Week by week: pregnancy symptoms (week-29)

You may feel a little bored and back-achey at this stage of pregnancy, but there are plenty of positive ways to take your mind off things. For example, you could start to make enquiries about breast-feeding classes, plan your maternity leave, and draw up lists of baby essentials, such as diapers, a changing mat, onesies, bibs, and baby wipes, and perhaps buy a couple of items each week. This is a great time to start the nesting process, and ready your home for your baby. 

Symptoms and Body Changes at 29 Weeks

As your hormones continue to fluctuate, you will experience skin rashes, dryness, and intense itching. Try to refrain from scratching your skin, and keep it moisturized. Severe skin rashes may indicate a medical problem, and should be evaluated by your physician. You may experience mood swings, and you may feel fatigued due to the amount of weight you are gaining. This is normal, as you have likely gained close to 24 pounds by this point. As you learn new ways to walk, sit, stand, and sleep, try taking warm baths to relax your muscles and help you get through some of the aches and pains. Varicose veins may begin to form on your legs, and this too is normal. Use compression stockings and elevate your feet to minimize this. You’re probably still feeling all the pregnancy symptoms you felt last week. Hang in there, Mom; only a couple of months to go!

Your Body

The top of your uterus is four inches above your belly button, crowding your ribs and diaphragm and leaving you breathless. It's also pressing against your bladder, which is why you're making so many trips to the bathroom once again. The placenta, which is flat and round like a cake and delivers oxygen and nutrients to the baby, is also getting bigger; next week, it will weigh 15 ounces. Your baby may be in a head-down position already, prepared for birth. Even if he's in a bottom-down position (called breech), there's still time for him to turn. When he does, he'll drop lower in your abdomen, his head engaging within the pelvic bones at the birth canal.

Your Baby

Every day, your little one is looking more like a full-grown baby than a fetus. By the end of this week, he'll weigh about 2 3/4 pounds. For the rest of the trimester, he'll be bulking up and gaining approximately half a pound a week; between now and his birthday, he'll double or even triple in weight. His kicks and jabs are more vigorous now, and you feel like he's moving all the time.

Baby’s Development

During the twenty-ninth week, your baby’s kicks and punches may be so hard that they take your breath away, and they may cause severe pain. The movements and kicks are happening frequently at this point, which are goods signs that the baby is doing well.  Sometimes these kicks and movements can cause rib pain, pelvic pain, and unintentional loss of urine. This high activity does not usually last throughout the pregnancy and will become less frequent as the baby grows and has more limited space to move around.

Your baby is continuing to grow, weighing close to three pounds and stretching to over a foot long. You may notice that this growth is causing increased hunger, as your baby uses most of the nutrients you consume to grow more. You may feel like you need to eat again after a meal, but fight this temptation and trust that your baby is receiving all the nutrients it needs. Rapid brain development began last week and continues this week. The muscles and lungs continue to mature, and hearing has improved greatly.

Do's and Don'ts

Do feast on fatty foods, just not the ice-cream-and-greasy-bacon type. A "good" type of fat, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), helps brain and nerve cells develop. DHA can be found in canola, flaxseed, and walnut oils--and in fatty fish like salmon. Try using walnut oil in your salad dressing.

Health

Although you're months away from giving birth, read as much as you can about labor and delivery. Studies show that if you understand how labor works, you may feel you have more control over the process. In turn, you'll be less fearful and may not feel the pain as strongly as you would if you were feeling vulnerable and uninformed. Knowledge truly is power. So get the Real Poop on Labor. Sorry, Mama. Someone has to tell you the truth about childbirth. (Hint: it's messy.)

Shopping

Your growing breasts need support, especially when you're working out, so be sure to pick a good sports bra to wear for the rest of your pregnancy. Try on a few before making a final purchase to guarantee you get the best fit and in a fabric that doesn't chafe.

Exercise

Ask your doctor how to check your rectus abdominus, the central muscle that runs down the front of the abdomen and supports the back. During pregnancy it may separate by more than the width of two finger lengths, but don't worry--the gap usually disappears after birth. Note that you should not be doing exercises that work the abdomen at this stage.

