Pregnancy week by week · trimester 3
🥬 30 weeks pregnant: your baby is about the size of a cabbage
At 30 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a cabbage, and the surface of their brain is becoming more folded and complex.
Your baby this week
Your baby is around 39.9cm long and about 1.32kg, roughly the size of a cabbage. The surface of their brain is folding into grooves and ridges, which gives it far more room for all the learning ahead. Your baby can open their eyes, sense changes in light through your tummy and practise breathing movements. The fine downy hair called lanugo may start to thin as fat takes over the job of keeping them warm. You will probably notice clear busy and quiet times.
You this week
Your bump may make it hard to get comfortable, whether sitting, standing or lying down. Breathlessness, aching in your back and pelvis, Braxton Hicks tightenings, heartburn and leg cramps are all common now. Some mums find walking or turning in bed uncomfortable because of pelvic girdle pain, and help is available for that. You might feel more emotional, forgetful or a bit clumsy. None of that means you are not coping; it means you are 30 weeks pregnant.
Kind things to do this week
- Use a pregnancy pillow or a few spare pillows to support your bump and back in bed.
- Keep your knees together when turning over or getting out of the car if your pelvis aches.
- Jot down who to call and what to grab when labour starts.
Appointments around now
If this is your first pregnancy, your next appointment is usually at 31 weeks.
Questions to ask your midwife
- Could I be referred to a physiotherapist for pelvic pain?
- What happens if my baby is not head down later on?
When to call your midwife or maternity unit
If your baby's movements slow down, stop or feel different to their usual pattern, contact your maternity unit straight away, day or night. Do not wait until the next day. Please also call your midwife or maternity unit if you have bleeding, fluid leaking, a severe headache, changes to your vision, sudden swelling, or itching (especially on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet). If you have regular tightenings or period-like pains before 37 weeks, call your maternity unit too.
OBubba from bump to baby
Follow your pregnancy week by week, free.
OBubba is free through pregnancy, with a weekly update, kick counting and contraction timing. On the day your baby arrives, the same app becomes your baby tracker.
Questions
How big is my baby at 30 weeks?
Around 39.9cm from head to heel and about 1.32kg, roughly the size of a cabbage.
Is pelvic pain normal at 30 weeks pregnant?
Pelvic girdle pain is common, but you do not have to just put up with it. Tell your midwife, as physiotherapy and simple changes to how you move can really help.
Not sure how far along you are? Use the due date calculator.
Sources
OBubba gives general information. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Your midwife and maternity unit are always the right people to ask, any time of day or night.