Congratulations! At 29 weeks pregnant, you are now officially entering your third and final trimester of pregnancy. It won't be long now before your baby arrives. Just remember that your baby will be full term in just a matter of weeks - at 37 weeks. However, some babies may arrive sooner and others later.
As you follow your pregnancy week by week in the third trimester, from 29 weeks pregnant and beyond, you should expect your belly to get larger and even rounder. Your baby is now focusing his or her attention on plumping up and gaining more weight in this final stretch of gestation.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy - Week 29
Your pregnancy weight gain at 29 weeks pregnant may be between 15 and 20 pounds, if you are a normal weight. You will continue to gain a pound or two with each week that passes in your pregnancy week by week.
In the third trimester, you should expect to gain at least ten more pounds before your baby is born. Your recommended weight gain during pregnancy is between 25 and 35 pounds for the average-sized woman. For the health of you and your baby, you should try to aim for that weight gain target.
Nutrition in the Final Trimester
Although now you are in the final home stretch, just remember to continue to eat a healthy and nutritious diet. To give your baby an added boost, aim to get quality proteins (such as lean meats, fish, cheese, legumes, grains, and eggs) into every meal. Proteins are important for your baby’s growth, so this is an important aspect of your nutrition in the third trimester.
If you are a vegetarian, be sure to try to find non-meat protein substitutes. For example, you can eat a whole-wheat peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a salad made with black beans.
All pregnant women should make sure that they get adequate calcium in their diet in the third trimester. Calcium helps build your baby’s bones and teeth. Ossification (the transformation of your baby’s bones from cartilage to bone) continues to occur in the third trimester, so it’s essential that you consume dairy products in this last leg of the third trimester.
Your baby relies on you for his or her supply of nutrition, so it's important to continue to eat a balanced diet.
If you're suffering from constipation, you may want to boost your intake of fiber. Choose fiber-containing foods that are also antioxidant sources for an even healthier pregnancy. These include beans, legumes, fruits, and berries.
Look Out for Signs of Preterm Labor!
From pregnancy week 29 and onward, you should be on the look out for any signs of pre-term labor. It's estimated that one of 10 babies in the U.S. is born early (before 37 weeks). Pre-mature babies tend to have more problems than other babies, including learning and behavioral delays and problems with their breathing, nervous system, eyes and ears.
When diagnosed early, your doctor may be able to stop your contractions and improve your baby's chances of staying in the womb for a while longer. However, in other cases, your baby will have to be delivered. Luckily, today's neonatal intensive care units are advanced enough to take care of preemies.
Premature Baby Survival Rate at 29 Weeks Pregnant
In fact, if your baby were born during pregnancy week 29, he or she would have a 90 percent chance of survival. The further along you are in your pregnancy week by week, the more developed your baby is and the higher his or her survival rate outside the womb.
At 29 weeks pregnant, you should call your doctor or healthcare provider immediately if you notice any of the following:
Changes in vaginal discharge. (More watery, more mucus-like, or bloody).
Increase in your vaginal discharge.
Pelvic or lower abdominal pressure or pain.
Constant, dull backache
Mild abdominal cramps. Can be accompanied by diarrhea.
Regular contractions, or uterine tightening. These can be painless.
Trickle or leakage of fluid. Or your water breaks with a big gush.
Warning Signs of Preterm Labor Since many of the warning signs of preterm labor can be confused with common pregnancy symptoms in the third trimester, such as Braxton Hicks contractions and lower back pain, you should call your doctor or healthcare provider if you experience any of these. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
In most cases, your pregnancy will progress normally and you will not experience any signs of preterm labor.
Fetal Development at 29 Weeks Pregnant At 29 weeks pregnant, your baby now weighs 2.5 pounds and is at least 15 inches long from crown to rump! Isn't that simply amazing how fast your baby has grown in roughly seven months?
Your baby's brain continues to mature during pregnancy week 29, and the surface is starting to develop groves. In the next few weeks, your baby's brain will be busy developing billions of neurons!
Your baby's sleep-wake cycle is now well developed, but he or she spends most of his or her time sleeping. Your baby has started to develop REM (rapid-eye-movement) sleep, or the dreaming stage of sleep. Don't you wonder what your little bundle of joy is dreaming about?
At 29 weeks, fine, downy hair called lanugo covers your baby's body. Since your unborn baby does not have a lot of body fat, lanugo grows to insulate and regulate baby's body temperature. Sometimes it is shed in utero, and in other cases, it falls off during the first few weeks of your baby's life.
From now until your baby's birth, your little one will be packing on the body fat. The more body fat he or she has, lanugo will start to disappear off his or her body. Sometimes this fine hair is swallowed by the baby in utero, and eventually comes out as meconium, or the baby's first poop!
Your baby's bones are now fully developed, but they are still soft and pliable. The skull will continue to be soft and flexible until the very end, so that your baby can easily go through the birth canal.
Restless Leg Syndrome During Pregnancy Up to 25 percent of expectant mothers develop restless leg syndrome (RLS) in their third trimester of pregnancy. You may be lying down or sitting when you suddenly have an irresistible need to move your legs. Some women describe this sensation as a creepy, crawling, or tingly sensation inside their foot, calf, or upper leg. Sometimes, you may have cramping or pain along with these tingly sensations. Rubbing and moving your legs may give you temporary relief that quickly goes away once you lie or sit back down.
Your symptoms may be less noticeable during the daytime hours, but they can become more bothersome in the evening or at night, especially around bedtime. The severity of RLS varies from person to person, and it can range from uncomfortable to downright painful.
Restless leg syndrome during pregnancy may make it difficult for you to fall asleep or to stay asleep. It may increase your exhaustion and fatigue.
No one understands why there is an increased risk of restless leg syndrome during pregnancy, but it is believed that iron deficiency, folate deficiency, and hormonal changes may aggravate it.
Unfortunately, most of the drugs used to treat RLS are not safe to use during pregnancy. Your doctor may put you on oral iron supplements to help relieve your pain.
How to Relieve Symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome
Other ways to relieve your symptoms include adding more iron foods into your diet, such as red meat, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), leafy green vegetables (like spinach), and prune juice. You want to drink a glass of orange juice with your meals, since Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron better.
When you first notice symptoms, you may want to find an activity that keeps your mind occupied. You may want to do a crossword, play a board game with your family, or even read a book. But try not to do any of these activities while you are in bed.
You may want to also ask your partner to give you a leg massage. Warm and cold packs will also lessen the sensations of restless leg syndrome.
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