The Playbook

30 Weeks Pregnant: Childbirth Class and Pain Relief Options

By the Guide to Fatherhood editorial team. Last reviewed . 2 min read.

Checked against guidance from organizations like the AAP, CDC, ACOG and NHS (linked below). This is general information, not medical advice. Read our medical disclaimer.

Trimester3
Sizea cabbage
Length / weightabout 15.7 in (39.9 cm), about 2.9 lb (1.3 kg)

The brain is developing its characteristic grooves, the fine lanugo hair is starting to disappear, and the baby is gaining about half a pound a week.

Your to-do list this week

  • Take the childbirth class if it's this month, and practice the comfort techniques at home, not just in class.
  • Learn the pain relief options and what each involves, so you can help her make decisions in the moment.
  • Practice three comfort moves until they're second nature: hip squeeze, lower-back counter-pressure, slow breathing coaching.
  • Take something off her plate every single day this week. Notice what drains her.
A conversation to have this week

"What are your thoughts on pain relief, and how do you want me to respond if you change your mind during labor?" Changing your mind is allowed. Your job is to support the person, not the plan.

The baby this week

About three pounds now, and gaining fast: often about half a pound a week from here. The brain is developing its folds and grooves, which increase the surface area for all those neurons, and the fine lanugo hair that covered the body is starting to disappear (Mayo Clinic; NHS).

How she may be feeling

The first-trimester fatigue often comes back for the finale. Shortness of breath, heartburn, mood swings and broken sleep are common. Be generous with naps, patience, and back rubs.

Pain relief: know the options

You won’t be making the decisions, but you will be the person she turns to mid-contraction asking “what was the thing with the epidural?” Know the basics. According to ACOG:

  • Systemic analgesics are given by injection or IV and dull pain without total numbness. They can make her drowsy and, if given close to birth, can affect the baby’s breathing for a short time.
  • Regional anesthesia includes the epidural, which numbs the lower body and is the most common choice in U.S. hospitals. It’s placed by an anesthesiologist; she’ll stay in bed, often with a catheter, and her blood pressure is monitored.
  • Nitrous oxide is available in some hospitals; she breathes it through a mask she controls.
  • Non-drug methods, like movement, showers or tubs, massage, counter-pressure, heat and breathing, can help throughout labor, with or without medication.

Ask at your next appointment or hospital tour which options are available where you’re delivering.

Practice the comfort moves

The class teaches them; home practice makes them stick. Try these on the couch this week:

  • Double hip squeeze. With her on hands and knees or leaning forward, press the tops of her hips toward each other with your palms during a “contraction.”
  • Counter-pressure. Firm pressure with the heel of your hand on her lower back.
  • Breathing coach. Slow in through the nose, long out through the mouth. Breathe with her, out loud.

Ask her what feels good. Adjust. Repeat until it’s automatic.

Frequently asked questions

What pain relief options are there in labor?

Options range from non-medical comfort measures (movement, warm water, massage, breathing) to medications. ACOG describes systemic analgesics (given by injection or IV), regional anesthesia such as an epidural, and nitrous oxide in some hospitals. Each has trade-offs; her provider and anesthesia team can explain them.

Sources

  1. Medications for Pain Relief During Labor and Delivery, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  2. Fetal development: The 3rd trimester, Mayo Clinic
  3. Week 30: Your baby and your body, NHS

We link to the original source for every medical and safety claim. Guidance changes; if a source has been updated since our last review, the source wins. How we research.