29 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Short Answer: At 29 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 38 cm from head to heel, roughly the size of a butternut squash, and weighs around 1.15 kg. The bones are hardening and soaking up calcium, the muscles and lungs are maturing, the brain is growing fast and your baby kicks, rolls and has regular sleep cycles. The top of your womb is about 8 to 9 cm above your navel. You may have backache, leg cramps, heartburn, swollen feet, breathlessness and more Braxton Hicks tightenings. This week, get your hemoglobin checked, plan for blood and transport in an emergency, keep tracking your baby’s movements, sleep on your side and take your calcium and iron. Call a doctor the same day for any change in your baby’s movements, and for bleeding, severe pain, fever, fluid leaking, regular tightenings or a severe headache with blurred vision.
Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception. Twenty-nine weeks pregnant means about twenty-seven weeks since conception. You are in your seventh month, with about 11 weeks to go.
For the week before, read our guide to 28 weeks pregnant, and to follow the whole journey see our pregnancy guidelines week by week.
30 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Week 29 at a glance
| Detail | At 29 weeks |
|---|---|
| Trimester | Third |
| Months | About 7 |
| Baby’s length | About 38 cm (15 inches), head to heel |
| Baby’s weight | About 1.15 kg (2.5 pounds) |
| Heart rate | About 120 to 160 beats per minute |
| Weeks to go | About 11 |
| Size comparison | A butternut squash |
| Height of womb | About 29 cm from the pubic bone |
Sizes differ a little between guides, because they use averages from different groups of babies. Your own scan results and your doctor’s measurements matter more than a chart.
Your baby at 29 weeks
Growth. Your baby gains about 200 grams a week from now on, mostly as fat under the skin. The body looks rounder, and the limbs are filling out. Fat helps your baby stay warm after birth.
Bones and muscles. The skeleton is hardening quickly, and your baby takes calcium from you to build it. The bones of the skull stay soft and separate, with gaps called fontanelles, so the head can squeeze through the birth canal and the brain can keep growing. Your baby’s muscles are stronger, so kicks and stretches are firmer.
Brain. The brain is growing fast, with more folds on the surface and more connections between nerve cells. It controls breathing, temperature and movement more and more. Good food, sleep, avoiding alcohol and tobacco and treating infections quickly all support it.
Lungs. The air sacs keep multiplying, and surfactant is increasing. The lungs are not fully mature until about 36 weeks, and some babies need a little longer. Your baby keeps practising breathing movements.
Eyes and senses. The eyes open and close, and the pupils respond to light. Your baby can sense light through your belly. Hearing is well developed, and your baby may jump at a loud noise and calm to your voice. The sense of touch is strong, and your baby explores the face, cord and womb wall.
Sleep and activity. Your baby sleeps most of the day in cycles of deep sleep, dream-like sleep and wakefulness. Many babies are busiest in the evening and at night. You may notice a pattern, such as active after meals and quiet in the morning.
Immune system. Your antibodies pass to your baby through the placenta, mostly in the third trimester. Vaccines in pregnancy add to this protection for your newborn.
Skin and hair. The skin is smoother as fat builds, but still red and a little wrinkled. Vernix and lanugo still cover it. Hair on the head is growing, and the nails are growing.
Position. Your baby has less room now and often settles head down. Many babies are still head up or sideways, and most turn by 34 to 36 weeks.
Chances at birth. Babies born at 29 weeks have a high chance of surviving in hospitals with good newborn intensive care, though most need weeks of care and some face complications. In places where newborn care is limited, the chances are lower. Steroid injections given to the mother before preterm birth help the baby’s lungs. If you have signs of preterm labour, go to a hospital with a newborn unit early.
Calcium, vitamin D and your baby’s bones
Your baby builds most of the skeleton in the third trimester, and the calcium comes from you. If you do not get enough from food, your body takes it from your own bones. Calcium also lowers the risk of high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia in people whose diets are low in it.
