You are 29 weeks pregnant or in your 30th week of pregnancy (counting from the first day of your Last Menstrual Period).
Keep in mind that this information is approximate. Each pregnancy is different and growth rates vary. For variations and details, please talk to your doctor.
What’s happening to the baby?
- The baby’s rapid rate of growth will now start slowing. But the baby still needs to put on weight and the lungs need to mature more. In the next few weeks your baby will put on more weight than height.
- The baby will be trying to practice breathing by moving her diaphragm.
- The baby’s bones too are growing and hardening but will still remain reasonably soft to enable the baby’s exit from the birth canal.
- The brain is in a period of rapid growth and the nerve cells are multiplying exponentially.
- The baby will start urinating a lot.
- The amniotic fluid will continue to increase in volume but in a few weeks as the baby puts on more weight and takes more room in the uterus, the amniotic fluid will start becoming less.
- The baby’s eyes too are developing sight. The baby can now distinguish between light and dark. The eyes will continue to develop even after birth.
- Your baby is about 38 centimetres long (Crown to heel length) and weighs about 1.1 kilograms.
What’s happening to mom?
- Your appetite will increase to support your baby’s rapid growth at this time. Make sure that your calories are healthy calories. Avoid junk food. Eat frequent meals to avoid feeling famished and binging on junk food. Keep healthy foods handy at all times. Discuss your weight gain with your doctor.
- At this time, pregnancy hormones will loosen your joints to prepare your body for childbirth (the baby can easily squeeze out of the birth canal if the joints are loose). You will notice yourself get clumsier and dropping things more often. Be careful, but do not worry. This will pass after your baby is born.
- The rapid growth in your baby is making your body "work very hard” and you will start getting very tired. Make sure that you get enough sleep, try to nap (even if a quick “power nap”) during the day. Even if you work, you can try and take out time by going and lying down in your car for a few minutes. Many companies (especially IT companies) have nap rooms for employees who work crazy hours at night.
- You will start feeling the forceful kicks and movements your baby makes. An active baby is a healthy baby and that is why around this time, many doctors ask you for the frequency and pattern of your baby’s movements. Observe the pattern of your baby’s movements and in case you notice a change in the pattern of movements and a significant decline in the baby’s movements, call your doctor immediately. Your baby might be in distress and there can be risks of being stillborn. The doctor will examine you, hear the baby’s breathing and even do a non-stress test (The doctor will measure the response of the baby’s heart rate to each movement the baby makes, as reported by the mother or observed by the doctor on an ultrasound screen).
- Kick counts - Some doctors might ask you to do a kick-count to monitor the baby’s movements. For example, you can drink some juice and lie down (to make the baby active) and then count the number of times the baby kicks in an hour or so. Ask your doctor about what parameters to use for the kick-count. Many doctors use 10 kicks / per hour at 3 different times of the day (accounting for baby’s sleep). It can vary depending on the doctor and your pregnancy, so please check with your doctor.
Checklist for mom
- Plan baby shopping. Some families have a belief that it is ominous to buy baby items before the baby comes. Ultimately, you have to make these decisions but you can always use this time to make your shopping list, scout the market and plan your shopping for the future.
- Continue to go for your walks and get exercise. Remember walking and fresh air can help you with many pregnancy discomforts and also tone your muscles to make childbirth easier.
- Make your baby listen to soothing music. The baby’s hearing and brain are well developed now to hear different sounds.
- Make sure that you are not sleeping on your back. This can worsen backaches and also reduce blood flow to the baby. The best position to sleep is on the side with a pillow under your legs. In fact, sleeping on the left side is supposed to maximise blood flow to the baby.
- If you have not already, research childbirth classes and schedule these. Get input from your doctor and even talk to Parentree parents for references for classes. You need to have completed taking these classes by your 37th week. Make sure you take your spouse or labour support person (your mother, friend or other person who is close to you). Childbirth classes can provide useful information on
- Labour process, childbirth and pain relief options
- Teach you breathing exercises and other tips to make labour and childbirth easier
- Breastfeeding basics
- Even basic newborn care
- Read Parentree articles on preparing for childbirth, breastfeeding tips, common questions about breastfeeding.
- Especially learn about signs of labour in “How to know that you are in labour?”
Ideas for dad
- Your baby is moving ferociously by now. Participate in this and feel the baby’s movements by placing your hand on mom’s belly. You will get a first hand “feel” of your growing baby inside mom’s belly.
Other tidbits
- If you need additional domestic help, now is a good time to look for a maid for the baby. Determine your needs and start looking. Ask Parentree parents for leads in your area and search Parentree for ideas on what to look for in a maid or “ayah” for the baby.
Useful Parentree articles for this stage of pregnancy
Pregnancy - Week by week
See what's happening with baby and mom
Checklists - things to do, shopping, tests, scans, doctor visits
Ideas for dad
Interesting information and facts
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