Pregnancy › Week by Week › Week 30
At 30 weeks your baby is about the size of a large cabbage, and has reached the three quarter mark with a brain that is busy adding the folds it needs for all the work ahead.
Size
A large cabbage
head to heel
Length
15.7 in
about 39.9 cm
Weight
3.0 lb
about 1360 g
Your baby at 30 weeks
The brain is developing its grooves and folds, and your baby is taking over more of its own body maintenance.
At 30 weeks your baby is looking more and more like the newborn you will meet. The systems built earlier are refining and taking on more of their own work, and the finishing touches are well underway.
Brain and nervous system. Until recently your baby’s brain surface was fairly smooth. Now it is developing the characteristic grooves and folds that let it pack in far more tissue, which supports faster learning and more control over the body. Nerve connections are multiplying quickly, and the brain is steadily taking charge of things like temperature.
Blood and marrow. A quiet but important handover is happening inside. Your baby’s bone marrow has now fully taken over the job of making red blood cells, a task that earlier belonged to other tissues. This is part of getting the body ready to run independently after birth.
Skin and hair. The soft downy hair called lanugo that has covered your baby’s skin is starting to shed as more insulating fat builds up underneath. Some babies keep a little lanugo at birth, especially on the shoulders and back, which is completely normal and disappears on its own.
How big is your baby at 30 weeks?
About 15.7 inches (39.9 cm) head to heel and around 3 pounds (1360 g).
Your baby is measured head to heel now that the legs are stretched out. Growth is steady from here, with weight climbing week by week, and a lot of the coming weeks is about laying down the fat that will round out those newborn cheeks and help with temperature control after birth.
Your body at 30 weeks
Fatigue and breathlessness are common as your uterus reaches your ribs, and sleep can get harder to come by.
By 30 weeks the top of your uterus is up near your ribcage, which leaves less room for your lungs to fully expand, so you may feel out of breath doing things that were easy a month ago. This is normal, and slowing down and sitting up tall to give your lungs room both help. That crowding, along with a busy baby and frequent bathroom trips, is also why sleep gets more broken around now.
Mood can shift more this trimester too. Tiredness, disrupted sleep, hormones, and the very real weight of a big life change all stack up, and it is normal to swing between excitement and being overwhelmed. You may also start to notice Braxton Hicks contractions, the painless tightenings that come and go as your uterus practices, which are your body rehearsing rather than a sign that labor is near.
What is normal, and when to call your provider
Occasional tightenings and third trimester aches are normal, but call your doctor or midwife the same day, or go in, if you have any of these:
- A clear drop in your baby’s movement, or a pattern that feels off to you, movement counts matter now, so call the same day rather than waiting
- Any vaginal bleeding
- A severe headache, changes in your vision, or sudden swelling of your face or hands, which can be signs of preeclampsia
- A gush or a steady leak of fluid, which can mean your waters have broken
- Regular painful contractions before 37 weeks, which can be a sign of preterm labor
- A fever over 100.4°F (38°C)
Your week 30 checklist
- Keep counting kicks to learn your baby’s usual movement pattern, and call if it changes
- Keep taking your prenatal vitamin and eat well through the tiredness
- Set up a safe sleep space, a bassinet keeps baby close for the early months
- Look into a baby monitor so you can rest a little easier once baby arrives
- Protect your sleep where you can, plan your leave and budget, and enjoy planning and decorating the nursery
Appointments and tests around 30 weeks
Prenatal visits are usually every two weeks now, with the same routine checks each time.
Your appointments have most likely moved to every two weeks. At each visit your provider checks your blood pressure, weight, and urine, measures your fundal height to track your baby’s growth, and listens to the heartbeat. They will ask about your baby’s movements and about any swelling or headaches, which is one of the ways they keep an eye out for preeclampsia. This is a natural point to start talking about your birth preferences and to ask about childbirth or feeding classes if you are interested. If anything about your growth or fluid raises a question, your provider may arrange an extra ultrasound.
A few things worth having on hand now
A note for your partner
Sleep is getting harder for the person carrying, so anything that protects their rest is a real gift right now, taking the early wake ups with the dog, handling a late errand, or simply keeping the room cool and calm at night. This is also a nice week to help set up the nursery together. Building the bassinet or hanging something on the wall makes the whole thing feel closer, and it is a good excuse to talk about names and plans.
You are not alone this week
Thirty weeks is a milestone worth marking, three quarters of the way there. If your moods are all over the place and you are more tired than you expected to be this far along, you are in very normal company. Be gentle with yourself, lean on the people around you, and let the joyful parts, the nursery, the kicks, the planning, be as big as you want them to be.
30 weeks pregnant, common questions
What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
They are painless, irregular tightenings of your uterus that come and go, often described as your bump going hard for a moment and then softening. They are your body practicing, not a sign that labor is starting. If tightenings become regular, painful, or come with other symptoms before 37 weeks, call your provider.
Why am I so out of breath?
Your uterus has grown up near your ribcage and is pressing on your diaphragm, so your lungs cannot expand as fully. Feeling breathless with mild activity is normal now. Sit and stand tall to give your lungs more room, and pace yourself. Tell your provider if breathlessness comes on suddenly or with chest pain, a racing heart, or a cough.
Is it normal for my moods to swing so much?
Yes. Between hormones, broken sleep, physical discomfort, and the enormity of what is coming, mood ups and downs are very common in the third trimester. Rest and support help. If low mood or anxiety lingers most of the day or gets in the way of daily life, tell your provider, since help is available and it works.
Can my baby survive if born now?
Babies born at 30 weeks are premature and need special care, but with modern neonatal medicine the outlook keeps improving the further along a pregnancy is. The goal is always to keep your baby growing safely inside as long as possible, which is exactly why the movement and warning signs on this page matter. Call your provider right away if anything concerns you.
Sources
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), third trimester prenatal care guidance.
- Mayo Clinic, Fetal development: the 3rd trimester.
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH), Prenatal care in the third trimester.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for information and education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Every pregnancy is different. Always follow the guidance of your doctor, midwife, or qualified provider, and contact them with any concerns.