Pregnancy Week 30: Childbirth Classes and Shortness of Breath

With only ten week to go until your due date you should sign up for childbirth classes and a tour of the hospital or birthing center. Also at around pregnancy week thirty, you may start to notice that you are short of breath during your normal activities. Your baby is closer to being fully prepared to be born.

Pregnancy Week 30: Baby's Development

Your baby now weighs about three pounds at pregnancy week thirty. He'll be packing on the pounds but his length growth will start slowing down.

If you're having a boy, his testes will start to enter the scrotum this week. A female baby has all the eggs she will ever have by the thirtieth week of gestation; she will have about 7 million eggs.

Your baby is also shedding the lanugo or the fluffy hair that has been covering his body and keeping him warm. He can regulate his body temperature now, so he no longer needs the lanugo.

Pregnancy Week 30: Are You Short of Breath?

You may be experiencing some shortness of breath around your thirtieth week of pregnancy. This shortness of breath is caused by your uterus pushing on your diaphragm. This is squashing your lungs, preventing them from fully expanding when you inhale.

If your little one has already turned head down then you may also be experiencing frequent, painful rib kicks that will take your breath away. Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot you can do to alleviate your windedness. You can try not to overexert yourself and take frequent breaks when walking, exercising, or climbing stairs.

Pregnancy Week 30: Childbirth Classes

If you haven't thought about it yet, you should sign up for a childbirth class and a tour of the hospital where you're planning on delivering. A tour will ease any confusion that you may have on where to go and what to expect from your birthing center.

Childbirth classes can range from specific labor techniques to a general overview of what to expect while you're in labor. These classes will also help you form a birthing plan and teach you the basics of caring for a newborn. At the very least, these classes will ease your mind about what to expect before, during, and after childbirth.

For more pregnancy weeks and fetal development you can read:
Pregnancy Week 26

Pregnancy Week 27

Pregnancy Week 28

Pregnancy Week 29

Click here to find more information on your pregnancy and baby's development.

Sources:

Personal Experience

Fit Pregnancy (2009). Pregnancy Calendar. Retrieved: April 8, 9, 2009. Web Site: fitpregnancy.com/calendar/40251887.html

Myers-Gorrie, Trula, Slone-McKinney, Emily, & Smith-Murray, Sharon (1998). Foundations of Maternal-Newborn Nursing (2^nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders Company.

What to Expect (2009). Weekly Pregnancy Calendar. Retrieved:April 8, 9, 2009. Web Site: whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/landing.aspx