What may change in your body
The bigger bump changes balance and mobility. Shortness of breath on exertion, tiredness, reflux and needing to pee are common. Pressure on blood vessels can contribute to swelling in the legs.
Care for this week
Avoid staying still in the same position for long periods.
Sudden or one-sided swelling should be checked by your care team.
Start organizing documents and the logistics for the maternity hospital without turning it into a race.
Prenatal care focus
- Appointments every two weeks help track blood pressure, uterine growth, heartbeat and symptoms.
If you're expecting twins
With twins, differences in growth between the babies need to be assessed in context with serial ultrasounds.
For those by your side
Share the hospital bag list and essential shopping; don't leave all the research and decisions to the pregnant woman.
Questions for this week
Is it normal to feel pressure in the pelvis?
Some feeling of heaviness can happen, but new and intense pressure, regular contractions, leaking fluid or bleeding need to be checked.
Is the baby already head down?
They might be, but there is still time to change position several times.
When to seek care
- Once movements have become familiar, a significant decrease in the pattern you notice should be evaluated without waiting until the next day.
- After 20 weeks, a severe/persistent headache, vision changes, severe pain in the upper abdomen or sudden swelling deserve evaluation for a possible hypertensive condition.
- Before term, regular contractions, increasing pelvic pressure or signs of labor need prompt advice.
In an emergency, go to the urgent care service in your area. This content does not replace a professional assessment.
The next chapter
In week 30, the brain becomes more complex, the baby builds up fat and the room for big turns starts to shrink.
See week 30Was this helpful?
Sources and transparency
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Brazilian Pregnancy Booklet, the official prenatal record (Caderneta Brasileira, updated in 2026)
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Prenatal care (Ministério da Saúde — Pré-natal)
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — High-Risk Pregnancy Manual — Multiple pregnancy (Manual de Gestação de Alto Risco — Gestação múltipla)
- NHS — Week-by-week guide to pregnancy
- ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Prenatal tests and vaccines (Ministério da Saúde — Exames e vacinas no pré-natal)
- ACOG — Bleeding During Pregnancy
Nilu editorial content, written from the official sources above. Individual clinical review of each week is in progress — this text is for information and does not replace your prenatal care.