Good sources:
- Milk, yogurt and cheese
- Small fish eaten with the bones, such as mola
- Leafy greens such as shak
- Lentils, beans and tofu
- Calcium-fortified foods, where available
Supplements. The World Health Organization advises calcium supplements in pregnancy where diets are low in calcium. Ask your doctor about the dose, which is often divided into two or three doses a day. Take calcium at a different time from iron, because they compete for absorption, and take it with food. Too much calcium can cause constipation and kidney stones, so do not take more than your doctor advises.
Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body use calcium. Your skin makes it with sunlight. Many women in Bangladesh have low vitamin D, especially those who cover their skin, spend most of the day indoors or have darker skin. A short time in daylight, such as 10 to 15 minutes of morning or late afternoon sun on your face and arms, helps, but avoid strong midday heat. Eggs, oily fish and fortified foods give some. Ask your doctor whether you need a vitamin D supplement or a test.
Your body at 29 weeks
Womb. The top of your womb is about 8 to 9 cm above your navel, and a tape measure from the pubic bone reads about 29 cm. Your doctor measures this at visits as a quick check of growth. A difference of up to 2 cm either way is normal. A measurement that is far off, or that stops growing, may lead to a growth scan.
Weight. A person of normal weight usually gains about 0.4 to 0.5 kg a week. By now most people have gained about 9 to 13 kg in total, though it varies. Sudden rapid weight gain, especially with swelling, needs a check for pre-eclampsia.
Blood and heart. Your blood volume is near its peak, up to 40 to 50 percent above normal. You may feel warm, sweat more, have a faster pulse and notice veins on your legs and breasts.
Breathing. The womb presses up on the diaphragm, so you may feel breathless on stairs or when lying flat. Sit upright, rest and avoid rushing. Call your doctor if breathlessness is sudden, severe or comes with chest pain, a fast heartbeat or a cough with blood.
Skin and hair. A glow is common, but so are acne, dry skin, dark patches on the face (melasma) and a dark line down the belly (linea nigra). Stretch marks can appear on the belly, breasts, hips and thighs. Genetics matters more than any cream.
Breasts. They are larger and heavier. Colostrum, the thick yellow first milk, may leak. A supportive nursing bra and breast pads help.
Hands, feet and legs. Mild swelling is common, especially in hot weather. Tingling in the hands from carpal tunnel syndrome is common too. Varicose veins and piles can appear or get worse.
Fatigue. Tiredness is common, because of the weight you carry, poor sleep and the load on your heart and lungs. Rest when you can, and ask for help.
Mind. Vivid dreams, forgetfulness and mood swings are common. Many people feel closer to the baby, and also more anxious about the birth and about becoming a parent.
Common symptoms and what helps
| Symptom | Why it happens | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Backache | Growing womb, loosening joints, posture | Flat supportive shoes, good posture, side-sleeping with a pillow, gentle stretches, support belt |
| Pelvic and hip pain | Loosening joints, sleeping position | Pillow between knees, small steps, avoid standing on one leg |
| Sciatica | Pressure on the sciatic nerve | Change position often, warm pack, swimming, gentle stretches |
| Braxton Hicks tightenings | Practice contractions | Drink water, rest, change position |
| Leg cramps, mostly at night | Circulation and mineral changes | Calf stretches before bed, drink water, ask about calcium |
| Swollen feet and ankles | Fluid retention | Raise your feet, avoid long standing, drink water |
| Heartburn | Relaxed valve at the top of the stomach | Smaller meals, avoid spicy and oily food, stay upright after eating, raise your head in bed |
| Shortness of breath | Womb presses on the diaphragm | Sit upright, rest, good posture |
| Constipation, piles | Slow gut, iron tablets, pressure | Fibre, water, daily movement, do not strain |
| Trouble sleeping | Belly size, cramps, heartburn, worry | Side-sleeping with pillows, regular bedtime, cool room |
| Restless legs | Low iron, hormones | Gentle stretches, warm bath, ask about hemoglobin |
| Tingling hands | Fluid squeezing a nerve at the wrist | Shake and raise your hands, wrist splint at night |
| Frequent urination, leaking | Baby presses on the bladder | Pelvic floor exercises, empty your bladder often |
| Itchy, stretching belly skin | Skin stretching | Moisturiser, loose cotton clothes |
| Varicose veins | More blood volume, pressure from the womb | Raise your legs, walk daily, avoid long standing, ask about support stockings |
| Increased vaginal discharge | Hormones | Cotton underwear, no douching |
Do not take any medicine, including painkillers and herbal products, without asking a doctor or pharmacist. Paracetamol at the recommended dose is generally considered safe. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin and diclofenac unless your doctor prescribes them.
