29 Weeks Pregnant: Where'd I Leave My Keys?
29 Weeks Pregnant: Your Baby at 29 Weeks
Your baby is now between 38 and 42 cm long and is tipping the scale at 1.1 to 1.8 kg. Her brain is developing neural connections, her liver is a little factory churning out lots of red blood cells, and her bones are continuing to turn from soft cartilage to hard bone.
Size of baby at 29 weeks: Your baby is as big as a bottle of sriracha.
For the past many months, your baby’s weight gain was mostly from her brain, intestines, and vital organs, but now she is putting on…a little fat. She has already popped out some chubby little cheeks, and by the time she is ready for her big day, she may even have Buddha-like thighs and one or two cute little belly rolls. And, that extra pudge is actually her life preserver.
The fat is her cosy coat keeping her warm. Remember, you are tossing your baby out of a tropical, 37 degree celsius womb-world, to a room-world that is 10-15 degrees colder…brrrr! Of course, some fat will also be “burned” to keep her body warm. And, some will sustain her body and brain over the first 3-7 days, until the milk comes in.
Your baby is now beginning to shed her lanugo, that layer of fine hair that has been growing on her face, ears, and back. Some of those hairs will get swallowed up in her frequent sips of amniotic fluid and form part of her first few sticky, dark bowel movements—called meconium.
Ah…and those hiccups. It turns out the jolty syncopations that you will feel from time to time are little warm-ups her diaphragm is doing to prep for the biggest, most important job she will have the first minute after birth…breathing.
29 Weeks is How Many Months Pregnant
29 Weeks pregnant is approximately six months and one week.
29 Weeks Pregnant: What to Expect
If you are feeling an occasional uterine cramp, of course you should check with your healthcare provider, but do not panic. These are probably just the famous Braxton Hicks contractions.
Just as hiccups are your baby’s rehearsal of her big, birthday job…these practise contractions are probably your womb doing some calisthenics to tone and strengthen for your big birthday job.
Most women have Braxton Hicks, but not everyone feels or notices them. Sometimes these are brought on by dehydration, so try drinking water and putting your feet up to see if they dissipate.
If the cramping is strong, you may worry that this is the start of real labor. In general, the rule is: Braxton Hicks go away if you change position, while real contractions will not, and they tend to intensify over time, rather than going away. However, you should always call your healthcare provider if you feel cramps, just to check in and make sure everything is normal.
Braxton Hicks contractions, plus constant peeing, plus body aches (swollen hands, back strain, etc.) may make it difficult to rest these days. And, a new problem may emerge… pregnancy brain. Some mums start to get forgetful. This is likely due to sleep deprivation plus the surges of hormones swirling through your body. There is not much you can do to ‘fix’ pregnancy brain, but you can try to get extra sleep. And, you will find that note-taking and list-making will become very helpful tools.
29 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
Common symptoms during the 29th week of pregnancy include:
- Itchy belly
- Lightheadedness and/or dizziness
- Back, leg, or hip pain
- Hemorrhoids
- Constipation
- Difficulty sleeping
- Frequent urination
A To-Do List for Your 29th Week of Pregnancy
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Carbon monoxide alarm: Install a carbon monoxide alarm on every level of your home—ideally, in or near where your family sleeps. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that is more dangerous for babies than adults. If you already have alarms, check them regularly and keep extra batteries handy. More home safety tips.
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Get your car seat: Obviously, you will get a good car seat (get a new one). But, the harder job is installing it properly. Do not be shy about asking for help from a car seat safety expert. Amazingly, 50% of parents do it incorrectly!
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Hope for perfection, plan for problems: Newborn health issues are pretty common, but not all hospitals are equipped to care for sick babies. Ask your healthcare provider what hospital is best at handling such problems. Even if you are giving birth at home or a birth centre, do your homework and ask about the facilities nearby…just in case.
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Nappy decisions: Wet nappies, poopy nappies and handling little skid marks will soon be as much a part of your daily routine…as checking your texts! So, it is worth considering what type of nappies you want to use. Disposable paper nappies—with a plastic liner—are the norm, but 20 billion nappies (3.4 million tons) are tossed every year…using millions of trees and adding a huge amount to landfills. Another option is cloth. You can buy a pack of 20-40 or use a local nappy service. Or—to save a little some money and reduce your environmental impact—you might do both: Use organic, biodegradable disposables for the first month (when babies usually have lots of big, gooey poo), then use mostly cloth once pooing slows and peeing becomes the main deal.
Quote of the Week
Life is always a rich and steady time when you are waiting for something to happen or to hatch. — E.B. White
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