Baby will now have reached a point where its bones are firmer than at the beginning, when they mostly resembled cartilage. However, the bones will still be soft, even at birth - this allows for the development of, for example, the growing brain.
Make sure to get the right vitamins and listen to your body
Mom's body and system is the big incubator, ensuring that all necessities for life reach the baby.
This also applies to various vitamins, which especially in the third trimester, you as a mother should ensure to get plenty of. Always consult with your midwife, who surely has some good advice that you may have already heard.
Baby is growing so significantly now that your normal intake of, for example, iron may not be enough. Check with a professional if you're in doubt. There are many good supplements developed for pregnant women, so you can easily get everything needed for the little one to mature perfectly.
You are carrying a large and growing baby
The growing baby also means that the movements in the belly may start to change character a bit. Before, it was more real kicks, but as the space gets smaller in there, the movements will become more forceful and feel more moving than before.
Remember that you should feel movement every day, and if not, you should contact your midwife or similar. You can drink something very cold or lie down and completely relax if you're unsure about the movements in there. This will often activate the little one inside.
What is happening in the belly?
Baby is diligently practicing the important function - breathing. During practice, the fetus may experience hiccups, which can be felt in the belly. It feels like small nudges in a particular rhythm, just like if you were to get hiccups yourself.
It is quite amusing to experience, and also something that can sometimes be seen from the outside. The abdominal skin vibrates in sync with the hiccups.
Baby's bones are still soft, but harder than ever before. It is a clear advantage that babies have these soft bones because it makes it easier to be born and creates space in the skull for the growing brain.
It is only in the course of the first two years outside the womb that the bones will begin to harden. These are good conditions for the little one, who will spend its first years learning to walk, stand, and balance, and therefore having slightly softer bones is an advantage. They do not break as easily, allowing for easier practice of all the new skills.
Baby's skull will at this point be more proportionate to the rest of the body, where it has until now been predominantly larger. Despite this, the skull and head circumference will still grow significantly, and during the first year of life, it will grow about 11 centimeters.
Size of the fetus
By week 30, we reach a fighting weight of about 1400 grams and a length of around 37 centimeters. This is roughly equivalent to a decorative pumpkin.
Advice for the partner
Continue the good and supportive behavior as a partner. Pregnancy is a long process, but the long wait also allows for a lot of contemplation.
What will labor be like? Can I even have a role during labor? What does my partner want me to do?
All questions are completely normal, and at this point, you can certainly start talking about such considerations. It is the birth of your common child, and therefore your role is also important. Many expect it to be a collaboration between the mother and the midwife, but as a partner, you have a very important role during a birth.
You are your partner's safe harbor, and she will certainly need all the security she can get - and you are the source of that.
Perhaps you should attend childbirth preparation through the public system, and there are a plethora of options available in the private sector as well. Explore the possibilities and discuss what you think is best for you.
