for your baby because it means she'll be better able to thrive on her own once she's born.

Your Body at Week 30

They're baaack!

You're 30 weeks pregnant — only 10 more to go! Many of the early pregnancy symptoms you thought you'd put behind you may be coming back to haunt you, at least to some extent, like the need to pee all the time because your baby's head is now pressing on your bladder, tender breasts that are gearing up for milk production, fatigue and pregnancy heartburn.

Or you may be one of the lucky ones who still feels pretty great — just remember that it's all normal, and everyone is different!

Heartburn

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

Here's why: The same pregnancy hormones that cause your body's pelvic muscles to relax so you can deliver your baby also relax the ring of muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach.

The result: Food and digestive juices can head upstream from your tummy into your chest and throat — hence, the infernal inferno. Your expanding uterus, now exerting pressure on your stomach, only fuels the fire.

So how do you 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 down while snacking or right after eating. And, of course, keep a supply of Tums or Rolaids, which also give you a healthy bonus of calcium, at popping distance.

Fortunately, once your baby is born, heartburn will be a thing of the past — at least until you try to gobble dinner during a colic marathon.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 30

Changes in fetal movement

You'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 can also expect more activity after you've eaten and (sadly!) when you're lying down. Baby's quarters are getting more cramped, though, so you may feel fewer hard kicks at this stage. Always check with your practitioner about any changes in fetal movement to be sure. Read More

Bloating and gas

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

Swollen feet and ankles

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

Constipation

Even if you managed to conquer constipation earlier in your pregnancy, you may have to contend with a return to more 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

Stretch marks

As your skin stretches to accommodate your growing belly and body, you — and up to an estimated 90 percent of the pregnant set — are probably starting to see pink, red, yellow, tan or sometimes purplish or brown streaks known as 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

Fatigue

Your second trimester get-up-and-go may have up and left now. Your growing baby is putting more demands on your body, and insomnia may be leaving you pooped during the day. Now's the time to ask for help — a skill that will come in handy after childbirth — especially while doing something strenuous. Read More

Tips for You This Week

Prop up with pillows

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

You can't completely relieve shortness of breath during pregnancy, but standing up straight can give your lungs a little, well, breathing room. At night, try sleeping in a semi-seated position on your left side, with pillows propping you up.

Opt for flats

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

Ask about episiotomies

Talk to your health care provider about episiotomies during labor. The procedure involves a surgical cut in your perineum, the muscular area between your vagina and your anus, right before delivery to enlarge your baby's exit.

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

Remember your Kegels

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

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

To give them a shot, tense the muscles around your vagina and bottom and hold, same as you would if you were trying to stop the flow of urine, working up to 10 seconds. Then slowly release and repeat. Shoot for three sets of 20 daily. Try doing them during sex too.

Combat water retention

Here's a "swell" 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 keep excessive water retention and swelling under control.

While a certain amount of pregnancy edema is to be expected when you're expecting — and represents a normal and necessary increase in body fluids — keeping the fluids flowing (as well as cutting back on your salt intake) can prevent too many from accumulating where you'd rather they didn't…like in your ankles. Support stockings can also help reduce swelling, as can soaking in epsom baths and swimming.

Check skin care products

Before you treat those fine lines on your face, read the fine print on your skin 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 fond farewell for a while — though check with your doctor to be sure.

Most practitioners will green-light products containing AHA (alpha hydroxy acid), but do ask first. And keep in mind that AHA products can make your already sun-sensitive pregnancy skin even more vulnerable to the damaging effects of the sun's rays.

Sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher is your friend, so wear it daily, even when there are more clouds than sun. Not only will you protect your skin, you'll ward off wrinkles more effectively than any cream at any price.

Choose safe sugar substitutes

Here's what you need to know about low-cal and no-cal sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners during pregnancy:

• Sucralose (Splenda), which has less of an aftertaste, appears to be safe during pregnancy, so you can sweeten your day — and your coffee or tea — with it.
• Aspartame (including Equal and NutraSweet) has experts divided. Some think it's harmless, while others think it's unsafe. Given this lack of consensus, it's 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 it's never been proven safe either. It gets to your baby through the placenta, and when it gets there, it's slow to leave. To be safe, avoid it while you're expecting, or at the very least, check with your doctor 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 "generally recognized as safe," and therefore doesn't need approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but there's no research showing that it's okay for pregnancy. Ask before using it.

Your best bet? Check with your practitioner before using any of these sugar substitutes. And just remember: When it comes to artificial sweeteners, consumption in moderation is always a good idea and you may be better off just using the real thing (sugar) in small amounts.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

• What to Expect When You're Expecting, 5th edition, Heidi Murkoff.
• WhatToExpect.com, Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy, October 2020.
• WhatToExpect.com, Are Artificial Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes Safe During Pregnancy?, May 2020.
• WhatToExpect.com, Pregnancy-Safe 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, October 2020.
• WhatToExpect.com, Postpartum Symptoms & Solutions to Get You Through, April 2020.
• WhatToExpect.com, Clumsiness During Pregnancy, October 2020.
• American Academy of Dermatology, Sunscreen FAQs, 2021.
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Pelvic Support Problems, January 2020.
• American College of Osteopathic College of Dermatology, Striae.
• Food and Drug Administration, Additional Information About High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for Use in Food in the United States, February 2018.
• Food and Drug Administration, Sugar Alcohols, March 2020.
• Food and Drug Administration, High-Intensity Sweeteners, December 2017.
• KidsHealth From Nemours, Sleeping During Pregnancy, October 2016.
• Mayo Clinic, Episiotomy: When It's Needed, When It's Not, August 2020.
• Mayo Clinic, Fetal Development: The 3rd Trimester, June 2020.
• National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Sugar Substitutes During Pregnancy, November 2014.
• National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Safety of Skin Care Products During Pregnancy, June 2011.
• National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Vitamin A Toxicity, February 2021.
• National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Fetal Development, June 2021.
• National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin K, March 2021.
• National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Striae Gravidarum: Risk Factors, Prevention, and Management, June 2017.
• The Urban Child Institute, Baby's Brain Begins Now: Conception to Age 3, 2021.

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I Cant Keep Calm Im 30 Weeks Pregnant

Source: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-30.aspx

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