Weeks and Trimesters Your Pregnancy Week by Week Guide Your Pregnancy Week by Week Guide Overview First Trimester Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Second Trimester Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 Week 18 Week 19 Week 20 Week 21 Week 22 Week 23 Week 24 Week 25 Week 26 Week 27 Third Trimester Week 28 Week 29 Week 30 Week 31 Week 32 Week 33 Week 34 Week 35 Week 36 Week 37 Week 38 Week 39 Week 40 Week 30 of Your Pregnancy By Holly Pevzner Holly Pevzner LinkedIn Twitter Holly Pevzner is an award-winning writer who specializes in health, nutrition, parenting, and family travel. Learn about our editorial process Updated on June 14, 2021 Medically reviewed by Andrea Chisholm, MD Print Verywell / Bailey Mariner Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Baby Development Symptoms Self-Care Tips Advice for Partners Doctor Visits Special Considerations Next in Your Pregnancy Week by Week Guide Week 31 of Your Pregnancy At 30 weeks pregnant, your baby is still developing, but they're focusing more and more on weight gain than in previous weeks as they prepare for birth. Meanwhile, you'll want to be sure to check in with your mental health while you juggle your to-dos, which may include pre-registering with your chosen birthplace and looking into options like cord blood banking. 30 Weeks Pregnant Is How Many Months? 7 months and 2 weeksWhich Trimester? Third trimesterHow Many Weeks to Go? 10 weeks Your Baby's Development at 30 Weeks At 30 weeks, a baby is around 10 3/4 inches (27.4 centimeters) from the top of their head to the bottom of their buttocks (known as the crown-rump length), and baby's height is about 15 1/4 inches (38.9 centimeters) from the top of their head to their heel (crown-heel length). This week, baby weighs over 3 1/4 pounds (1,523 grams). Verywell / Bailey Mariner The Best Baby Formulas of 2023 Gaining Weight By week 30, your baby's major body systems are all formed and are in the process of maturing. Now it is time for the baby to start gaining weight very quickly to prepare for life outside the womb. Hiccups and the Brain Your baby has probably been getting the hiccups for a while. But, they are especially common in the last trimester of pregnancy. Those little rhythmic movements are contractions of the respiratory muscles. Studies show that as early as 10 weeks before delivery, hiccups stimulate the brain and may play an important part in its development. Survival Outside the Womb At 30 weeks, a baby is still very preterm. However, a baby's chance of survival continues to rise and the risk of the major disabilities associated with prematurity declines. With special care in the NICU after delivery, survival at 30 weeks is as high as 98%. Explore a few of your baby's week 30 milestones in this interactive experience. Stay Calm Mom: Episode 3 Watch all episodes of our Stay Calm Mom video series and follow along as our host Tiffany Small talks to a diverse group of women and top doctors to get real answers to the biggest pregnancy questions. 5:58 How Will Pregnancy Change My Body? Your Common Symptoms This Week Along with other third-trimester symptoms like Braxton Hicks contractions, fatigue, and swelling, you may also find that yourself dealing with the return of emotional symptoms like mood swings and new physical symptoms like wrist discomfort. Mood Swings Another first-trimester symptom that may return during the third trimester is mood swings. Disrupted sleep, physical discomfort, worry/excitement about labor and parenthood, body image concerns, and many other issues can contribute to changing emotions and moods. Carpal Tunnel Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is often associated with repetitive computer work, but it’s also a common problem in pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. Up to 62% of expecting parents report symptoms of CTS. Pregnancy-related weight gain and water retention can put pressure on the median nerve in your wrist causing pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness in your hands and fingers. It can also make grasping objects difficult. Understanding Urinary Retention in Pregnancy Self-Care Tips Caring for yourself mentally and physically is important throughout pregnancy, but with the third trimester, you may find that you need a little extra support to feel your best. Caring for Your Mental Health Emotional ups-and-downs are an expected part of pregnancy and just having that knowledge may help you feel a little better. But it's also important to do what you can to support your mental and emotional well-being—for both you and your baby. Some simple things you can do to help care for your mental health include: Finding a comfortable position to get some rest at night.Eating healthy, balanced meals throughout the day.Engaging in some safe physical activity.Spending some quality time socializing your partner, family, and friends.Asking for help and support when you need it.Talking to your doctor or a mental health care provider about how you're feeling. Dealing With Carpal Tunnel Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common problem during the third trimester, which means you may want to take a break from activities that require repetitive hand movements and keep an eye on your symptoms to share with your doctor. To help quell the uncomfortable feelings associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, try to: Take a break from activities that require repetitive hand movements, such as using the computer or crafting.Splint your wrist in a neutral position to reduce pressure on the nerve. (This can be especially helpful at night since many people unknowingly sleep with their wrists bent, which causes symptoms to flare and disturb rest.)Talk to your healthcare provider about hand stretching and strengthening exercises.Speak to your healthcare provider about safe pain medication, physical therapy, or other treatments if your symptoms worsen. Your Week 30 Checklist Continue to take your prenatal vitamins, eat healthy foods, and drink plenty of water. Get a little exercise and practice those Kegel exercises. Spend some quality time with friends and family. Take breaks from repetitive hand movements. Plan your hospital route and take a test run. Advice for Partners Have you practiced your route to the hospital or birthing center yet? Do you have an alternate-route