30th Week of Pregnancy: Take a tour to know more

Mom, your baby is growing. She is almost 3 pounds and still about 16 inches long. She will be piling on weight rapidly from this 30th week of pregnancy.

Changes that appear in your baby:

Your baby starts to kick. So keep a count on the number of kicks she made. Your baby’s brain develops brain cells and so her brain may have more convolutions.

The following are the body parts which are being developed during 30 weeks of pregnancy:

1. Your baby will start developing brain cells and to accommodate these cells, the brain will have more folds known as convolutions.
2. Red Blood Cells start forming in the bone marrow of the baby
3. Your baby’s bones will start to harden now though the skull bone remains soft to make delivery easier.
4. Fingers start developing. If the doctor performs an ultrasound test, the parents might observe the baby holding her foot with her tiny fingers.
5. Hair starts to develop this week. By the delivery time, the baby has a head full of hair, though this differs from every baby.

Symptoms you might experience during the 30th week of pregnancy:

1. Heartburn– Heartburn may occur due to the pregnancy hormones and the medicines that the mothers take to reduce cramps. To get rid of this problem, the mothers can try non-spicy food and food items that are digestion-friendly. Taking small meals is always preferred in this week of pregnancy.
2. Back Pain– Back pain is common in week 30 of pregnancy. As the baby is growing and her weight is increasing, the mothers feel a little heavier than before. This weight results in causing back pain in mothers. This pain can be relieved by using a pillow behind the waist. Avoid standing for a long period and that might relieve you a bit.
3. Change in Foot size– Some mothers have this change in their bodies. Their foot size changes as the baby grow and gain weight. The mother might need a bigger shoe size from now on.
4. Mood swings- Mood swings are common from the beginning of pregnancy. The mothers want some chocolates and pickles at the stage of pregnancy. But these were the good signs of pregnancy. Now here comes anxiety and depression which is common in this week of pregnancy. Consult your doctor if your depression or anxiety is interfering very much with your daily life or relationships.

Tests which are conducted during 30^th week of pregnancy:

1. Weight and blood pressure check-up
2. Measuring the Fundal height
3. Urine test
4. Ultrasound scanning in case of twin pregnancy or high-risk pregnancies to monitor fetal growth.
5. Glucose tolerance test.

Body changes observed during this week:

1. Hair growth– Due to the release of estrogen the mother might get better hair growth in her body. The hair follicles grow thicker and healthier these days. Not only the hair in your body but also in your head the growth of hair cannot be neglected. Not all mothers have the same growth during this period, but a good amount of hair grows due to the estrogen hormone.
2. Oral health– Women are more prone to oral infections during the 30th week of pregnancy. This is because bleeding gums is a common problem in pregnant mothers. If the gums bleed too much and the infection spreads rapidly, it is always recommended to consult a doctor. Do not neglect these issues.
3. Skin– The most important thing that bothers every woman is the stretch marks. These pinkish lines do not look good on any skin. Rashes and acne are common during this period. Some mothers may have a rosy glow due to the better blood circulation in her body. This is known as pregnancy glow.
4. Belly Button– As the mother’s belly widens and gains more weight, her belly button tends to pop out and appear larger.
5. Breasts– A pregnant woman’s breast becomes larger as her delivery date nears. This happens due to the activation of mammary glands. Milk starts to get produced in the mammary glands after the delivery and so to store more amount of milk.
6. Increased body temperature– Due to her high metabolism, she might have a frequent rise in body temperature and sweat lot. There is no need to worry about the high rise in body temperature. But there is an abnormal rise, it is definitely the time to consult a doctor.

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/bodily-changes-during

Follow a healthy diet:

1. Vitamin K– This is the time to eat healthily and stay healthy. Vitamin K helps to keep your baby’s bones strong. This also acts as a blood clotting factor during the delivery. Vitamin K also protects the baby from internal bleeding as babies are born with less amount of Vitamin K than adults. Grapes, dried figs, pomegranate, a handful of pine, nuts, almond are rich in vitamin K.
2. Iron– Iron is used in making extra blood for the baby as well as the mother.  Sometimes babies are born with a smaller number of red blood cells which may be life-threatening for the baby. Iron deficiency leads to anemia which is common in many mothers due to the consumption of less iron-rich foods. Beef liver, kidney beans, resins, lentils, lima, and soybeans are some iron-rich foods.

3. Calcium– Calcium is one of the most important nutrients a mother’s body needs during pregnancy. Calcium helps in building strong teeth of the baby and helps to keep the muscles moving.  Salmon, tofu, milk, orange juice, yogurt, and sardines are some calcium-rich food.

https://www.babycenter.com/0_calcium-in-your-pregnancy-diet_665.bc

Foods to avoid:

1. Organ Meat– Eating too many nutrients during pregnancy is not a good sign for both the mother and the child. Animal meat has a lot of nutrients, they are Vitamin A, iron, and Vitamin B12. Thus, a pregnant mother should limit her consumption of organ meat once a week.
2. Unpasteurized milk– Unpasteurized meat may contain harmful bacteria which is not good for a pregnant woman. It may lead to several infections and diseases to occur in the mother’s body. Thus, pasteurized milk is preferred over unpasteurized milk.
3. Alcohol– Alcohol is highly advised not to be consumed during pregnancy. This may increase the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Even a small amount of alcohol might affect the baby in the 30th week of pregnancy.
4. Caffeine- It is not recommended to consume caffeine during pregnancy because it easily into the placenta and fetus. Drinking excess caffeine also results in low birth weight of the baby.

Drugs to avoid during pregnancy:

1. Aspirin
2. Ibuprofen
3. Claravis
4. Absorica for acne
5. Lithium for bipolar disorder
6. Certain cancer chemotherapies
7. Thalidomide for skin diseases.

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/category-c-drugs#cipro-and-levofloxacin

You can definitely consult your doctor if you need the above-listed medicine urgently.

I hope this article will help you understand yourself better during your 30^th week of pregnancy.