What's happening with your baby at 29 weeks
At 29 weeks, your baby is roughly 38–39 cm long and weighs around 1.15 to 1.25 kg (about 2.5–2.75 lb). From here, weight gain speeds up — expect around half a pound a week through the rest of the pregnancy.
Your baby's brain is developing fast right now, with new grooves and folds forming so more surface area fits inside a still-growing skull. Muscles and lungs keep maturing, and coordinated sucking and swallowing reflexes are coming together ahead of birth.
Space is getting tighter, so you'll likely feel movement change in character — fewer big, sweeping kicks and more rolls, pokes, and stretches. Your baby's own sleep-wake pattern is well established, which is why activity feels more predictable now.
Common symptoms at 29 weeks
Shortness of breath is very common at 29 weeks as your growing uterus pushes up against your diaphragm, leaving less room for your lungs to expand fully. Heartburn, constipation, and hemorrhoids often show up for the same reason — everything is being crowded.
You may start noticing Braxton Hicks contractions: irregular, usually painless tightening across your belly that comes and goes. They're your body's way of practicing, not a sign labor is starting.
Backaches, leg cramps at night, swollen feet and ankles, and trouble getting comfortable in bed are all typical this week. Some people also notice their breasts beginning to leak a little colostrum — both leaking and not leaking are normal at this stage.
How is your body changing at 29 weeks?
Your fundal height — the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus — is usually close to 29 cm now, since after 20 weeks it tends to roughly track the week number. Weight gain generally continues at about a pound a week, though this varies a lot person to person.
The hormone relaxin is loosening your joints and ligaments to prepare for birth, which can make your hips and lower back feel less stable than usual. Your center of gravity has shifted further forward, so balance may feel a little different, especially on stairs or uneven ground.
Fatigue often returns around now, even if you had more energy earlier in the third trimester. Between disrupted sleep, extra weight, and simply working harder to breathe and move, feeling more tired than usual at 29 weeks is common.
What to do this week
If you haven't yet had your glucose screening for gestational diabetes, ask about scheduling it soon — it's usually done between 24 and 28 weeks, so 29 weeks is a good time to close that loop if it's been delayed. Ask your provider about the Tdap vaccine too, which is typically recommended between 27 and 36 weeks to protect your newborn from whooping cough.
This is a reasonable week to start a simple daily kick-count routine, so you get familiar with your baby's normal pattern before it matters most. Many providers also begin shifting appointments to every two weeks around now, so check what your own schedule looks like going forward.
If iron-deficiency anemia has come up in your bloodwork, or you're feeling unusually wiped out, ask your provider whether a supplement makes sense — anemia becomes more common as the third trimester goes on. It's also a good week to look into childbirth or breastfeeding classes if you haven't already booked one.
When to call your provider
A noticeable drop in your baby's movement is one of the most important things to act on. Do a kick count — you're generally looking for around 10 movements within 2 hours — and call your provider if movement doesn't pick up or feels significantly different from your baby's usual pattern.
Call the same day for vaginal bleeding, a severe headache that doesn't ease with rest, sudden vision changes, sudden swelling in your face or hands, or severe abdominal pain — these can be signs of preeclampsia or another complication that needs prompt evaluation.
Regular contractions, menstrual-like cramping, low back pain that comes in waves, or fluid leaking before 37 weeks all need to be checked for signs of preterm labor. When in doubt, it's always reasonable to call — providers expect these calls and would rather check than have you wait.