30 Weeks Pregnant: Tired of Being Pregnant?

30 Weeks Pregnant

In this article

• Pregnancy Week 30: All About You
• Pregnancy Week 30: All About Baby
• How Big Is Baby?
• Most Common Pregnancy Questions
• Multiple Madness
• For Your Partner
• Fun Fact

 

Tired, achy, sleepless?

Pregnancy may be taking its toll on your emotions and your body when you're 30 weeks pregnant. Try our tips to help you feel back on track.Even though you are getting heavier, your need for exercise hasn't quit. Swimming and walking are wonderful forms of exercise for pregnant women. Many community centers and dance studios host pre- and postnatal exercise classes. They're fun, gentle, can help you feel energized, and offer a great way to meet other expectant mothers!

Pregnancy Week 30: All About You

A few more weeks to go! Your baby weight is starting to impact your lifestyle. Bending over is tricky if not impossible. And tying your shoes? Forget about it. As your baby-to-be crowds your internal organs you may experience more heartburn, indigestion, and flatulence. Breathing may be more difficult as your lungs have less room to expand.

Tired of Being Pregnant?
By this point the novelty of your baby bump may have worn off—you're getting downright tired of being pregnant. In a few weeks your aches and pains will be a distant memory as you stare into your newborn's face, but for now there are a few simple things you can do to make your last few pregnancy weeks more comfortable.

Complaint: No sleep. Your baby bump makes it hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. Add to that the discomfort caused by your internal organs making room for your growing baby-to-be: Your lungs have to work harder to provide the extra oxygen your body needs, creating shortness of breath. Your stomach is pushed up, making heartburn and indigestion likely. And your bladder—well—you're already used to going to the bathroom several times a day, and making similar trips at night can be frustrating.

Solution: Try positioning pillows around your body for support. Have your partner massage your sore body before bedtime. Take a hot shower or warm bath to help you relax. For fewer bathroom breaks, don't drink water an hour or so before going to bed (but make sure to drink plenty of water during the day). If all else fails, talk to your healthcare provider about over-the-counter medications that might make sleeping easier.

Complaint: Swelling. Swelling can become a real problem late in pregnancy. Your body retains water to supply your increased blood production (which goes up by 50 percent during pregnancy). You may find your face, ankles, and fingers swell to the point your shoes don't fit and your rings won't go on (or come off!).

Solution: Drink lots of water. Pushing fluids can ease your swelling. Also, be smart about what you do during the day. Don't stand on your feet or stay in any position too long or your blood will pool, making swelling even worse. Change positions frequently and put your feet up as much as possible to increase circulation. Talk to your doctor if swelling becomes severe.

Complaint: Potty breaks. Frequent urination is a common complaint during pregnancy. It can become a nuisance to find a restroom any time you go somewhere. As your baby-to-be continues to grow, the pressure on your bladder will too, meaning your potty breaks will keep increasing until your baby's birth.

Solution: The only real solution is to have your baby. Don't limit your visits to the bathroom—holding in urine for too long can lead to urinary or bladder infections.

Complaint: No clothes. Toward the end of your pregnancy those cute maternity clothes that once neatly covered your baby bump may barely fit. Plus, you're probably wearing the same outfits over and over again, since non-maternity clothes are out.

Solution: Having something new to wear can brighten your mood. If you don't want to sink more money into a wardrobe that will last only a few weeks, ask friends if they have any maternity clothes they're willing to lend. Spice up your own maternity clothes by buying non-maternity, button-down shirts or sweaters to pair with your maternity wear. Choose colorful jewelry or handbags to add variety to your wardrobe (and you can wear those even when you're no longer pregnant!).

Pregnancy Week 30: All About Baby

Your baby's face looks much like it will when he's born. He still needs to fill out more to get the characteristic chubby infant cheeks, but he's on his way. He can move his head, open his eyes, and make breathing movements through his open nostrils (although no air comes in).

How Big Is Baby?

If your little one were born today, he'd have a good chance for survival at about 3 pounds and a little over 15 inches long (crown to heel).

Most Common Pregnancy Questions

I have noticed some discharge from my nipples. Could I have an infection?

What many women think may be some type of breast infection during pregnancy is actually the leaking and/or crusting of early milk on the nipple. Colostrum, the initial super-charged, immunity-rich milk your baby will drink right after birth begins to form in your breasts early in your pregnancy. Some women will experience leaking during pregnancy, while others may not see anything at all. (This is no indication of your ability to produce milk.)

If you notice a discharge from your nipples, gently wash your nipples with a washcloth. In some cases, where there is significant leaking, you can wear a nursing pad to absorb moisture. Seeing this leaking is a good answer to the frequently asked "Is there anything in there?" question!

Some other changes you may notice in your breasts include:

• Tenderness
• Increase in size
• Darkening and increased size of the areola
• Larger, more prominent veins
• Stretch marks (due to increasing size)
• Itchy skin (due to stretching as your breasts increase in size)

If you have questions about your breasts or any other changes you may be experiencing as your pregnancy progresses, check with your doctor or midwife.

Multiple Madness

Preparing for the NICU
Many multiples spend some time in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), so it's best to plan for the possibility yours may too, especially if you have other children at home. Don't worry, you can prioritize both your home life and your NICU life with a little planning. What's most important is that you remember that you're doing your best, and that this time of seeming insanity will end.

Have childcare planned for your other children and make a schedule for you to be dropped off/picked up from the NICU each day. (Remember, you won't be able to drive yourself for a while if you've had a C-section).

Have a bag to take with you each day filled with:

• your breast pump (if you're nursing)
• a clean shirt (you'll sweat a good bit in the initial days after delivery)
• a water bottle to stay hydrated
• and some healthy snacks.

You needn't worry about packing anything for the babies; the NICU will be able to provide everything that they need.

Realize that there may be days when it simply isn't good for you to go to the hospital because your recovery has gone in the wrong direction. (Hopping up and down out of a chair in the NICU can do that to you!) If necessary, take a day and stay in bed. The NICU staff takes wonderful care of babies under their wing, and they will completely understand your need to take it easy. You'll be better off going the next day when you feel a bit better. Remember, you can't best care for the babies unless you're taking good care of yourself!

For Your Partner

A New Baby: A Gift for the Whole Family
Families rarely talk about the impact a new baby has on an extended family. Especially when Baby will be the first child to enter the fold, the change can be quite dramatic. Your and your partner's parents will suddenly have new roles: Grandparents. This new position in the family is often anticipated with unrivaled joy. Grandparents have the luxury of being free from the baggage most parents carry, and for this reason find themselves feeling more excited, relaxed, and comfortable with the changes to come.

This is a great opportunity for families because the new grandparents want to help and most new parents need some. When a grandchild comes into the world, the focus of the family shifts from parents to the new baby; schedules work around the baby, and everyone wants to know how they can help out. This is a great opportunity for you to build a better relationship with parents and in-laws. It is also a good time to learn how to ask for help.

Many grandparents-to-be will offer to help out, while others want to help, but don't want to intrude on your new parenting time. Feel free to get the message out to the expecting grandparents that if they can baby sit one or two nights a month (or how ever many you want) so you and your partner can get some much needed time together, it would be a huge assistance. Remember you and your partner are the core of your growing family, the very foundation; and the healthier you two are doing together, as a team, the better your child will do, too.

Fun Fact

When it comes to the countries with the most babies born each year, the US ranks seventh in the world. Top honors go to India and China. According to Russel Ash, author of Top 10 of Everything, in 2007, there were 4,264,142 births in the US versus 24,073,392 births in India.

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