30th week of pregnancy: The 30th week of pregnancy at a glance
Around the topic of hair, the approximately 38 centimeters tall and 1,400 grams heavy fetus in the 30th week of pregnancy has a lot to offer: while the lanugo hair recedes, his “real” scalp hair begins to sprout.
The further your pregnancy progresses, the higher the likelihood of somepregnancy symptoms. For example, heartburn or shortness of breath in the 30th week of pregnancy can severely affect you. Your uterus prepares for childbirth with so-called exercise contractions.
Index
ToggleThe development of your baby in the 30th week of pregnancy
In the 30th week of pregnancy, your child’s “real” scalp hair begins to sprout while the lanugo hair recedes. The appearance of the skin also changes. Due to the growing layer of fat, the wrinkled baby skin becomes smoother. Since there is a lack of space in the abdomen, your child has taken the so-called fetal position: on the ultrasound imageyou can see that he tightens his legs, crosses his arms and tilts his chin to the chest. Even at this point, your baby can still turn all by itself if it has not yet turned downwards. His lungs and digestive tract are almost fully developed in the 30th week of pregnancy and his chances of survival are high.
Your body in the 30th week of pregnancy
How big is the belly in the 30th week of pregnancy? Your belly has grown considerably and especially at night it can be quite disturbing andcause lack of sleep. The prone position is no longer an option and lying on your side is sometimes just as difficult as the supine position. The supine position itself should be avoided because of a possiblevena cava syndrome, which can trigger circulatory disorders. In this position, the abdomen presses directly on that maternal vena cava, which supplies the blood from the leg, pelvic and abdominal region from below to the right atrium of the heart.
You can prevent the occurrence of the syndrome not only by the lateral position, but sometimes also by a thick pillow that you place in the supine position under the back of your knees. The lateral position becomes more comfortable if you put a small pillow under the stomach and relieve him a little or place a nursing pillow lengthwise in front of the leg, which lies on the mattress. Then you can push the other leg forward a little and place it on the pillow. Apart fromtrying different sleeping positions that bring relief to sleep, a cup of tea made from hops and lemon balm also helps in equal parts. This tea has a relaxing and calming effect, but should be drunk five to six hours before bedtime.
What does a baby look like in the 30th week of pregnancy?
Questions about the 30th week of pregnancy
Are these exercise contractions (Braxton-Hicks contractions)?
As early as the20th week of pregnancy, the first contractions can occur without initiating the birth. With these pre-contractions, the uterus merely “trains” the birth. From the36th week of pregnancy,they then move the child into the optimal birthing position and prepare the cervix for opening. The first pre-contractions, which can be noticeable with a hard stomach, are hardly felt by most pregnant women. Few find them painful or unpleasant. Until the end of pregnancy, they become stronger and stronger and the intervals shorten. Sometimes there are even uterine spasms, in which the uterus contracts for a long period of time.
An opening of the cervix is not to be feared, regular contractions are necessary. However, stress and physical exertion can intensify the pre-contractions and should therefore be avoided. But only if the contractions recur regularly, they indicate an impendingpremature birthand require an immediate examination by the doctor.
What are the birthing positions?
How your child is born, you decide in the delivery room. Because whichbirth positionis the best for you, you can hardly decide in advance. You’ll notice that when the time comes. But you can understand beforehand which positions midwives recommend to support the birth in the different phases. And you can practice them a little beforehand so that you can implement your midwife’s instructions at that moment without much explanation. It is also good if your partner practices with you. So he/she knows how he/she can best support you during the birth.
Tips and hints for the 30th week of pregnancy
Common complaints during this period
From the 30th week of pregnancy, many women find pregnancy increasingly difficult. The performance is increasingly limited by the growing abdominal circumference and the uterus displaces the internal organs. Typical companions of the last few weeks areheartburn, shortness of breath, constipation, flatulence and increased urination. The connective tissue loosens further and causes the pelvic ring, or the symphysis, and the spine to slide further apart. The result: symphysis loosening and back pain. Water retention in the tissue can cause hands and feet to swell.
All these complaints have no disease value, but you should talk to your doctor about them if you suffer a lot from them – also because it is difficult for a layman to distinguish these symptoms from real signs of illness. Especially in the case of abdominal pain, it is important to rule out premature labor as the cause.
Ultrasound screening
Around the 30th week of pregnancy, the lastultrasound screeningis due. Here, attention is paid to the internal organs of your baby and their development, as well as the seat, the nature and size of the placenta and the amount of amniotic fluid are controlled.
Second visit to the dentist
The second check-up appointment with the dentist is due. Good dental hygiene is particularly important at the moment, because the pregnancy hormone progesterone causes the vessels of the gums and oral mucosa to dilate. The tissue loosens, making it easier for plaque bacteria and other pathogens to invade and cause inflammation. During this time, the dentist can gently clean the teeth of plaque and tartar.
Good sleep in the last trimester of pregnancy
So that sleep problems do not have a negative effect on your general well-being, you should make sure that you catch up on enough sleep and relax in other ways, for example with autogenic training or yoga.
Prenatal Acupuncture
Is a prenatal acupuncture an option for you? Then it is best to ask your midwife or midwife who leads your birth preparation course. The parent schools of the hospitals also offer acupuncture treatments in the last two to three weeks before birth.Learn more about prenatal acupuncture here.