plan if needed? Now’s the time to get prepared and practice your route to the hospital or birthing center so you're prepared to make the trip when the time comes. As you consider your travel plans, be sure to learn about where to check in inside the hospital or birthing center during regular hours and after hours, as well as when it's time to head out. If you haven’t done so yet, talk to your partner and their healthcare provider about pre-registration with the hospital, which can help make the check-in process easier when the time comes. At Your Doctor’s Office During your routine prenatal exam this week, your doctor will: Take your weight and blood pressure Have you provide a urine sample Discuss your symptoms Examine your body for swelling Listen for your baby's heartbeat Measure your fundal height (which should be at approximately 30 centimeters, give or take a couple of centimeters). Answer your questions. Twins If you’re carrying twins or multiples, you are at greater risk of premature labor than your singleton pregnancy counterparts. As a result, your provider will likely monitor your pregnancy and your babies' growth more closely. You may also have some additional tests such as more frequent ultrasounds, a non-stress test, or a biophysical profile. Upcoming Doctor’s Visits At this point in pregnancy, most women see their provider for routine prenatal visits every two weeks, so your next appointment will likely be around week 32. In some situations, such as a high-risk pregnancy, your doctor may order additional testing after 32 weeks. These tests can include: Contraction stress test Fetal non-stress test (NST) Biophysical profile Modified biophysical profile Doppler of umbilical artery Special Considerations Blood from your baby's umbilical cord and placenta contains stem cells. These special blood cells can be used to treat many diseases including cancer. You have the option of having this blood collected, frozen, and stored after the birth of your baby. Cord Blood Banking There are pros and cons of collecting your baby's cord blood. The major downside for most parents is the cost. However, if you have a family member with a health issue who would benefit from your child's cord blood, it may be the right choice for you. Your healthcare provider can help you make the right decision for your family. You may choose to forgo collecting and storing your child's cord blood for your family's personal use, but hate to see the health benefits go to waste. Another option is to donate your cord blood to a public bank. Public storage banks do not charge you, and they provide the cord blood to anyone who needs it and is a match. A Word From Verywell With prenatal appointments every two weeks and more to consider as your near your expected due date, things can start to feel a little more hectic. To keep yourself organized and feeling in control, try keeping some lists like things to bring up at your next prenatal visit, things you want to accomplish, and things you can delegate to your partner or supportive friends and family. Week 31 of Your Pregnancy 15 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Oyer CE, Sung CJ, Friedman R, et al. Reference values for valve circumferences and ventricular wall thicknesses of fetal and neonatal hearts. Pediatr Dev Pathol. 2004;7(5):499-505. doi:10.1007/s10024-004-1117-6 Kiserud T, Piaggio G, Carroli G, et al. The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A multinational longitudinal study of ultrasound biometric measurements and estimated fetal weight. PLoS Med. 2017;14(3):e1002284. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002220 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy. FAQ156. April 2018. Whitehead K, Jones L, Laudiano-Dray MP, Meek J, Fabrizi L. Event-related potentials following contraction of respiratory muscles in pre-term and full-term infants. Clin Neurophysiol. 2019;130(12):2216-2221. doi:10.1016/j.clinph.2019.09.008 Manuck TA, Rice MM, Bailit JL, et al. Preterm neonatal morbidity and mortality by gestational age: A contemporary cohort. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;215(1):103.e1-103.e14. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2016.01.004 Tyrlik M, Konecny S, Kukla L. Predictors of pregnancy-related emotions. J Clin Med Res. 2013;5(2):112-20. doi:10.4021/jocmr1246e Ablove RH, Ablove TS. Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in pregnant women. WMJ. 2009;108(4):194-6. Swanson LM, Pickett SM, Flynn H, Armitage R. Relationships among depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms in perinatal women seeking mental health treatment. J Womens Health. 2011;20(4):553-8. doi:10.1089/jwh.2010.2371 Aucoin M, Bhardwaj S. Generalized anxiety disorder and hypoglycemia symptoms improved with diet modification. Case Rep Psychiatry. 2016. doi:10.1155/2016/7165425 Deslandes AC. Exercise and mental health: What did we learn in the last 20 years?. Front Psychiatry. 2014;5:66. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2014.00066 Papageorghiou AT, Ohuma EO, Gravett MG, et al. International standards for symphysis-fundal height based on serial measurements from the Fetal Growth Longitudinal Study of the INTERGROWTH-21st Project: Prospective cohort study in eight countries. BMJ. 2016;355:i5662. doi:10.1136/bmj.i5662 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Multiple Pregnancy. FAQ188. January 2019. Kilpatrick SJ, Papile LA, Macones GA. Guidelines for perinatal care. American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2017. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Practice Bulletin No. 145. Antepartum fetal surveillance. Obstet Gynecol. 2014;124:182-92. doi:10.1097/01.AOG.0000451759.90082.7b American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Umbilical cord blood banking. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 771. Obstet Gynecol. 2019;133:e249–53. doi:10.1097/aog.0000000000001212 Additional Reading Peberdy L, Young J, Massey DL, Kearney L. Parents' knowledge, awareness and attitudes of cord blood donation and banking options: an integrative review. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2018;18(1):395. doi:10.1186/s12884-018-2024-6 By Holly Pevzner Holly Pevzner is an award-winning writer who specializes in health, nutrition, parenting, and family travel. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit