Your 30 Week Old Baby – Development, Milestones & Care

Your little one is 30 weeks old now! He is not only growing physically, but he is intellectually becoming more aware too. Your baby loves your company and also of those he sees on a daily basis. He is becoming more social, and his motor skills are developing at a fast pace. In the following article, we shall discuss what all is going on with your 30 week-old baby and what you as a parent can do for your baby’s growth and development.

A 30 Week-Old Baby’s Development

At around 30 weeks you may observe that your baby has better cognitive ability and memory. He may anticipate what is going to happen next. If you pop the lid of a cookie jar, he will know he is going to get a treat. He may even wait for his father to return home from work at evening. He is relying more on sensory skills of touch, feel, hear and smell. Your baby is a keen observer of what is happening around him. Your baby’s fine motor skills are becoming better too, and therefore you will hear him dropping, shaking, throwing and banging his toys and other objects. He may have mastered the art of picking up food using his fingers and may feed himself too. The 30-week old baby growth spurts may include your baby’s better-grasping ability too, which will improve further as he grows. But you will still not know whether he is left-handed or right-handed by this age, though some babies may show this preference as early as by three months of age also. However, most babies will use both their hands in the first year after birth.

A Thirty Week-Old Baby’s Milestones

Here are some milestones that your baby may achieve by the time he is 30 weeks old:

• Your baby understands dimension by this age, and thus you may notice him stacking or placing his toys by size.
• Your baby has stronger muscles by this time; he may crawl and may even turn his back while sitting.
• Your baby has a better understanding of emotions. He may laugh, cry and show other emotions that people around him exhibit.
• Your baby may imitate various sounds that he may listen. He may even copy some of your actions. This is a good time to teach him little gestures such as bye and shaking hands.

These are some of the major milestones that you may notice in your baby. However, every baby is different and may achieve different milestones at different times.

Feeding

Your baby is almost eight months old. By this time he may have started eating a wide variety of solid foods. You should introduce him to almost all foods items that the entire family usually eats. Do not exclude a food item just because you fear that it may lead to an allergic reaction unless it has already happened. However, refrain from feeding egg in any raw form to your baby. It is also recommended that you introduce one food at a time, in order to see how your baby reacts to it. You may continue to breastfeed your baby along with feeding him solid food. Some babies may develop lactose intolerance, and under such circumstances, soy milk may be used. Your baby’s immune system is developing and therefore offering him a wide range of food reduces his risk of food sensitivities. However, if you notice any kind of allergic reaction from any food item, refrain from giving such food item to your baby and get immediate medical help.

Sleeping

At 30 weeks your baby is battling with developmental and growth issues, and thus you may notice an erratic day napping schedule, which is very normal in babies of this age. Your baby may be having two to three short naps during the day. Your baby at this age may want to sleep snuggled up with you as they do not like sleeping alone in their cot. This behavioural change may be due to separation anxiety too. You may find tending to your baby’s clinging needs daunting if you have other children in the house to take care of. Some doctors may recommend sleeping in the same bed with your baby, as it would help both the mother and the baby to have a peaceful sleep. It is also noticed that babies around this age reduce their daytime feeding and increase their nighttime feeding; this is their way of managing their feeding needs without interrupting with their daily activities. Your 30-week old baby sleep may seem little disrupted, but soon your baby may follow a good sleeping schedule.

A 30 Week-Old Baby’s Care Tips

Here are some tips that you may follow to help your baby achieve developmental milestones in a better way:

• It will be a good idea to sing rhymes and songs to your baby. You may also read to your baby. This helps your baby to develop better listening skills and sharpens his memory too.
• Your baby at age is like a copycat and may copy whatever he sees people doing. You can buy him mini-me toys like a toy phone.
• Your baby may be going to separation anxiety issues during this time. You may play games such as peek-a-boo to teach him that things that go away come back too.
• You should buy toys of various colours, patterns and shapes to help your baby with his motor and thinking skills.
• You may help your baby to master the newly developed muscle movements. Though refrain from helping a lot like your baby needs to learn things on his own. Help him stand, sit or grab an object by guiding his hands and legs.

Tests and Vaccinations

When you take your baby for his 30-week health check-up, your doctor may want to test the following:

• Heart and lungs- to see any abnormal heartbeat or breathing troubles.
• Eyes- to check any eye problems, such as a blocked tear duct etc.
• Mouth- to check for any new teeth or signs of thrush.
• Ears- to see how your baby responds to the sounds or to check any infection.
• Head- to check the fontanel or the soft spot on the head.
• Body- to see any rashes or infection and will also check various muscle movements.

Your baby may have to take the following vaccination:

• DTaP
• Hepatitis B
• Hib
• Rotavirus
• Flu

You may inquire about your baby’s vaccination schedule with your doctor.

Games and Activities

You may try playing different games and engage your baby in various activities to help your baby develop better cognitive, fine motor, listening and communication skills. Your baby loves getting involved in activities that include sounds, singing and talking. If you pause for a moment while singing or humming, your baby may look eagerly towards you know what’s coming up next. Following are some games and activities that you may involve your baby in:

For better cognitive development:

• You can give various sound making toys to your baby like a bell, xylophone, rattle etc.
• You may help your baby feel different textures.
• You can make a toy box with the objects of different size, shape, colour and texture.

For developing better motor skills:

• You can play catch and catch with your baby.
• Help him hold one object each in both the hands.
• Let him throw, drop or bang various objects.
• Give your baby some toys and let him make the mess and work out his little fingers.

When to Consult a Doctor

All the above-mentioned milestones are usually achieved by a 30-week old baby. However, some babies may achieve these milestones sooner or later than 30 weeks, and this is very normal because every baby is different. However, if your baby is exhibiting any of the following symptoms, it is recommended that you consult your doctor as soon as possible:

• Your baby is not able to sit, even with support.
• Your baby is unable to crawl or drag himself when he lies on his tummy.
• Your baby faces difficulty in getting things close to his mouth.
• Your baby does not try to grab that are in close vicinity.
• Your baby is unable to roll in any direction.
• Your baby exhibits no emotions or expressions towards known people.
• Your baby has extremely rigid and tight muscles, and he stays stiff.
• Your baby does not make usual vowel sounds.
• Your baby does not squeal or laugh.
• Your baby looks tired, disinterested or your 30-week old baby fussy and floppy.

If you notice any of the above signs in your baby then it is recommended to seek immediate medical help as your child may be having developmental problems. With timely medical intervention and care, most of the developmental issues can be handled.