30 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.) Her eyesight is almost as good as her mom's already though!

How your life's changing: You may be feeling a little tired these days, especially if you're having trouble sleeping. You might also feel clumsier than normal, which is perfectly understandable. Not only are you heavier, but the concentration of weight in your pregnant belly causes a shift in your center of gravity. Plus, thanks to hormonal changes, your ligaments are more lax, so your joints are looser, which may also contribute to your balance being a bit off. Also, this relaxation of your ligaments can actually cause your feet to spread permanently, so you may have to invest in some new shoes in a bigger size.

Remember those mood swings you had earlier in pregnancy? The combination of uncomfortable symptoms and hormonal changes can result in a return of those emotional ups and downs. It's normal to worry about what your labor will be like or whether you'll be a good parent. But if you can't shake the blues or feel increasingly irritable or agitated, talk to your doctor or midwife. You may be among the 1 in 10 expectant women who battle depression during pregnancy. Also let your caregiver know if you're frequently nervous or anxious.

How I'm doing: I feel like I've hit a major milestone now. 30 weeks, less than 10 weeks to go (or 7-10 weeks since 37 weeks is full term). I feel like we've started the countdown now.

I'm getting bigger and just starting to get uncomfortable. It's getting hard to move around while I'm laying down. I try to hit the bed in the position I want to sleep in (laying on my left side) so I don't have to adjust. I'm now sleeping with 3 pillows (one under my head and two down the length of my body like a body pillow). I might need to add one under my back since it's uncomfortable to lay flat on my back for very long (the baby's weight pushes on my back and compresses nerves). She has also started giving me more frequent uncomfortable kicks. Nothing really hurts, it's more like a jab in my side that I would prefer not to have. My bladder is also getting compressed. Every time I stand up and she shifts down slightly I feel like I need to go to the bathroom even though there's not much in there.

Even with all the complaints I still feel great most of the day. I enjoy feeling her kick and just move around. I enjoy our bond that no one else can experience. Scott likes to lay in bed for a few extra minutes in the morning and at night before we go to sleep to feel her move. She always obliges now; I guess because she doesn't have as much room. So far, she's most active at 11 AM, 3 PM and 10:30 PM. We'll see if she keeps up that schedule on the outside. It often seems like she's doing the splits or spreading her arms out because I can feel a simultaneous kick on both sides of my belly. Maybe she'll be a gymnast or a yogi like her mom.

I'm very much looking forward to my baby shower tomorrow and seeing many of you. I didn't think I would make it up north again before the baby came so I'm glad for this chance to make the trip. And to see if my sister has a belly yet. In December mine was just starting to pop but hers wasn't yet. I arrive in Redding at 9:30 tonight and leave Monday evening.