Your baby, your body, your partner and the prenatal visit, plus tips for the 30th week of pregnancy.

Your baby

Fetal growth continues in the 30th week of pregnancy. Your baby weighs three pounds or more and continues to gain weight daily. Bones have developed and bone marrow has started producing red blood cells. The white covering over the skin, lanugo, is starting to fade away in preparation for birth. The hearing has developed to the point that the fetus recognizes certain voices. You can talk to baby, sing and laugh, and these sounds do not have to be directed at the belly for baby to hear.

Your body

In week 30 as your uterus continues to expand and your baby continues to grow, the added weight may pull the spine forward. This may cause you to feel lower back aches and pains. In addition, when lying down for a nap, you may naturally prefer to lie on one side or the other. Heartburn can be a big issue when lying down and you might feel more comfortable sleeping in a sitting position from week 30 to 40.

At the prenatal visit

From now until the end of the pregnancy, women pregnant with multiples will be under close supervision by the doctor. Most are no longer working and may be on some form of bed rest to assure babies stay in the womb as long as possible. Preeclampsia is more common with multiples, and you should learn about the warning signs.

Your partner

Support is the number one thing you can give between weeks 30 and 40. Most pregnant women will be writing birth plans, attending bi-weekly doctor’s appointments, and trying to learn how to feed and care for the baby. Being there for her along the way and considering what she feels up for and doesn't is the best thing you can do.

Tips for this week

Every pregnancy is different. It is a fallacy that all pregnancies will start and end the same way. Some women easily walk through it all right up until the 40th week and give birth right on time. Other women suffer from a long list of aches and pains with delivery not happening until week 42. You should never compare yourself to other women and other experiences. Your baby is unique and so is your pregnancy.