About You

Week 29 is the third week of the 3rd trimester. Your baby is starting to put on weight quickly, and is putting demands on your body for nutrients, and this results in an increase in appetite. While it is tempting to fill up on empty calories, focus on nutrition – what you and your baby needs. At this stage, y ou'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, iron (to make red blood cells), and calcium (about 200 milligrams is deposited in your baby's skeleton every day!), so eat foods rich in these nutrients.

Now is a good time to learn some stretches that will open up your body ready for your baby's birth. Even the occasional stretch and wiggle can help you avoid pregnancy problems such as leg cramps. Just get moving and stretching!

If you have any pain and tinging in your hands, you could have carpal tunnel syndrome, a common pregnancy ailment. This will pass once you have had baby. If you are feeling sick of being pregnant, remember you have 10 weeks to go… so treat yourself. For example, get a pedicure (because you will not be able to do it yourself!) .

About Baby

Your baby now weighs around 1.1 kilograms and measures about 38 centimetres from head to toe. In boys, testicles descend from near the kidneys through the groin en route to the scrotum. In girls, the clitoris is relatively prominent because it's not yet covered by the still-small labia. These will grow to cover it in the last few weeks before birth. Your baby's head is getting bigger, and brain growth is very rapid at this time. The skeleton hardens even more and the brain, muscles, and lungs continue to mature. Also, nearly all babies react to sound by 30 weeks. Baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during the third trimester so make sure you are getting the right minerals and vitamins.

This week’s activities for the pregnancy to-do list

✔Eat a high-fibre diet to help prevent constipation and haemorrhoids. Also, nutrition is vital now, so eat well

✔Make pregnancy stretches part of your daily routine

✔Start shopping for birth announcements and decide whether you'll choose paper or electronic ones (most people text these days or go on social media)

✔If you live in an older home, ask your partner to test for lead-based paint and remove it if necessary

✔Run some vital errands now, before you will be busy with a new baby

Note that this article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.

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