29 Weeks Pregnant — Your Baby Is The Size Of A Lobster

Welcome to Scary Mommy’s pregnancy week by week guide! We’re here to give you all the info about what to expect when you’re expecting: be it pregnancy week by week symptoms, your baby’s development, your changing body, or ultrasounds and appointments. Here’s everything you need to know about week 29.

Your Body at Week 29 Pregnant

It’s getting crowded

At 29 weeks of pregnancy, it’s starting to get a little crowded in your belly, since baby is growing so fast! Hitting 29 weeks means you’re six months and one week pregnant, and the average weight gain is around 19 to 25 pounds. If you’re expecting twins, that goes up to 23 to 38 pounds. Take a tour around your pregnant belly and you’ll feel that the top of your uterus is between 3.5 to 4 inches above your belly button.

Ninja alert

There’s lots of action going on inside your belly, which is why you might feel like you have a little karate star growing inside you. At 29 weeks, baby is getting a natural energy boost and letting off all that steam with some activity. Expect lots of pushes, kicks and rolls. To make sure baby is on track, you’ll want to continue your kick counts. Baby should be moving at least 10 times within two hours. If your little one is being a little still, play music, get a mini prenatal massage (your partner can play masseuse!), or drink some ice cold water to give the baby a gentle wakeup. But if there’s still no movement, be sure to call your doctor.

Your Baby at Week 29 Pregnant

At 29 weeks, baby is now the size of a lobster. On the scale, baby will clock in around two and a half pounds — which means your little one still needs to triple in weight before birth. That’s a lot of growing left to do! Baby will measure about 15.2 inches long at 29 weeks.

Feel a weird little repetitive twitch? That means baby has the hiccups! Don’t worry — they won’t make baby uncomfortable. If you’re expecting twins, at 29 weeks pregnant, there is now a thin membrane between them. Kids eventually always want their own rooms!

At this stage, you may notice your baby is reacting to different foods, sounds, and lights. It also correlates with the fact that the baby’s brain is gaining intelligence and a personality!

Your Symptoms and Health at Week 29 Pregnant

Scratch That Itch

As baby is growing, your skin is stretching thinner to accommodate your bulging bump. All that streeeeetching makes skin more sensitive, so be sure to moisturize with lotion and drink plenty of water to hydrate from the inside out. If the symptoms worsen — think serious itching or a rash — alert your doctor.

Sleep No More

Still having trouble sleeping? Unfortunately that’s not going away. We know getting comfortable at this stage can be tough, but there are a few tricks to make you feel sleepy before bedtime. During the day, try to get enough exercise, which will help you rest better at night. Simple things like prenatal yoga and brisk walks will do the trick. Keeping hydrated will also help you catch more zzzs.

The Scoop on Your Poop

There’s a good chance you might also experience constipation. Nope, going to the bathroom isn’t fun when you’re 29 weeks pregnant. But drinking lots of water and eating plenty of fiber will help with constipation.

Hemorrhoids, Hemorrhoids, Hemorrhoids

Your growing baby is putting more and more pressure on your digestive system. Plus, all those hormones surging through your body and pushing you’re doing due to constipation might cause your intestinal muscles to relax. That combination can lead to pregnancy hemorrhoids, which is a common side effect of pregnancy. Ease them by upping your water intake and chowing down on loads of fiber, which is found in leafy vegetables and lentils.

Piss Off

It might feel like you just sat down again after your return from the bathroom — and now you have to get up and pee once more. You can blame all those trips to the loo on your expanding uterus, which puts more pressure on your bladder. But don’t make the mistake of cutting down your water intake to reduce trips to the bathroom. As we mentioned earlier, staying hydrated is key to preventing and treating many 29 weeks pregnancy symptoms, including constipation and hemorrhoids, to name a few. Another key reason to be conscientious about your H20 intake is that dehydration can lead to preterm labor.

Aches and Pains

Feeling sore all over is part of this stage of the game, but it can be especially tough on your back, legs or hips. That’s what all of that extra weight you’re lugging around at 29 weeks pregnant can do to your body. Another source of bodily stress is that to prepare for labor, your joints and ligaments are getting more relaxed and softer.

Double Trouble

If you think two’s a crowd now, we’re sorry to have to tell you that your twins are only around a third of the weight they’ll be at birth. Seems crazy, considering how achy things already are while your joints and ligaments stretch out in preparation for labour. Thanks to the fact that you have not one, but two babies dancing on your bladder, you’re also probably running to the bathroom every five minutes. As annoying as that is, don’t stop with the heavy water drinking. Since dehydration can result in preterm labour, and preterm labour is already more common in twin pregnancies, moms of two-to-be need to be extra sure they stay as hydrated as possible.

The contents of this article have been medically reviewed by Ruth A. Tessler, M.D. in July, 2019.

Written by Celia Shatzman.

Follow Preggo Nancy’s pregnancy journey week-by-week and share in her joy, her symptoms, and even her pregnancy cravings.

Read More:

28 Weeks Pregnant — Your Baby Is The Size Of A Bread Basket

30 Weeks Pregnant — Your Baby Is The Size Of A Tub Of Fried Chicken