Pregnancy Week 30
Your baby is the size of a Cucumber - 39.9 cm, 1319 g
Your Baby at Week 30
Development highlights
- Brain grows dramatically - Surface area increases as folds and grooves deepen
- Eyes focus and respond to bright light directed at the abdomen
- Lanugo (fine body hair) begins to disappear; scalp hair may be dense
- Bone marrow is the sole red blood cell production site
Source: WHO Child Growth Standards; embryology references from Moore & Persaud.
Your Body in Week 30
The third trimester brings the final preparations for birth. Your body is working harder than ever - Baby is gaining 200g a week and space is running short. Use the Contraction Timer and the Kick Count Tracker to stay in tune with your baby from now on.
Common symptoms this week
Week 30 Checklist
- Pack your hospital bag - Essentials for mum, baby, and partner
- Plan your birth announcement: who to tell first, how, and when
- Check your private health insurance cover for delivery and potential NICU stay
- Familiarise yourself with LifeSG for registering your baby's birth after delivery
Baby is gaining muscle mass daily. Protein needs are at their highest - 71–100g per day. Include a protein source at every meal and snack.
Book via HealthHub app, your hospital's antenatal clinic, or your private OB. Bring your referral letter and NRIC.
Baby's Body Systems Development
How far along each major system is at week 30. Development is continuous - The chart shows when each system is actively forming and when it reaches maturity.
Third Trimester: Birth Preparation Guide
Weeks 28–40 are the final sprint. Baby is gaining weight rapidly, your body is preparing for labour, and the countdown is real. This is the time to finalise your hospital choice, pack your bag, choose your paediatrician, and learn the signs of labour. Antenatal visits increase to every 2 weeks, then weekly from week 36.
Hospital bag essentials - Singapore maternity wards
- Nightgown x2 (front-opening)
- Maternity pads (heavy flow)
- Breast pads + nipple cream
- Toiletries & lip balm
- Phone charger
- Snacks for labour
- Going-home outfit (sizes 0000/000)
- Swaddle blankets x2
- Car seat (must install before)
- Mittens and booties
- Dummy (optional)
- NRIC / passport
- Hospital pre-registration form
- Birth plan (2 copies)
- Insurance card
- OB's contact number
- • Contractions: 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour (5-1-1 rule)
- • Waters break - Go within 1 hour regardless of contractions
- • Heavy vaginal bleeding
- • Baby's movements reduce significantly - Fewer than 10 in 2 hours
- • Severe headache, vision changes, or upper abdominal pain (pre-eclampsia signs)
Frequently Asked Questions - Week 30
Real labour contractions follow a regular pattern: they come at consistent intervals, last 45–60 seconds each, and get progressively stronger, longer, and closer together over time. Braxton Hicks, by contrast, are irregular, don't intensify, and often ease when you change position or rest. Other labour signs include the 'bloody show' (blood-tinged mucus plug), your waters breaking, or persistent lower back pain that worsens in waves.
Follow the 5-1-1 rule: go to hospital when contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour. Go immediately if: your waters break (regardless of contractions), you have heavy vaginal bleeding, your baby's movements reduce significantly, or you develop a severe headache, vision changes, or upper abdominal pain. In Singapore, call your hospital's labour ward 24-hour line - They'll advise you.
The Baby Bonus scheme provides a cash gift of $11,000–$13,000 for the first two children and $13,000+ for the third and beyond, plus government matching into a Child Development Account (CDA) up to $6,000–$9,000. Register at the Baby Bonus Online portal within 60 days of birth. Read the full HeyBaby Baby Bonus guide for a step-by-step claim walkthrough.
Week 30 at a glance
Pregnancy Tools
Singapore Resources
Thinking about names?
Browse 1,000+ baby names popular with Singapore Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Eurasian families.
Browse Baby Names →