The browser you are using is too old for our website. Please visit www.aptaclub.ie from Chrome and you will be able to browse normally.

Pregnancy

      30 weeks pregnant

      Kale Leaves

      30 weeks pregnant

      FOOD FOR THOUGHT

      There is a lot going on, inside and out, for your baby when you’re 30 weeks pregnant. Tiny toenails are beginning to appear and their nerve fibres are growing rapidly to allow brain impulses to travel faster. This cognitive development is supported by iron, so it is important that your diet contains enough.

      Foetus Pregnancy Week 30

      Your baby's development at 30 weeks

      Time to turn in week 30

      In week 30 of your pregnancy, your baby measures around 27cm from head to bottom and weighs somewhere in the region of 3lbs. Their brain and lungs continue to mature, while on the outside, tiny toenails begin to grow.

      It’s around now that the white, greasy vernix and the soft, fine hair known as lanugo start to disappear – a sign that your baby has enough fat under their skin to keep them warm.

      …Many babies will have turned to the head-down position that is considered ready for labour.

      Many babies assume the head-down position at this time in preparation for their journey into the outside world. Don’t worry if your midwife detects that your baby hasn’t turned yet – there’s still plenty of time.

      Keep thinking about iron?

      Iron is a key nutrient throughout pregnancy. It carries oxygen around your body in your blood cells, passing it to your baby through the placenta, and plays a significant role in your baby’s cognitive development.

      For this reason, it is important to eat plenty of iron-rich foods throughout pregnancy, such as meat, oily fish and eggs. Plant-based sources include bread and iron fortified breakfast cereals; dark green, leafy vegetables like watercress, curly kale and broccoli; dried fruit such as figs and apricots; and pulses.

      Most pregnant women can maintain adequate iron levels in the blood from diet alone. If you are at risk of having low iron levels you may be prescribed a supplement by your GP.

      …it is a good idea to drink a glass of fruit juice or eat a piece of fruit with a high vitamin C content at mealtimes to aid iron absorption.

      It is worth remembering that some foods inhibit iron uptake while others improve it. Vitamin C aids iron uptake from plant sources, so it is a good idea to drink a glass of vitamin C-rich fruit juice or eat a piece of fruit at mealtimes. Calcium can have the opposite effect, as can the tannins found in tea and coffee. This doesn’t mean you should avoid them. You should be able to get the iron you need from a well-balanced diet.

      NEXT STEPS

      Make sure you get enough of the following iron-containing foods:

      • Lean meat and oily fish such as sardines
      • Dark green vegetables like broccoli, watercress and curly kale
      • Nuts, especially cashew nuts
      • Pulses, chickpeas, beans and lentils
      • Wholegrains, including wholemeal bread, and iron-fortified breakfast cereals
      • Dried fruit like apricots, prunes and raisins
      • Eggs
      personal-pregnancy-journey-icon-circle.png

      Your baby, this week

      Discover the science behind your baby's developments, week-by-week

      Join now for free

      Related articles

      Questions about feeding and nutrition?

      Our nutritionists and feeding advisors are always on hand to talk about feeding your baby. So if you have a question, just get in touch.

      Your baby, this week

      Discover the science behind your baby's developments, week-by-week

      Join now for free

      Your privacy is important to us and therefore we would like to explain how we use cookies on this website. With your consent, we will use cookies to measure and analyse how our website is used (analytical cookies), to tailor it to your interests (personalisation cookies), and to show you relevant advertising and information (targeting cookies) we think you will like. For more information please read the cookie statement.

      Privacy Settings

      You can choose your preferences anytime for cookies and tracking. For more information please read our cookie policy.

      • Strictly necessary

        They are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services (setting your privacy preferences, logging in, filling in forms, etc.). You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.

      • Analytical cookies

        They allow us to count visits and traffic sources, to measure and improve the performance of our site. They show us which pages are the most and least popular and how visitors move around the site. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.

      • Personalisation cookies

        They enable website’s enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third parties whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, some or all of these services may not function properly.

      • Targeting cookies

        They may be set through our site by our advertising partners, to build a profile of your interests and to show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.