What You Can Expect When Pregnant in Your 30s

Women in their 30’s make up the second-largest demographic of pregnant women in the United States. Whether this is your first child, another addition to your family, or a surprise, you’re in good company with your pregnancy.

Many things about pregnancy stay the same regardless of your age, but there are a few changes it’s good to be aware of when pregnant in your 30s. We consulted our staff registered nurses to learn about the ups and downs of pregnancy in your 30s. Let’s get started!

Your Challenges and Your Strength

Your challenge: You’ll need to prioritize rest more.

In your 20’s, you may always feel like you need to be on the go, even during your pregnancy. In your 30’s, you’ll learn how to stop and rest. Rest is super important for your well being during pregnancy, so make sure to carve out some time to do what’s restful for you.

Your strength: You know the value of self-care.

With age comes wisdom, and sometimes wisdom means practicing self-care. In your 30s, you may experience less guilt with prioritizing time to yourself.

Your challenge: You’ll need to value your health and wellbeing more.

In your 30’s, you value your health more–you’re ready for the health and fitness routines that make you feel your best. Continuing these rhythms into your pregnancy will pay dividends for you and your baby.

Your strength: Your routine will be more stable to make prioritizing your health possible.

In your 30s, you likely feel more established than you did in your 20s. Whether you’re pursuing a career or staying home to take care of your family, you already have rhythms established that can make your pregnancy journey easier. You can leverage this stability to continue to prioritize what you value: your rest, your health, and your family.

Your challenge: You may have more children at home to take care of, making some aspects of pregnancy more difficult. 

Especially during your first trimester, symptoms like nausea and fatigue can be ever-present. These symptoms can make it difficult to keep up with the littles you already have at home.

Your strength: You already have experience as a mom, equipping you to be more confident in your decisions.

Those littles you have at home will make you even more excited to welcome another addition to your family and give you confidence to face this new chapter without fear. You already have experienced parenting, and you’re able to pull from those experiences to make informed and empowered choices going forward. 

You’ve Got This

Pregnancy is a huge life change at any age. If you’re pregnant in your 30s, rather planned or unplanned, we’d love to come alongside you with compassionate care and practical support. Visit ThePregnancyNetwork.org/services to learn more about our free services and ThePregnancyNetwork.org/resources to learn more about our network of resources.