Swelling: normal or a warning sign?
Some swelling is normal in late pregnancy, because your body holds more fluid and the womb presses on the veins. It is usually worse in the evening, in hot weather and after standing. It gets better overnight and with your feet up.
| Normal swelling | Warning signs |
|---|---|
| Feet and ankles, both sides | Sudden swelling of the face, eyelids or hands |
| Worse at the end of the day | Swelling that does not go down overnight |
| Better with rest, raised feet and water | Swelling with a severe headache, blurred vision or flashing lights |
| Gradual | Swelling with pain under the ribs, nausea or vomiting |
| Both legs equal | One leg swollen, red, hot or painful |
| Weight gain is steady | Sudden rapid weight gain |
What helps: raise your feet for 20 minutes a few times a day, lie on your left side, avoid long standing and sitting with crossed legs, wear loose cotton clothes and comfortable shoes, walk daily and drink plenty of water. Cutting salt a little may help, but do not cut it out completely, and use iodised salt. Swimming or standing in cool water can ease swelling.
Call your doctor the same day for any of the warning signs. Sudden swelling with high blood pressure can be pre-eclampsia, and a hot, painful, swollen calf can be a blood clot. Both are emergencies.
When to call a doctor
| Usually normal | Call a doctor soon |
|---|---|
| Short, sharp pulls in the lower belly | Severe or constant abdominal pain |
| Mild, irregular tightenings that stop with rest | Regular tightenings that come more often and do not stop |
| Your baby’s movements change a little with time of day | A clear drop or change in your baby’s usual movements |
| Milky white discharge | Watery fluid leaking, or foul, itchy or coloured discharge |
| Occasional headache | Severe headache with blurred vision, flashing lights or upper belly pain |
| Itchy stretching belly skin | Intense itching of palms and soles, or yellow skin |
| Tiredness, mood swings | Fainting, chest pain or sudden breathlessness |
| Mild swelling of both feet late in the day | Sudden swelling of the face and hands, or one swollen, painful calf |
| Light spotting after sex | Any bleeding that soaks a pad, or any fresh bleeding |
Bleeding. Any bleeding in the third trimester needs urgent care, even if it is painless. Painless bright red bleeding can be a sign of a low-lying placenta (placenta praevia), and bleeding with pain and a hard belly can be a placental abruption. Both are emergencies. Do not examine yourself internally, and go to hospital at once.
Pre-eclampsia. A serious blood pressure condition. Signs include a severe headache that will not go away, blurred vision or flashing lights, sudden swelling of the face and hands, pain under the ribs on the right side, vomiting and rapid weight gain. It needs urgent care.
Preterm labour. Call straight away if you have regular tightenings, more than four in an hour, a steady low backache, pelvic pressure, a change in vaginal discharge, bleeding or fluid leaking before 37 weeks. Lie on your left side and drink water, and go to hospital if the signs continue for an hour, or at once for bleeding or fluid leaking. Call 999 if you need help getting there.
Fever. In Bangladesh a fever can also mean dengue, so do not treat it at home. See a doctor straight away.
If you feel sad, anxious or hopeless for more than two weeks, tell your doctor. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help right away.
Anaemia and preparing for blood loss
Anaemia, or low hemoglobin, is common among pregnant women in South Asia, including Bangladesh. In the third trimester, your baby is storing iron for the first months of life, and your blood volume is at its peak. If you are anaemic going into labour, you are more likely to need a blood transfusion if you bleed, and the bleeding can be dangerous.
Why it matters. Heavy bleeding after birth, called postpartum haemorrhage, is one of the leading causes of maternal death worldwide. Most cases are treatable if care is quick, the right medicines are given and blood is available. Anaemia makes it more dangerous.
