Fetal development in pregnancy week 30:
Your baby now weighs about 3 pounds and measures 16.2 inches. Things are started to get cramped inside the uterus at this point, and the baby is really in the fetal position – with knees bent and their chin touching the chest. Soon baby will move into the head down position getting ready for their delivery.
Babies do not usually have 20/20 vision when they are born. Their eyes are well developed and they are reacting to light, but most children do not have 20/20 vision until they are between seven and nine years old.
The brain is continuing to grow and make connections between nerve cells. Baby’s digestive tract is nearly complete now and the lungs are nearly fully developed as well. Lanugo continues to disappear now and the hair on their little heads is coming in. Some babies are born with a full head of hair!
Sleeping on your left side is probably the most comfortable position for you now, as it will help remove some of the pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in your back. It may seem as if everyone has a horror story to tell you now about her labor and birth. Just remember that every birth is different and don’t feel shy about asking people to keep the stories to themselves if they bother you. You might also find that complete strangers feel the need to touch your belly – everyone gets excited as the birth of your little one grows closer.
Maternal Changes
There is no question in your mind that by 30 weeks you are definitely very pregnant. By now your body’s production of progesterone is increasing. You may find that you are having more trouble sleeping comfortably at night as your tummy expands. A pregnancy body pillow may help you feel more comfortable at night, so invest in one while you still can. You’ll find a pillow brings tremendous comfort even after you give birth! Another great article to check out on Pregnancy Pillows.
Some women find they have a hard time shifting from one position to another after roughly 30 weeks pregnant. Consider wearing slippery or silky pajamas paired with silky sheets. Believe it or not this can make it much easier shifting positions at night when you feel big and bulky. If you are having much difficulty sleeping at night try to make up for it by catching a brief nap or two during the day. Some women find they sleep best in a semi upright position or in a recliner where they can rest comfortably without having to shift their tummies from here to there.
By pregnancy week 30 you are also likely a bit off balance. During the last trimester of pregnancy certain hormones in your body have caused your joints to loosen to prepare for delivery. This may actually shift your balance. Other women find their feet grow an entire size during pregnancy. Unfortunately this is not a side effect that will go back to normal after pregnancy. Don’t fret, just by a comfortable pair of shoes. Speaking of, you’d do well to wear a comfortable pair of shoes or slippers a little big during delivery. Some women swell up quite a bit after an epidural and find they are unable to put their shoes on for the ride home. A pair of comfortable slippers will easily solve this problem and make for a convenient ride home.
Speaking of epidural, you might consider thinking about pain relief now that you are entering the final weeks of pregnancy. There are many options for a laboring mother. Natural birth means no pain relief. Fortunately there are a variety of meditation and relaxation techniques a mother can use to relieve their pain if they choose natural child birth. Many find natural delivery an extraordinarily intense but rewarding environment.
There are also analgesics or narcotics a healthcare provider can administer during delivery for short term relief of pain during labor. These may last several minutes to an hour. The epidural is often considered the gold standard for pain control during labor and delivery. Typically this is a combination of an anesthetic agent and narcotic delivered during labor into the lower back. Typically an epidural takes 20 minutes to take effect and can last several hours. Most women find this the most comprehensive form of pain relief during labor and delivery.
Dad
Take notes in childbirth class. Write down what you think is most important for you to remember. Don’t suffer from information overload. If you practice three positions for labor each night, remember the one she liked the most. This “cheat sheet” will help you when it’s time for labor!
Maternity Clothes
You can’t endure an entire summer without maternity crops and capris… not if you are interested in comfort, style, and fun during the warmer months! Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look good. Let’s face it; crops and capris are some of the more popular clothing items for pregnant and non-pregnant women alike!
Most Destination Maternity crops and capris are made of stretchy fabric, so they not only feel great but they also move with you during your entire pregnancy. Go ahead, show off that belly! You earned every bit of it. If you are a hip and funky mom-to-be, why not check out the latest selections and get the hottest trends in shorts – denim, novelty, short shorts & bermuda shorts at Destination Maternity
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Pregnancy Health Tips
There are many pain relief options for the laboring mother. It is important that you know your options prior to delivery, so you can make an informed decision and birth plan before you deliver. Here is a brief summary of some of the more common forms of pain relief available:
Natural Birth – Just as it sounds, natural birth means no pain relief. Most ‘natural’ mothers prefer to use meditation and breathing and relaxation techniques to reduce their pain during delivery. Some mothers even choose to use alternative methods of pain control including hypnosis. Many laboring women decide on a natural birth, only to find that they need some form of pain control later in the labor and delivery process. Fortunately, modern technology has afforded women a lot of safe and reliable pain control options during labor.
Analgesics and Narcotics – These medications include butorphanol, fentanyl, meperidine and nalbuphine. They are injected right into a muscle, most commonly the buttocks, or they can be delivered intravenously during labor and delivery. The duration of the effects of these medications typically range between a few minutes to few hours. Unfortunately, they can’t be administered in the final stages of labor when pain is most severe, because they may pass on to the baby, causing drowsiness or depressed respiration (slowed breathing) after delivery.
Pudendal Block – This is a medication that can be injected into the vaginal wall just before delivery, and it helps block pain between the vagina and perineum (the skin between the opening of the vagina and anus). It can help relieve pain associated with an episiotomy or tear. It is short lasting, generally lasting anywhere from several minutes to an hour. A pudendal block offers only local pain relief.
Epidural – This is the most common form of pain control used during labor and delivery. It can be given during active labor or just before a c-section. The medicine is administered into your lower back, into the area surrounding your spinal column, called the “epidural space.” In a traditional epidural procedure, you will receive pain medicine at a continuous stream throughout labor. If delivery is not imminent, your doctor may opt to use a combined spinal-epidural (CSE) technique for early labor pains. A CSE will relieve pain quicker than a traditional epidural; you’ll feel pain relief within five minutes of administration, but it only lasts for 90 minutes. As a result, CSE is often followed with a traditional epidural infusion.
Remember that regardless of the type of pain medication you decide to use, it is your choice and your decision. The most important thing you should consider is your individual risk factors and preference during labor and delivery.
Twin Tips
Up until this point the growth rate of your babies has been about the same of a singleton baby. Now their growth rate will slow. This is why the early weight gain and proper diet was so important. The majority of quadruplets will be born by now.