Relationships

As you attend childbirth classes, let your partner know which strategies sound appealing to you and which ones put you off. Practice what you learn at home and give him plenty of feedback so he'll have a hefty bag of tricks once you're in labor and need his support.

Siblings

Ask your child for help as you check off tasks on your to-do list. Put her to work folding baby clothes or coming up with ways to arrange the nursery.

Twins

Now that you're in the third trimester, check with your midwife or doctor to make sure it's still safe to have sex. Moms carrying twins should be more careful than usual since their pregnancies are considered high risk.

Week by week-pregnancy week -26

Welcome to week -26

This is the week you could wave goodbye to your toes as your bump grows bigger.

If night time trips to the toilet are disturbing your sleep pattern and leaving you feeling tired, try not to drink too much in the last two hours before bedtime, and avoid diuretic drinks containing caffeine, such as tea, coffee and cola. This will help, but the pressure of your uterus on your bladder will probably mean midnight toilet trips won't stop altogether.

If you're prone to leg cramps or 'restless' legs, try giving your legs a good massage and stretch in the couple of hours before bedtime: this will keep the muscles supple and less susceptible to going into spasm. A warm bath before bed will help too.

Inside story

Your baby now weighs around 900g (about 2lb). Crown-to-rump length is around 23cm (9.2in) and the skin is becoming less transparent, although a network of veins is still visible below the surface.

Male testicles will descend into the scrotum during this week. The network of nerves in your baby's ears is developing well and the sense of hearing is becoming more sophisticated. Your baby is likely to be aware of your voice and you might notice more movements when you're talking.

Breathing movements are taking place, during which your baby inhales and exhales small amounts of amniotic fluid.

The heart is growing and becoming stronger and the heartbeat will be audible through a standard stethoscope, although not all mums master hearing it this way. Your baby's heartbeat will continue to be monitored at each antenatal visit using the Doppler ultrasound device - the best sound!

On the outside

Your midwife will be able to feel the top of your uterus around 6.5cm (about 2 .5in) above your belly button. This distance will increase by about 1cm a week throughout the rest of your pregnancy.

Most of your pregnancy weight is gained in the last 20 weeks of pregnancy, with most women gaining between 10kg and 12.5kg (22-28lb), so don't be surprised if you find you've gained quite a bit in the past six weeks or so.

The extra weight may mean your lower back starts to feel the strain, so do take extra care of yourself. Some mums-to-be find a bump support helpful: this elasticated sling hugs your bump, providing extra support to the lower back and abdomen.

For good back health, support your lower back with a small cushion when you're sitting; maintaining good posture; treat yourself to a pregnancy massage or acupuncture with a therapist trained in and using a gentle heat pack to ease pain in your lower back.

Things to think about

You might like to consider using complementary therapies in labour: some women bring a practitioner into the labour room with them (birth unit permitting), as well as their chosen birth partner.

Therapies include:

Reflexology – this involves manipulation of the feet to treat different organs in the body

Acupuncture – effective as pain relief and for relaxation

Meditation and visualisation – can aid pain-relief and be practised with or without a therapist

Hypnosis – helps to distance the labouring mum from her pain.

Water births

If you're interested in a water birth start making plans. Check your local hospital and birthing unit has a birthing pool. Some units are happy for you to bring your own hired pool; others don't have strong enough floors to support the weight. If you're determined to have a water birth this might influence your choice of where to give birth. If you have sufficient space at home you might opt for a home water birth.

You can legitimately give birth wherever you choose, and change your mind right up until the moment you're in labour – although this is not ideal. Recent changes to the law mean that although you have a perfect right to give birth at home, your health authority doesn't have a responsibility to provide a midwifery service. You are entitled to emergency care, whether from a midwife, doctor or by ambulance transfer to hospital – and, in reality, most health authorities will provide you with a midwife for a home birth unless they are completely unable to do so.

