30 weeks pregnant: symptoms, baby’s development & self-care tips

You’ve reached 30 weeks pregnant and you’re now about three-quarters of the way through your pregnancy – congratulations! 

Even though the end’s in sight, there are lots of changes happening for your baby at 30 weeks, and you might notice some new symptoms around now, too.

Take a closer look at what’s happening for you and your baby at 30 weeks, and how you can look after your body and mind at this point in your pregnancy.

Reviewed by Sammy, a registered midwife with a background in neonatal nursing, dedicated to providing compassionate, evidence based care to women and families throughout pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

At 30 weeks pregnant, you’re around 7 and a half months along – not far to go now! Your baby’s just got a little more growing and developing to do before they’re ready to join the outside world.

At 30 weeks pregnant, your baby’s now roughly 40cm long from their head to their heel, or around the size of a cabbage¹.

Your 30-week baby is developing millions of connections between their brain cells that will help them experience the world once they arrive. Their hearing’s already sensitive, and you might feel them responding to noises from the outside world. They’re developing their senses of sight, smell and taste, too².

Your baby’s starting to look a little different now that you’re 30 weeks pregnant. They’re getting plumper day by day, and their skin looks smoother. They’re also losing the white, greasy layer of protective material from their skin, and some of the fine hair that was covering their body is falling off too³.

Inside their body, their bone marrow has developed, which helps them to produce red blood cells⁴.

While your baby’s developing, you might be noticing some changes in your body, too. Here are some 30 weeks pregnant symptoms to look out for.

Your 30-week bump might be making it harder for you to find a comfy position to get to sleep now, making you feel more tired. Popping an extra pillow between your knees or under your bump can help you get some much-needed rest⁵.

Hormonal changes and your growing baby pushing on your stomach can mean you get heartburn and indigestion more often towards the end of your pregnancy. It can help to eat smaller meals more often to avoid feeling too full. It’s also a good idea to avoid spicy, fatty or rich foods, which can make your symptoms worse⁶.

If you have severe indigestion that’s impacting your day-today life or making it difficult for you to eat, speak to your GP. They’ll be able to advise you on what medication you can take to help that’s safe during pregnancy⁶.

Backache and pelvic pain are also common later in pregnancy as your 30-week bump changes your centre of gravity and puts more pressure on your body. Try to avoid standing for long periods of time, which can make your aches and pains worse⁷.

You can also try^{7, 8}:

• Keeping your back straight when sitting or standing (some extra pillows can help while you’re sitting down).
• Wearing comfy, supportive shoes.
• Keeping your weight equal across both legs.
• Gentle stretches and movement (swimming or aqua natal classes can help).
• Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles

In your third trimester, the size of your baby and womb can mean you find it harder to fill your lungs for nice, deep breaths. Plus, the extra weight of your baby that you’re carrying around can mean you feel out of breath more quickly than you would normally⁹.

If you’re feeling breathless, stop what you’re doing and try to breathe deeply and slowly. Soon, your baby will move lower towards your pelvis, which should help you breathe normally again⁹.

Now you’re near the end of your pregnancy, your body might be hanging on to more water than usual, which can make your ankles, feet and fingers swollen (especially near the end of the day)¹⁰.

If you notice swelling in your hands, feet, or face that comes on suddenly, you should contact your maternity unit as this could be a symptom of pre-eclampsia¹⁰.

Now you’re near the end of your pregnancy, your body might be hanging on to more water than usual, which can make your ankles, feet and fingers swollen (especially near the end of the day)¹⁰.

If you notice swelling in your hands, feet, or face that comes on suddenly, you should contact your maternity unit as this could be a symptom of pre-eclampsia¹⁰.

In your third trimester, you’re more likely to experience ‘practice contractions’, also called Braxton Hicks contractions, which are your body’s way of doing a little test run for when labour starts. Braxton Hicks usually feel like the muscles in your stomach hardening and relaxing¹¹.

