30-week pregnant: baby development and diet tips
Every day, your baby develops more, getting ready to make an entrance into the world in just under 10 weeks. Has it gone fast or is the time creeping by for you? Every mum feels it differently. Read more about this week.
BABY DEVELOPMENT
Ooh, what was that? Felt a movement that didn’t feel like his usual kicking? Your baby might have the hiccups. It can happen if he swallows too large a mouthful of amniotic fluid. You can feel this as well as hear it. Should you be worried? Not at all, this could be related to how your baby trains his breathing movements. This week, if you are having a boy, his testes are descending into his scrotum. Your baby’s eyes can now respond to light, and low frequencies of certain music or familiar voices, can trigger movements or increased heart rate, visible on ultrasound.
YOUR BODY
A few weeks ago, you greeted the first movements of your little darling with delight. Now your baby’s gymnastics can sometimes feel less than lovely: your uterus has now grown so much that when he pushes against your ribs with a violent movement, it can hurt.
NUTRITION
Food provides the nutrients that you and your baby need, and the calories that your baby needs to grow. Remember that you do need more calories during your last trimester (about 450 more than you ate before you were pregnant, if you started your pregnancy at a healthy weight). These additional calories can be met with extra servings of foods from your regular meals, or with an additional snack. What does 450 calories look like? A cheese and snack plate of: 3 whole grain crackers, 2 slices cheese (60 g), 1 small apple, and ½ of an avocado add up to about 450 calories.
TIPS
If you work, you may soon be on prenatal leave, if not already. Enjoy the change of pace! If you are remaining at work until the big day of delivery, and your work requires a lot of time in front of a computer, you’ve probably wondered if it is safe for your little one’s development. The radiation from computer screens does not affect the fetus or the mother. Studies have shown that there is no additional risk of miscarriage or any other problems during pregnancy due to screen time. Another item to cross off your stress list!
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