Week by week: Pregnancy week 24

Welcome to week 24

This week your breasts may start leaking colostrum - the first nutrient-rich substance that will nourish your newborn before your breast milk comes in.

Dark-coloured fabrics are the least forgiving to leakage, so grab some breast pads, pop one inside each bra cup and dig out your light-coloured tops.

Inside story

Your baby is now about 540g (around 1lb) in weight and 21cm (8.5in) in crown-to-rump length.

Your baby's head and body are coming into proportion more like a newborn.

The brain cells that are responsible for thinking are maturing and the body is becoming rounded and slightly plumper, although the skin is still transparent and quite wrinkly.

By the end of this week 'viable' applies to your baby's status, which means that your baby is considered capable of living outside of the uterus with support should you go into premature labour.

Only approximately 63 babies per 1000 are born prematurely so it's not something to worry too much about.

On the outside

You'll have your sugar levels checked regularly at your antenatal checks via urine tests. This is because up to 5% of women develop pregnancy diabetes - medically known as gestational diabetes. Most women who develop the condition do so between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy.

If any sugar shows up in your urine, you'll have a random blood test (which means without having fasted or undergone any special measures previously) and if this shows higher-than-normal levels you'll be given a glucose tolerance test (GTT) as a final diagnosis of the condition.

This involves drinking a solution of glucose and having blood taken at the beginning and end of the test to see how quickly your body is able to metabolise the glucose.

Try not to worry if you get a positive result: with a strictly controlled low-sugar, low-fat diet and an increase in activity you should be able to bring your blood-glucose levels under control.

You'll be asked to check your own sugar levels regularly using a home finger-prick testing kit, and record the results so your medical team can keep track of your control.

One side-effect of diabetes in pregnancy is that you may have a larger-than-average baby, so if at any stage your baby appears 'large for dates', as it would be recorded on your notes, your midwife will probably want to investigate you for diabetes. Once you have a diagnosis you'll probably have extra scans to check on your baby's growth and welfare.

It's important to get treatment for pregnancy diabetes as otherwise it could mean that your baby will become very large with too much fat, which could impede delivery. Your baby may also have low blood glucose levels at birth and/or breathing problems, so don't be surprised if a short spell in a SCBU (Special Care Baby Unit) is needed to stabilise your baby's condition.

Things to think about

Choosing your baby's name is a big responsibility. There are a few things to keep in mind when thinking of possible names.

Make sure that if you're choosing a middle name as well as a first name, your baby's initials won't spell out something unfortunate: Catherine Olivia Williams or Stephen Owen Daniels could both give rise to sniggers and teasing.

Sound out the names to hear the balance: if your baby will have a long surname, pick a one or two-syllable first name. The same applies in reverse, too, so if your baby will have a short surname, you could be a bit more extravagant with a first name. Also consider how the name will sound shouted across the playground too.

Unless you're sure of your baby's sex, shortlist names for either gender – although you'll have six weeks to register your baby's birth after delivery to make your decision. You might even decide that your newborn baby doesn't seem to suit your chosen name, and change your mind after delivery so it's good to have a few possible names in mind.

week by week : pregnancy week - 21

Welcome to week 21

By now you'll have waved goodbye to your old waistline as you'll have a pretty good sized bump. Have you felt any odd 'tightening' sensations in your bump? You might be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions (named after the 19th-century gynaecologist who first identified them), which are really limbering up exercises performed involuntarily by the uterus in preparation for the birth.

It might seem a bit soon for a warm-up, but you'll experience these 'false contractions' from around now until the end of pregnancy. Don't worry that you're going into early labour as the sensation is quite different.

Inside story

Your baby is continuing to put all his efforts into laying down fat stores. Weighing in at 300g (around 10.5oz), the crown-to-rump length is now around 18cm (7in), which is about the same as the height of a Penguin Classics paperback.

Your baby could be swallowing up to 500ml of amniotic fluid per day by this stage and an ever-maturing digestive systems means some sugars are being absorbed by your baby's gut. The production of blood cells is being taken over by the bone marrow. It's a job previously performed by the liver and spleen and is a significant development.


