By week 30 your baby is making their own red blood cells, and the fine hair covering their body is starting to shed.
Your baby this week
- Blood
- Bone marrow has taken over making red blood cells.
- Lanugo
- The fine hair on the body is starting to fall away.
- Space
- Your baby still has room to move, and should keep moving as much as before.
What you might notice
- Trouble sleeping, and needing more pillows.
- Mood changes as the end gets closer. It's normal to feel excited and anxious at once.
- Breathlessness and heartburn.
- Swelling in your feet and ankles.
Call your midwife, doctor or maternity unit today if
- Your face, hands or feet swell suddenly, or you have a bad headache or blurred vision
- You have bleeding, fluid leaking, or regular tightenings or period-like cramps
- Your baby's movements have slowed down or changed
- You have strong itching, especially on your hands and feet
Any time of day or night. You will never be a nuisance for calling.
Coming up
Pack your bag. Hospital bag checklist.
Write down your birth preferences to talk through at a checkup.
Questions to bring to your next appointment
- What are my options if I want a water birth, an epidural, or something else?
- What happens if my baby is breech later on?
- When will you check my baby's position?
For your partner
Do a practice run to the hospital or birth centre, and know where to park. It takes a worry away for the day itself.
NUGA follows you week by week
Enter your due date once and NUGA knows you're at week 30. The day before each appointment, it gathers what you've noted and the questions to bring.
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This page draws on public guidance from:
General information, not medical advice. Every pregnancy is different, and your midwife or doctor knows yours. Last updated October 2026.