30 weeks pregnant

What to expect this week

What's happening in week 30

Week thirty and the countdown begins. Your baby will be here very soon!

Your baby at week 30

Your baby is fully developed, but there is still some fine tuning going on as the final pieces of the intricate baby-making jigsaw are put in place!
Your baby will measure around 39cm in length now, weighing around 3lbs and is continuing to put on weight. Should you go into premature labour, your baby would be taken to a special care baby unit, but they would have an extremely good chance of survival.
Their little lungs are not quite mature enough to support them in the outside world at this stage, and their brain is changing appearance wise, taking on the grooves and ridges that make it look the same as an adults'. These wrinkles will increase to provide more space for brain tissue to grow and develop.
The Lanugo hair will start to disappear as the new brain cells and fat help to regulate the body temperature for the remaining weeks in the womb. Their bone marrow is also starting to produce red blood cells ready for development and growth after birth.
Your baby’s digestive tract is now almost fully developed and will soon be ready for mouth feeding after birth.
It’s likely that if they aren’t already your baby will begin to move head downward and into the ‘engaged’ position. There’s around a litre of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby, but this will decrease as they continue to grow into the final weeks.

You at 30 weeks pregnant

The big question for this week is have you packed your hospital bag? Now's the time to start thinking about getting organised for when you go into labour. Getting all the bits and pieces you need for your bag now will save you having to endure the shops in the last few weeks of pregnancy (which are reserved for feet-up style relaxing before 18 years of mummy-hood begins!).
Your hospital bag needs to contain all the things you will need for the duration of your stay, so the items you might want in labour, such as lip balm, a comfy over sized t-shirt, your TENS machine and clothes and toiletries for after the birth. You'll also need to pack for your baby too, and choose what little outfit you want to dress them in after delivery, and their going home clothes! One of the best bits of pre-baby prep!

What to think about in week 30

With the end nearly in sight, it could be nice to start planning a few little treats just for yourself before your baby is born.
Getting your hair cut so it's in a nice easy to maintain style, or going for a pedicure (unless you are one of the lucky ones who can still reach her own toes!) could be nice ways to grab a bit of 'me time' before baby arrives. Or you could just have some girlfriends over for some pampering and get them to sort your tootsies out!
Some spas offer specific packages for mums-to-be if you are after the ultimate in indulgence – particularly lovely if someone has offered to treat you!