On the outside

Some mums-to-be go right off the idea of sex in pregnancy, viewing their bodies as being solely for the purpose of growing their babies; others find themselves less inhibited than ever before and ready for some unprotected good times.

Some partners love the feeling of having had their fertility confirmed; others find the whole idea of pregnancy a total turn-off when it comes to sex.

It's important to keep talking: discuss how you both feel, and encourage honesty from your partner. You can still hold hands, cuddle and enjoy closeness, even if that's all the intimacy you can both enjoy for now.


Things to think about

This could be the time to start thinking about decorating your baby's nursery. Government advice (and the advice of leading babycare experts) is to keep your baby in your room with you for the first six months of life, so there's no immediate rush to get everything sorted, but it might be helpful to stagger the expense, and you'll probably have more energy at this stage than you'll have later in pregnancy or during the early months of parenthood.

If you're not sure whether you're having a boy or a girl, stick to unisex colours and themes. See our guide to the best buys for baby sleeping gear.

• a neutral shade or pale yellow or green make lovely nursery colours

• choose wall stickers or a frieze that could appeal to either sex

• try to position the cot away from a window or radiator and definitely never ever let a blind cord dangle

• don't be tempted into buying expensive cot bumpers: some childcare experts feel that cots are safer without them

• a baby's bedding should be made up of cotton sheets and cellular (holey) blankets, and you should never use a duvet or pillow in the first year of life as it's thought they could be a factor in cot death

• a room thermometer is a great idea for a nursery, as is a baby listening device.

Week by week : week - 17 (Pregnancy : boy or girl)

baby girl or boy?

Amazing!!

 

At this stage of pregnancy you might start to experience some unwanted aches and pains and other pregnancy related ailments.

Inside story

Your baby will have sprung in length to between 11 and 12cm – that's around four-and-a-half inches!

They'll also have doubled in weight in a fortnight, tipping the scales at around 100g (four ounces).

Your baby's job now is to lay down fat stores to fill out his rather baggy skin and help him to regulate his temperature.

The cartilage that forms the skeleton is transforming into hard bone and hearing continues to develop.

On the outside

You might have noticed your bump taking on a rugby ball shape lately, although most of its prominence will be below your belly button, in your pelvis.

Some mums-to-be show more than others; if you're sporting a noticeable bump, show it off with pride and take no notice of people who will undoubtedly ask 'Are you sure you're not having twins?'.

If, on the other hand, you're not showing yet, that's nothing to worry about either.

Things to think about

Here's a rundown of some of the niggles that may plague you in pregnancy, plus how you can help yourself.

• 'Round ligament' pain: This can happen as your uterus expands, and you might feel it in your sides as a sort of stretching pain if you bend or reach up suddenly. Unless it's severe or continuous, there's probably nothing at all to worry about, but if it does really bother, get it checked out by your GP or obstetrician.

• Thrush: It's an embarrassing and aggravating condition even when you're not pregnant, but it's downright miserable when you are. In pregnancy it's caused by an overgrowth of the normal fungus that's always present in your vagina. Talk to your doctor or midwife if you're suffering: there are some pessary treatments that are compatible with pregnancy. Don't just buy over-the-counter cream, though, as most treatments for thrush are not suitable for use in pregnancy.

• Oedema: This time we hear you cry 'What's that!?'. Put simply, it means swelling due to fluid retention, and it affects many pregnant women. You might notice your hands and fingers, wrists, ankles and face becoming a bit puffy.

This is all normal to a degree, but if the swelling never gets any better - even after resting with your legs higher than your hips - or if it gets worse or is accompanied by dizziness, visual disturbances and/or headache, get medical help right away as it could be the beginnings of pre-eclampsia, a potentially harmful condition of pregnancy.

• Headaches: Although lots of migraine sufferers report a dramatic improvement in pregnancy and women who suffer from normal headaches often find that they disappear during the middle trimester, a few unlucky girls continue to get headaches throughout pregnancy. It's thought that hormones are the culprits. Talk to your GP or midwife and check whether you are safe to take paracetamol.