Check your hemoglobin. The World Health Organization defines anaemia in pregnancy as hemoglobin below 11 g/dL in the first and third trimesters, and below 10.5 g/dL in the second. Ask your doctor to check yours now if it has not been done in the last month. A result below 11 g/dL means you need treatment.
What to do:
- Take iron-folic acid tablets exactly as prescribed, with something sour and away from tea, coffee and milk
- Eat iron-rich foods, such as leafy greens (shak), lean meat, liver in small amounts if your doctor agrees, fish, eggs and lentils
- Ask about deworming, which your doctor may advise in the second trimester
- Ask about a higher dose, a different type or iron through a drip or injection if tablets do not work or upset your stomach. Severe anaemia, with hemoglobin below 7 g/dL, needs hospital care
- Do not stop iron on your own if it causes constipation or dark stools, which are normal. Ask your doctor for help instead
Signs of anaemia: unusual tiredness, pale skin, dizziness, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, headaches and cravings for ice or clay. See a doctor if you have them.
Emergency plan: blood, transport and hospital
Plan for the unexpected now, while you are well. Many deaths in childbirth happen because of delays in deciding to seek care, reaching a facility and getting treatment.
1. Know your blood group and your partner’s. Keep a written note in your prenatal card and phone.
2. Plan for blood. Ask your hospital how it gets blood for emergencies. Some hospitals ask the family to arrange donors or replacement blood. Identify two or three healthy adults with a matching blood group who could donate quickly, and save their numbers. Ask whether the hospital has a blood bank or a link with a blood bank, and how to reach it. Blood donor groups and some organisations, such as Quantum Foundation and Sandhani, work in Bangladesh, so ask your doctor for local contacts.
3. Choose the right hospital. Look for a hospital that offers emergency obstetric care, including C-section and blood transfusion, with a doctor available all day and night, and a newborn care unit. Ask your doctor which hospital near you offers this. Many small clinics cannot handle emergencies.
4. Plan transport. Know how you would get there at any hour. Arrange a vehicle, such as a car, CNG, ambulance or a neighbour with a car, and a backup. Save the numbers of the driver and an ambulance service. In Bangladesh the national emergency number is 999. In heavy traffic or rain, allow more time. If you live far away, ask your doctor about when to move closer to the hospital.
5. Plan money. Set aside money for emergencies, and ask who could lend you more at short notice. Do not delay going to hospital because of cost.
6. Plan who decides. Tell your family that if there is bleeding, fluid leaking, a drop in movement or severe pain, you go to hospital at once, with no waiting for permission or for morning. Agree on this now.
7. Keep your documents ready: prenatal card, test results, scans, blood group, a list of your medicines, your ID and cash.
8. Know the danger signs in this guide, and share them with your partner and family.
Tests and visits
| Test or step | When | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Hemoglobin check | Third trimester, or as advised | Looks for anaemia |
| Blood pressure and urine check | Every visit | Screens for pre-eclampsia and infection |
| Anti-D injection | About 28 weeks, if you are Rh negative | Protects future pregnancies |
| Whooping cough vaccine | About 27 to 36 weeks | Protects your newborn |
| Tetanus-diphtheria vaccine | During pregnancy, as your doctor advises | Protects you and your baby |
| Flu vaccine | Any trimester, in flu season | Protects you |
| Growth scan or repeat placenta scan | If advised, often about 32 weeks | Checks your baby’s size, fluid and placenta position |
| Group B strep test | About 35 to 37 weeks, where offered | Checks for a bacterium that can infect newborns |
| Position check | About 36 weeks | Checks whether your baby is head down |
Visits. Many doctors see you every two weeks from 28 to 36 weeks, then weekly. Keep every appointment, even if you feel well, and bring your prenatal card.
Ask at your next visit:
- What is my hemoglobin, blood pressure and weight, and are they where they should be?
- Have I had all my vaccines, and anti-D if I am Rh negative?
- Do I need a growth scan or a repeat placenta scan?
- What should I do if my baby moves less?
- At which hospital should I give birth, and what happens in an emergency?