Unlike labour contractions, Braxton Hicks contractions¹¹: 

• can be uncomfortable, but aren’t usually painful
• don’t get closer together or more intense over time
• don’t come with any other signs of labour 

It’s normal to feel tired, achy, and maybe even a little fed up at this stage in your pregnancy. Looking after your body and mind is a good way to help ease some of your symptoms and prepare for the rest of your pregnancy and beyond.

Keep eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fruit and veg and a wide variety of different foods every day. This will help you get all the vitamins and minerals you need to support you and your baby, including iron to keep your energy levels up, and calcium to help support your baby’s bones and teeth¹².

There’s no need to eat for two, but now you’re in your third trimester, you might need an extra 200 calories per day, which is about the same as two slices of wholemeal toast with margarine¹.

You should also aim to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day to help you stay hydrated and feel well¹³.

You probably won’t feel like going for a run or joining an early-morning cardio class right now, but there are plenty of other ways to keep moving that are safe and comfortable at 30 weeks pregnant and can make you feel good. 

You could try¹⁴:

• Swimming
• Walking
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Aqua aerobics

If you’re thinking of joining any classes, try to choose ones that are specifically for pregnancy if you can¹⁴. 

Your pelvic floor muscles have a big job to do during pregnancy and labour, so it’s a good idea to get them into tip-top shape. You can do this with some simple pelvic floor exercises to help strengthen the muscles there¹⁵. 

• Sit or lie down comfortably (remember to lie on your side, not on your back)
• Squeeze the muscles of your pelvic floor as though you’re trying to stop yourself from going to the toilet
• Release
• You can do this quickly at first, then try to hold the squeezes for longer
• Aim for 3 sets of 8 squeezes per day

It’s normal to feel a whole range of emotions during pregnancy. There are lots of hormonal changes going on, which can affect your mood, not to mention that you’re about to bring a baby into the world, which can be as nerve-wracking as it is exciting. 

If you’re feeling anxious, down, or overwhelmed, it can help to¹⁶:

• Talk about your feelings with your partner, family, friends, or midwife
• Eat well and move your body
• Try calming breathing exercises or meditation
• Go to antenatal classes to meet other expectant parents going through the same things as you

Here are some of the things you might want to think about at 30 weeks pregnant.

Your maternity rights mean that you ask for certain things at work, like a risk assessment to make sure your working environment is safe for you and your baby. You can also go to your antenatal appointments during paid work time. If you haven’t already, talk to your boss about what you might need to make work more comfortable for you¹.

Have you had your whooping cough and RSV vaccinations yet? They’re usually offered earlier in your pregnancy, but the whooping cough vaccination is effective before 33 weeks, and you can have the RSV vaccine right up until you give birth¹.

Both of these vaccinations help to protect your baby from infections and serious illnesses. Having them while you’re pregnant supports your baby’s developing immune system to keep them safe and healthy¹.

Going to antenatal classes is a great way to prepare for labour and looking after your newborn. Plus, you’ll get to meet other parents-to-be who are in the same boat as you, and probably know exactly how you feel as your due date gets closer. If you’re interested in antenatal classes, your midwife can point you in the direction of groups near you.

You don’t have to have a birth plan, but creating one can be a good way of preparing for labour and thinking about what you’d like to happen in an ideal world. You can include things like where you’d like to give birth and what pain relief you’d like to use¹⁷.

If you’re thinking about creating a birth plan or you have any questions, your midwife is there to help.

Getting your hospital bag ready is another good way to start preparing for labour. Even if you don’t pack your bag just yet, you could start writing a list of the things you’ll need. 

That might include things like toiletries, clothes and snacks for you, as well as nappies, onesies and a blanket for your baby.

There are still lots of changes happening in your body at 30 weeks pregnant. While some symptoms are completely normal and harmless, others might mean you need some extra checks by your doctor or midwife to make sure everything’s okay.

Here are some of the 30 weeks pregnant symptoms not to ignore:

• Your baby’s movements slowing down or stopping¹⁸
• Bleeding from your vagina¹⁹
• Stomach cramps that don’t go away after a short rest²⁰
• Signs of labour, like contractions or your waters breaking²¹
• Signs of cystitis or a UTI, like having red or cloudy pee²⁰
• Swelling that comes on suddenly, along with a splitting headache and vision problems²²