Week Twenty Nine Of Pregnancy

Week 29 Of Your Baby’s Development!

Your baby is the size of a butternut squash

Over 15 inches from top to toe and 2.5 pounds in weight, baby is about the size of a butternut squash and is getting a strong skeletal structure at this stage.

His head is having another growth spurt because his brain is developing fast, his lungs are continuing to develop at a rapid rate, ready for a lifetime of breathing. He is almost the length he will be when he’s born, but will still be doubling or more in weight before birth.

He should be pretty active now. This means that you should be able to count at least 10 movements over a two hour period, at the very least. Fat is still being deposited under the skin and he is continuing to get chubbier.  At this point, his brain can control body temperature and maybe even dream. His eyelashes are growing out and his adrenal glands are working hard.

Week 29 Of Your Health, Mind & Body Changes

Your third trimester is a time of anticipation. Anticipation to meet your baby and also eagerness to get your body back again, at least to the point of being able to sleep and walk around comfortably anyway.

Your little one is now well on her way to the world and she is making her presence felt in so many ways. Enjoy this time and try to relax, you are going to be a Mom soon and life will become very different!

“  I made the most of my last couple of months being pregnant and went to the movies and dined out as much as possible. While I can’t say sitting at the movies was as comfortable as it used to be, I still enjoyed the freedom and downtime. ” Erica

Constipation and heartburn are common problems at this stage and you can blame them both on the fact that your uterus is really pushing down now. Your pregnancy hormones are not helping this situation any either. You are feeling baby move around inside quite a bit now because she is bigger and also more active.

Varicose veins are a common problem that nearly 40% of moms-to-be develop at this stage and so are hemorrhoids.  While these are mostly not painful, you may still want to avoid standing or sitting for long periods to curb them. As with the rest of your pregnancy up until this point, fibre rich foods and plenty of water can also help.

Week 29 Of Your Next Steps!

• To meet your body’s needs as well as baby’s you should ensure that your diet includes enough vitamin C, protein, calcium and iron at this stage. Calcium and iron are particularly important at this stage because your baby is drawing on your stores….so if you’re not consuming adequate amounts to account for you and baby, then you’ll end up deficient. That can mean anaemia or weak bones for you!

Try this: while no supplement should ever replace a balanced diet, chat to your healthcare provider about effective supplements for calcium and iron during third trimester pregnancy. This is a time where it can be a struggle to get what you need solely from the food you eat!

• Keep track of baby’s activity through the day (even if just mentally being aware of it) and if you notice an unexpected lull for a long period notify your physician immediately.
• Keep eating nutritious food and make your diet a fiber rich one to subdue the constipation issues. Avoid being on your feet for too long at a stretch and similarly, make sure you are moving around and not just sitting or sleeping all day.
• Sleep on your side rather than your back to avoid feeling dizzy when you get up suddenly. And don’t forget to protect your abdominal muscles by getting out of bed from a side lying position – not a sit up position.