- Would you recommend a vaginal birth or a C-section for me, and why?
Write down the answers.
Food and supplements
Iron. Keep taking iron-folic acid tablets as prescribed. Take iron away from tea, coffee and milk, and with something sour such as lemon. Dark stools are normal on iron.
Calcium. Take calcium as prescribed, at a different time from iron.
Iodine. Use iodised salt in your cooking. Iodine supports your baby’s brain development.
Eat more of:
- Protein: eggs, well-cooked fish, chicken, lentils (dal), beans and milk
- Iron-rich foods: leafy greens (shak), lean meat and lentils, with lemon or guava for vitamin C
- Calcium-rich foods: milk, yogurt, and small fish such as mola eaten with the bones
- Fruit and vegetables: a variety of colours every day
- Whole grains and fibre: brown rice, whole wheat roti and oats
- Healthy fats: well-cooked oily fish, nuts and seeds
- Water: about 8 to 10 glasses across the day, more in hot weather
Calories. Your needs rise by about 450 calories a day in the third trimester, such as a glass of milk, a boiled egg, a banana and a handful of nuts. You do not need to eat for two.
Limit: caffeine to about 200 mg a day, which is one or two cups of tea or a single small coffee. Limit sweets, sugary drinks, juice and fried snacks. Large portions of white rice and bread push blood sugar up, so pair carbohydrates with protein and vegetables.
Avoid: alcohol, all tobacco (including zarda and jorda), raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, unpasteurized milk and cheese, unwashed produce, large predatory fish such as shark and swordfish, high-dose vitamin A supplements and herbal tonics your doctor has not approved.
Smaller, more frequent meals help with heartburn and breathlessness as your belly grows. Eat slowly, and avoid lying down for an hour after eating.
Weight gain. Total gain over the whole pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy, and Asian-specific BMI ranges may apply, so ask your doctor.
| Weight before pregnancy | Recommended total gain |
|---|---|
| Underweight | 12.5 to 18 kg |
| Normal weight | 11.5 to 16 kg |
| Overweight | 7 to 11.5 kg |
| Obese | 5 to 9 kg |
Exercise, sleep and posture
Exercise. The standard advice for healthy pregnancies is about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days. Walking after meals helps blood sugar. Swimming, prenatal yoga, stationary cycling and pelvic floor exercises are good choices. You should be able to talk while you exercise. Avoid hot yoga, lying flat on your back during exercise, contact sports, heavy lifting and anything with a risk of falls. Stop and call your doctor if you have pain, bleeding, dizziness, trouble breathing, regular tightenings or fluid leaking.
Pelvic floor. Squeeze and lift the muscles you use to stop urine flow, hold for a few seconds and release. Do a few sets a day. Strong pelvic floor muscles help with bladder control during and after pregnancy, and with healing after birth.
Sleep. Sleep on your side, either side, with a pillow between your knees and another under your belly. Sleeping on your back in the third trimester is linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side. Do the same for naps. A long body pillow helps. Keep a regular bedtime and avoid screens at night. Hot, humid nights and power cuts can disturb sleep, so use a fan, wear loose cotton clothes and keep water by your bed.
Posture. As your belly grows, your centre of gravity shifts forward. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, avoid high heels and use a chair that supports your lower back. Lift by bending your knees. A support belt can ease back pain, so ask your doctor.
Movement tracking. Keep tracking your baby’s movements. Learn the usual pattern, and if you want a method, count distinct movements until you reach ten, which usually takes under two hours. If you notice a clear drop or change, call your doctor the same day, and do not wait until the next day or rely on a home Doppler.
If you have had a C-section before
If your last baby was born by C-section, you can often plan a vaginal birth after C-section, called VBAC. Success is common, in about seven in ten attempts, and a vaginal birth avoids another operation. It carries a small risk that the scar on the womb opens, called uterine rupture, which is an emergency for mother and baby, so VBAC should be attempted only in a hospital with doctors, an operating theatre and blood available around the clock.
Questions to ask your doctor:
- Why was my last C-section done, and could that reason happen again?
- How long ago was it, and what type of cut was made on the womb?
