Pregnancy at week 30

Your baby

Your baby is now laying down fat stores, which makes them look plumper and smooths out the wrinkles in their skin, preparing for life outside of your uterus. The fine hair, known as lanugo, that was covering their body is now disappearing and more hair is growing on their head. By now, their toenails have developed.

Their reflexes are also developing, and they may be sucking their thumb or fingers. Sometimes this may be spotted during an ultrasound.

Remember to keep an eye on your baby’s movements. This is an important signal that they are well. At any stage of your pregnancy, if you are concerned about your baby's movements, contact your midwife or doctor immediately.

Your body

As you gain weight and your baby grows, your ligaments are stretching and you might find it quite uncomfortable to sit in some positions or stand for a long time.

Many women develop backache during the third trimester. It’s important to have good posture and do gentle exercise. You may also want to consider wearing flat shoes from now on. You can support your back with a cushion when you’re sitting and may find wearing a maternity support belt helps. Take extra care with lifting.

You have twice the normal amount of blood in your body now. Your doctor or midwife will take your blood pressure at every visit. About 1 in 10 women develops high blood pressure while they are pregnant. Many women won’t have any symptoms, which is one of the reasons it is very important to attend your routine antenatal appointments. High blood pressure can also be a sign of pre-eclampsia, which is a more serious pregnancy condition.

Things to remember

Even if you’re feeling tired and uncomfortable, it’s still important to exercise. It will give you more energy and help you to stay fit in preparation for labour and birth.

As your shape changes and your ligaments relax, your balance may be affected and you may be at higher risk of injury. In the third trimester, it’s best to choose gentle exercises like walking, swimming or stationary cycling. Try to avoid activities on your back, or high impact jumping and bouncing exercises, since these can put more strain on your pelvic floor muscles.

Try also to exercise on most days of the week — up to about 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every 7 days. Talk to your doctor about what level of exercise is safe for you.

Resources and support

Speak to your doctor, midwife or obstetrician if you have questions about your pregnancy.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby also has more information on:

• maternity care in Australia
• having a healthy pregnancy
• exploring the anatomy of pregnancy and birth
• checkups, screenings, scans and tests you can have during your pregnancy
• common conditions you might experience during your pregnancy
• looking after your mental health and wellbeing

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.