Thirty Weeks Pregnant: Week By Week Pregnancy

You are thirty weeks pregnant now. Over the next few weeks we are going to be discussing child birth methods. Some of you may want to have a natural childbirth and others may want to have as little pain as possible during labor. Don’t worry we won’t leave any of you out. We will be covering the popular natural childbirth methods during this week’s newsletter but for you gals that are just not interested in going natural, we will have some other tips in upcoming newsletters. We are going to give you an overview of the Lamaze method, Bradley method, and Hypnobirthing. There are several other childbirth methods out there that you can look into. Many of the other methods are variations of the three methods which we will be discussing. You can talk to your doctor to find out what other types of childbirth classes are available in your area.

Baby’s Development

The baby should weigh approximately 3 pounds and will measure about 14 to 17 inches in length. You will start to notice that the baby will have a clearer sleeping pattern. The baby will start sleeping in cycles that will match their sleeping patterns after they are born. The baby has grown so big that there is very little room in the uterus. The baby will not be moving around so much and when the baby isn’t moving they could be in the sitting position. This will prepare the baby for birth.

The baby’s brain is developing at a fast rate. The brain will start training the eyes for opening and closing and the lungs are trained for breathing. The baby has fully grown eyelashes and eyebrows. The baby is still gaining baby fat to help prepare for birth. The baby has fully developed their digestive tracts and the lungs are mature.

Changes In Your Body

By pregnancy week 30 your uterus climbs to about 4 inches above your belly. You are entering the home stretch of your pregnancy, with just 10 weeks (or less) to go!

Many women start experiencing a lot of fatigue around 30 weeks pregnant, in part due to increasing levels of progesterone circulating throughout their body. This is perfectly normal. You may also have more trouble getting comfortable at night. If you haven’t already I suggest investing in a body pillow or two. In fact, I had two body pillows during pregnancy, so I could roll from one side to the other without hassle.

One of the best brands of pregnancy pillows I found helpful while pregnant were full body pregnancy pillows, including the Snoozer Full Body Pregnancy Pillow. This pregnancy pillow is so much more than JUST a pillow. Three years after having my baby I still use a full body pillow. These remarkable pillows help align your back. You can easily shift into a fetal-lying position and tuck parts of your pillow between your legs. You can almost lie on your back if you position your pregnancy pillow just right during pregnancy, even during the last trimester. So buy one, buy two…

know that seems a bit excessive, but my husband gladly uses one now. Don’t knock what you haven’t tried. Other ways of helping you remain comfortable at night? I found wearing silky pajamas helped me “glide” across the sheets a little easier.

Many women find sleeping is easiest when they try a semi-reclined or semi-upright position at night. In fact, if you have a recliner and are having trouble sleeping, you might try just snuggling up to your recliner. If nothing else it helps to alleviate heartburn (a common problem in the early evening during later pregnancy).

Pain Relief During Labor And Delivery

Around30 weeks pregnant you might start thinking more and more about your pain relief choices during labor and delivery. You have a wealth of selections available to you.

Natural Birth

For the brave, you can elect to give birth to your baby without any pain relief. There are many natural techniques you can employ to help facilitate a smooth labor and delivery. Breathing and medication, even hypnosis are helpful for some women who want to deliver naturally.

Analgesics And Narcotics

These are medicines your doctor can give you through an IV during delivery. They offer temporary relief for pain but can’t be administered during the last stages of labor when your pain is often the worst (because they can have effects on your baby).

Pudendal Block

This is a medication that can be injected into the vaginal wall just before delivery, and it helps block pain between the vagina and perineum (the skin between the opening of the vagina and anus). It can help relieve pain associated with an episiotomy or tear. It is short lasting, generally lasting anywhere from several minutes to an hour. A pudendal block offers only local pain relief.

Epidural

This is a common form of pain medication used by many women during delivery. A doctor will inject some anesthetic combined with a narcotic agent into your lower back in the open space called the dura. This usually takes effect in about 20 minutes and provides lasting pain relief through delivery for most women.

Tips/Advice
Try to make a lost of everything that has to be done. Now is the time to get them done, if you are going to help. You should be planning a baby shower or a party to await the arrival of your newborn baby. It is also important to keep all of your doctor’s appointment and make sure that if you have any questions that you ask your doctor. There is no question that is silly or trivial when it comes to your pregnancy.

Stay on track with your vitamins and continue on eating a balanced meal. Don’t put too much emphasis on your weight gain. If your doctor were concerned about it, he would have told you to be more careful. It is so important in these last months that you take care of yourself. If you are still working it may be time to start cutting back. Talk to your doctor and your boss and see what the best arrangement would be for everyone.