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By the beginning of the third trimester, your unborn baby weighs about 2 pounds, but by 30 weeks, he/she will be nearly 3 pounds. Your little one is still very thin, with little body fat, but that will soon begin to change. The red, wrinkled skin is still covered with fine hair as well as the white, protective substance called vernix produced in the first weeks of pregnancy.
As the lungs continue to mature, your unborn baby begins to make practice breathing movements. He/she also makes sucking and swallowing movements. Eyes are sensitive to light and eyelids can open and close.
| I've heard some kinds of fish are unsafe in pregnancy. What kinds should I avoid? |
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Seafood can be an important part of a balanced diet for pregnant women. It is a good source of high quality protein and other nutrients, and is low in fat. However, some fish contain high levels of a form of mercury, called methylmercury, that can harm an unborn baby's developing nervous system. Methylmercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released through industrial pollution. You can protect your unborn baby by not eating these large fish that can contain high levels of methylmercury:
- Shark
- Swordfish
- King mackerel
- Tilefish
Tuna is under study by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pregnant women are advised to limit consumption of this fish.
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