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Pregnancy Week 29

Pregnancy Week 29

Your Baby's Development This Week

Baby will be rapidly gaining weight now until delivery, and will double or maybe even triple present weight. Hard to believe it now, as you probably feel like you are already at maximum capacity. The baby's head is in proportion, and the head is growing along with all the brain expansion. Don't worry, the flexible structure of the skull allows for that big noggin to pass through during birth. The brain is controlling breathing and maintaining body temperature, although not perfectly. Even newborns have problems keeping their body temperature in check, thus you need to be careful not to overdress or allow them to get too chilled. Sensory awareness continues to be more and more sophisticated, and baby probably already has some taste and odor preferences and dislikes as well. Baby will be moving to a head-down position in the next few weeks most likely, however some babies will pop back and forth making it a guessing game until the end.

Pregnancy Symptoms You May Feel During Week 29

The top of the uterus is 3-4" above the belly button. All the physical changes will often lead to a pretty constant battle for some pregnant women with constipation. Remember a high fiber/grain diet will help, as will plenty of fluids, regular exercise and if that's not enough, an over the counter remedy like Metamucil should be good. If you still battle with it, ask your doctor about cutting back or stopping iron supplements, which are notorious with backing up the works. However, do NOT use a laxative or mineral oil while pregnant.

Visit With the Obstetrician

Not quite half of all pregnant women experience varicose veins. This is not to be confused with spider veins, which resemble their name and disappear after delivery. Varicose veins are rather like stretch marks in terms of you may be more or less predisposed to getting them depending on your genetics. They might just be unsightly, or they can cause discomfort or pain. To try to keep them from becoming a problem, avoid overdoing heavy lifting, keep your weight on track, and avoid prolonged sitting and standing which keeps you from having good circulation. There are special support hose for the situation. Good news is, they should improve or go away within a few months of delivering baby.

Preparing for Baby

You've probably begun, or finished birthing classes now, and have a good idea of your best case scenario plan for birth. However, it's a very good idea to sit down with your partner and have a very honest talk about realistic expectations not just for the birth, but how your partner thinks he/she will handle it all. Squeamishness? Discomfort with the situation? Talk it through. It might be in everyone's best interests to have a back up partner to help your partner, or perhaps even a doula. Knowing ahead of time what issues might be problematic gives you both a chance to plan and prepare to make things go smoother.

Pregnancy Lifestyle

While the first few weeks of pregnancy are crucial in terms of what the developing baby needs and what can do harm, now is another crucial growth time for the baby. You need to make sure you are getting the right vitamins and minerals to the rapidly growing fetus. The basics:

• 3-4 servings of fruits and vegetables;
• 9 servings of grains/cereals;
• 3 servings of dairy;
• and 3 servings of meat, eggs, beans, peas or nuts.

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