29 Weeks Pregnant
What’s happening this week? How is my baby developing?
You’re 29 weeks pregnant, and your baby’s brain has billions of brain cells (called neurons) forming each day, and more and more grooves appear in the surface. Ossification continues but only up to a certain point, and your baby’s bones are still soft.
This is particularly true for the skull, which will be very flexible to make it easier to travel through the birth canal. It’ll be a few months after birth when the bones in the skull fuse completely.
Your baby’s bone marrow is totally in charge of the production of red blood cells. Also, your baby is now capable of producing half a liter of urine from drinking amniotic fluid.
By 29 weeks pregnant, your baby’s sleep and wake patterns are established and he is even experiencing some dreams during REM sleep.
Unfortunately, most babies sleep when you walk around during the day and are awake at night, and this will continue a few days after birth until they get used to the new pattern!
At this stage lanugos still covers your baby’s body to regulate his body temperature. Your baby weighs 1.1 kg and measures 37 cm.
How is my body changing?
At 29 weeks pregnant, your uterus is positioned about 11 cm above your navel. Now, you’re really noticing that everyday tasks are getting difficult and to add to that, you’re experiencing a lot more aches and pains.
Try to take as much rest as possible and eat a balanced diet. In fact this is the most demanding part of the pregnancy to ensure that your baby develops normally.
At this stage is very important to ensure that you consume enough calcium to promote strong bones.
At 29 weeks pregnant, your day is filled with back pain, heartburn, swelling particularly ankles and feet, hemorrhoids and a burning sensation in your legs (restless leg syndrome).
You’ve probably gained about 20 pounds so far, and now your weight is going to increase rapidly.
How to feed your baby: advantages of breastfeeding?
Now may be the time to start thinking about how you’re going to feed your baby- bottle feeding or breastfeeding. You’ll probably be recommended to breastfeed, at least at the beginning, as human milk gives the baby the best nutrition.
It constantly adapts to the baby’s needs, it’s easily digested, reduces the number of food allergies you baby may have in the future, provides your baby with your antibodies to fight infections, and it’s free!
Breastfeeding also helps your uterus to go back to normal quicker, reducing risks of bleeding; and will help your post-partum weight loss.
Most importantly, it nurtures a bond between you and your baby immediately after birth. Talk to your healthcare provider to help you make the best decision for you.