- Do you and the hospital offer VBAC, and what are the risks and benefits for me?
- What happens if labour does not progress?
- Is a repeat C-section better for me?
Repeat C-sections also carry risks, such as a placenta that grows too low or too deep in the scar in future pregnancies. Your doctor will explain what suits you. If you are advised to have a C-section, the best time is usually from about 39 weeks, unless there is a medical reason to go earlier.
Preparing your family
Partners. Come to appointments if you can, join antenatal classes, share chores and listen. Learn the danger signs and the emergency plan. Talk about how you will share care after the birth. Partners can feel anxious or low, so look after each other.
Other children. Talk to them in simple words about the baby, show them the scan, let them feel the kicks and read books about new babies. Involve them in small tasks, such as choosing a blanket. Plan who will look after them when you go into labour. Expect some jealousy after the birth, and give them special time.
Family and in-laws. Tell them how you want to give birth and feed your baby, so that you have support. Many families have traditions around food, rest and visitors. Take what helps, and politely refuse what does not. Remember that exclusive breastfeeding for six months, with no water or honey, protects babies from infections.
Help after the birth. Arrange a relative or friend to cook, clean and help in the first weeks, so you can rest and feed your baby.
Mood. If you feel sad, anxious or hopeless for more than two weeks, tell your doctor. If you feel unsafe at home, tell your doctor or a trusted person. In Bangladesh you can call the national helpline 109 for support with violence against women and children. It is free.
Checklist for this week
- Ask for a hemoglobin check, and take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times
- Check your blood group, and get anti-D if you are Rh negative
- Ask about the whooping cough, tetanus-diphtheria and flu vaccines
- Keep tracking your baby’s movements, and call the same day if the pattern changes
- Sleep on your side every night, including naps
- Learn the signs of preterm labour, pre-eclampsia, bleeding and anaemia
- Make an emergency plan: hospital, transport, blood donors, money and who decides
- Keep your prenatal card, test results and ID ready
- Book your visits for the next month, now every two weeks
- Join an antenatal and breastfeeding class, and start your hospital bag and birth plan
- Talk to your doctor about vaginal birth or C-section
- Tell someone if you feel low or anxious
- Save your doctor’s number and the nearest hospital’s emergency number
FAQ
How big is the baby at 29 weeks?
About 38 cm from head to heel and 1.15 kg, roughly the size of a butternut squash. Sizes vary a little between guides and between babies.
Can a baby survive if born at 29 weeks?
Most babies born at 29 weeks survive in hospitals with good newborn intensive care, although they need weeks of care and some have complications. Chances are lower where newborn care is limited. Go to hospital early if you have signs of preterm labour.
Why does my baby need so much calcium?
The skeleton hardens in the third trimester, and the calcium comes from you. Eat calcium-rich foods, and take supplements as your doctor advises.
What is a normal amount of swelling?
Mild swelling of both feet and ankles, worse in the evening and better with rest, is normal. Sudden swelling of the face and hands, or swelling with a severe headache or blurred vision, needs a doctor the same day.
Why is anaemia dangerous at the end of pregnancy?
It makes bleeding after birth more dangerous. Check your hemoglobin, take iron as prescribed and plan for blood in an emergency.
How should I plan for an emergency?
Know your blood group, choose a hospital that can do C-sections and transfusions, arrange transport and blood donors, keep money and documents ready and agree with your family to go to hospital at once if there is a danger sign.
Can I have a vaginal birth after a C-section?
Often yes, in a hospital that can handle emergencies. Ask your doctor about the risks and benefits for you.
How do I count kicks?
Learn your baby’s usual pattern. If you want a method, count distinct movements until you reach ten, which usually takes under two hours. Call your doctor the same day if the pattern changes.
Is it safe to sleep on my back?
It is better to sleep on your side from 28 weeks, because sleeping on your back is linked to a higher risk of stillbirth. If you wake on your back, turn onto your side.
Note: This article gives general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife. Every pregnancy is different. Call your doctor or go to a hospital if you have bleeding, severe pain, fever, fainting, a change in your baby’s movements or any symptom that worries you.
