At 29 weeks pregnant, you’re a couple of weeks into your third trimester—the last part of your pregnancy. This can be a pretty exciting but daunting time. You may have started to look into birthing classes and newborn shopping lists to prepare yourself for your baby’s arrival. Your growing baby now measures 39 cm from crown to heel and weighs approximately 1.1 kg. You might be feeling a bit breathless as your baby pushes against your lungs. It puts a strain on your body carrying extra weight around too. Read the blog further to understand more –
Pregnancy Developments and symptoms at 29 Weeks Pregnant:
- You could be feeling awkward and uncoordinated. It takes a while to get used to having a bump. Your sense of balance could be all over the place, as your centre of gravity changes.
- Your lungs won’t have quite as much space as they are used to so you may find you feel quite breathless from time to time.
- If your baby is pressing on your bladder, you may find you need to go to the toilet more than usual, which can be especially annoying when you are trying to sleep at night. You might also be kept awake by leg cramps so drink plenty of water and stretch your muscles before you head to bed.
- Back ache is a common pregnancy-related symptom during the third trimester. If you are suffering from back pain, you may find it helpful to sit on the floor with your back straight against a wall and your shoulders pressed back. Many women also find massage beneficial.
- Varicose veins are also common during this stage of pregnancy and are simple swollen blood vessels that can appear anywhere on the body but are most commonly seen on the legs. Some women experience only mild swelling and achiness while others report pain and bulging blue veins. Maintaining good blood flow by drinking plenty of water and taking gentle exercise can both help to alleviate the symptoms.
- Many women also find that digestive discomfort, such as heartburn and trapped wind become more frequent during this stage of pregnancy. Eating small amounts of food throughout the day, as opposed to a couple of large meals, can help.
Some of the other symptoms includes:
- swollen and bleeding gums
- pains on the side of your baby bump, caused by your expanding womb (“round ligament pains”)
- piles
- headaches
- leg cramps
- feeling hot
- dizziness
- swollen hands and feet
- urine infections
- vaginal infections
- darkened skin on your face or brown patches – this is known as chloasma or the “mask of pregnancy”
- greasier, spotty skin
- thicker and shinier hair
Baby Development
- Your baby is now a size of a head of a cauliflower or Butternut squash. Your growing baby now measures 39 cm from crown to heel and weighs approximately 1.1 kg.
- There’s no slowing down your baby’s growth now! This growth means that space in the womb is becoming a bit more restricted so you might be feeling more jabs and pokes than flutters and somersaults. Week 29 is a good time to start keeping a closer eye on your baby’s movements. While every day will be different, it is good to be aware of their pattern of movement. If the pattern changes or movements seem to be less regular, contact your doctor or hospital straight away.
- For the past few weeks, your baby has been covered by a greasy white layer of something called “vernix” that protects the skin and soft, downy hair for warmth. This starts to disappear now. Your baby is getting ready to make an entrance in about 11 weeks’ time.
29 Weeks Pregnant: What you should be preparing for
- During the third trimester nutrition continues to play an important role in both your own, and your baby’s health. It is important to eat foods that are high in protein, vitamin C, iron and calcium.
- Talk to your work – You have maternity rights. You can ask for a risk assessment of your work place to ensure that you’re working in a safe environment. You should not be lifting heavy things and you may need extra breaks and somewhere to sit.
- Start doing pelvic floor exercises – It’s a good time to tone up your pelvic floor muscles. Gentle exercises can help to prevent leakage when you laugh, sneeze or cough.
- Smoking, drinking and caffeine in pregnancy – Do your best to stop smoking and give up alcohol, and go easy on the tea, coffee and anything else with caffeine.
- Vitamins in pregnancy – To keep bones and muscles healthy, we need vitamin D. From late March/early April to the end of September, most people make enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin. However, between October and early March, you should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement because we cannot make enough from sunlight. Some people should take a vitamin D supplement all year round.
- Exercising – It’s recommended that you do 150 minutes of exercise a week while pregnant. You could start off with just 10 minutes of daily exercise – perhaps take a brisk walk outside.
- Research cord banking – Cord blood is the blood in the placenta and umbilical cord which is usually thrown away after a baby is born. However, this blood is rich in stem cells which can be used in the same way as bone marrow to treat specific cancers and other diseases. It is also possible to pay a private facility to store your baby’s cord blood in case you or a family member need it in the future.
Conclusion
Always consult with healthcare professionals for guidance tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Enroll in our free lactation webinar to understand more about pain suffered during breastfeeding, possible causes, and solutions for the same.