Third trimester
29 weeks pregnant
The fetus is around the size of a butternut squash, gaining weight steadily and running out of room. Kicks are becoming firmer and more deliberate.
Size of
butternut squash
Length
38 cm
Weight
1150 g
Your baby at 29 weeks
The brain is developing rapidly, with billions of neurons forming connections. Head size increases to accommodate it.
Bones are fully formed but still soft, and the fetus is drawing substantial calcium from you to harden them.
Muscles and lungs continue maturing. Movements feel stronger and more like pushes than flutters, as space becomes limited.
How you may be feeling
Fatigue often returns in the third trimester, compounded by poor sleep. Many people find it reminiscent of the first trimester.
Heartburn, constipation and breathlessness are all common as the uterus presses on the stomach, bowel and diaphragm.
Common symptoms around week 29
- Returning fatigue
- Stronger, firmer movements
- Heartburn
- Shortness of breath
- Varicose veins for some
Appointments and tests around now
Appointments are typically every two weeks now, checking blood pressure, urine, fundal height and the baby’s position.
What is normal, and what varies
Movements change character in the third trimester as space reduces — more pushing and rolling, fewer sharp kicks. What matters is that the overall amount does not reduce.
Worth doing this week
Keep calcium up
The fetus is drawing substantial calcium for bone hardening. Dietary intake matters now more than earlier.
Move regularly for varicose veins
Avoid long periods standing or sitting still. Compression stockings help some people considerably.
Rest properly, not just less activity
Third-trimester fatigue is physiological. Treating it as something to push through generally backfires.
Looking ahead
Next week bone marrow takes over red blood cell production entirely.
Nearby weeks
Not sure which week you are in? The week tracker works it out from the first day of your last period, and the due date calculator gives you an estimated due date.