Louise Broadbridge
Louise Broadbridge
Pregnancy Week 30

Pregnancy Week 30

You’ve reached week 30, which is three quarters of the way through your pregnancy. Sleep may well be challenging at this stage, partly because it is tricky to get comfortable and partly as there are plenty of things conspiring to keep you awake including leg cramps, a weak bladder and an active baby.

You may also find you are having some vivid dreams, which can be quite unsettling especially if they centre on giving birth. Don’t worry though, dreams are just your brain’s way of processing your thoughts and worries and definitely not a prediction of future events. 

Your hormones play a part in making the dreams seem more strange and vivid than usual too. Sharing your dreams with someone you trust and talking them through can make you feel much better about them and may even give you something to giggle about later.

You may start to notice that you are itching quite a bit – especially on your tummy.  This is due to the skin stretching as your baby grows.  

If you find the itching is really severe or affects your hands and feet, particularly at night, let your midwife know as soon as possible. This is because itching is one of the symptoms of obstetric cholestasis, a serious liver issue which can develop in pregnancy, usually after 28 weeks.

What is my baby like at 30 weeks?

Measuring around 40cm from head to heel, your baby is a similar size to a cabbage. And they will be spending their time getting bigger and heavier, ready to meet the big wide world.

Your baby’s eyes have been busy developing, ready for them to get a first glimpse at your face. Their eyes can now focus, although they won’t be able to see far and even at birth, they will only be able to see things which are around 20 to 25cm away. Their vision will continue to improve even after they are born and when your little one is around three months, they will be able to start following moving objects with their eyes.

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