My 29 Weeks Pregnant Belly Picture
Starting Weight: 123lbs
Current Weight: 135lbs
Total Weight Gain: 12lbs
Now let’s go over how my week went and what to expect…
Energy Level: My energy level was great this week! My baby shower was amazing, and I was able to see friends and family that I had not seen for a while!
Pregnancy symptoms: I feel Braxton Hicks contractions every day, and I have more noticeable shortness of breath when I do a lot of walking or going up a flight of stairs. I also had some lower back tightness this week for the first time.
Other Physical Changes: My growing uterus is getting bigger and bigger. I still have not seen any stretch marks 🙂 nor my linea nigra.
Diet: No new changes to my diet this week. I am making sure to drink lots of water to stay well hydrated.
Diet Modifications: No dietary modifications this week.
Food Aversions: No food aversions this week.
Food Cravings: No food cravings this week!
Workouts: This week was a deload week, and I was looking forward to it! I did a couple of indoor cycling workouts, and I did my four core lifts (squat, overhead press, bench, and deadlift) using lighter weights and fewer reps. I also do my Kegels as often as I remember to strengthen my pelvic floor for delivery and postpartum.
You can see examples of my entire pregnancy workout in my Prenatal Fitness Prescription.
Modifications to my workout: I am still using barbells and dumbbells like I did pre-pregnancy; however, I am using lighter weights and slowly going through the movements. I also take longer breaks in between sets.
*Be sure to speak with your health care provider before doing any physical activity or heavy lifting in pregnancy.* As always, start with gentle exercises and listen to your body.
Here is a video of me riding my Peloton at 29 weeks.
Other Related Questions
How big is your belly supposed to be at 29 weeks pregnant?
At 29 weeks your belly will be more noticeable and you may notice bumping into things more frequently. In terms of measurement, your fundal height should be ~27 – 31 centimeters (or ~9 cm above your belly button).
The actual size of your pregnant belly will depend on several factors so it is important that you don’t compare yourself to other pregnant women.
Those factors include but are not limited to:
- how much weight you have gained
- your genetics
- the size of your baby
- if you are carrying one or more babies, and
- the number of pregnancies you’ve had
Here is what my baby bump looks like at 29 weeks.
This is my first pregnancy and I have always lived a very active life with exercise as a priority.
I never eat for two and ensure I am consuming all the micronutrients that are important for the growth and development of my baby.
How much weight should you have gained by 29 weeks?
At 29 weeks gestation, you may have gained about 20 lbs total. This is an average, and you may have gained more or less depending on your starting BMI.
Remember, if you had a normal BMI before becoming pregnant, the recommended total weight gain is 25-35lbs.
Avoiding excessive gestational weight gain will help you:
- return to your pre-pregnancy weight quicker,
- decrease your risk of developing gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and/or preeclampsia,
- decrease your risk of having a large for gestation baby, and
- decrease your risk of having an operative vaginal delivery or cesarean section
Here is an image describing how much weight you should gain in pregnancy based on your pre-pregnancy BMI.
Here is how much weight you should gain per week, during the second trimester and third trimester, based on your pre-pregnancy BMI.
How big is the baby at 29 weeks?
At 29 weeks, your baby measures approximately 15 inches in length and weighs approximately 2.5 lbs.
He or she is roughly about the size of a butternut squash.
Is the baby fully formed at 29 weeks?
Yes, your baby is fully formed at 29 weeks but their organs, especially the brain and lungs, will continue to develop until 37-40 weeks.
What does the baby look like at 29 weeks?
At 29 weeks, your baby will look like a full-term baby, just a lot smaller. They are getting thicker and smoother skin while gaining more muscle and fat!
What position should your baby be in at 29 weeks?
At 29 weeks, your baby will likely be in its final birthing position (which is head down).
If your baby is not in the cephalic position, do not worry; there is still time! They can still flip in the womb before your big day.
The other position your baby could be in is the transverse or breech position.
The transverse position is assumed when your baby is lying across your abdomen, whereas the breech position occurs when the baby’s breech or buttocks are in your pelvis, and the head is in the upper abdomen.
Both of these positions will require a cesarean section.
What happens in the 29th week of pregnancy?
During the 29th week of pregnancy, your baby is gaining more fat under the skin and rapidly increasing weight.
Their eyesight will continue to improve, and his or her bones will continue to get stronger.
So make sure that you continue taking your prenatal vitamin and consuming enough calcium in your diet!
High calcium foods include: leafy greens, broccoli, almonds, yogurt, and cheese.
You will also have some third-trimester bloodwork to look for signs of iron-deficiency anemia. Many women will need additional iron supplements at this stage of the pregnancy.
What should I be doing at 29 weeks pregnant?
At 29 weeks pregnant, you should be:
- eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of nutrients (i.e. adequate fruits, vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats)
- drinking plenty of water
- taking your prenatal vitamin
- engaging in 150 minutes of exercise per week as per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (as long you were cleared by your OBGYN physician to do so)
- getting plenty of rest as needed
Can my baby feel me rub my belly at 29 weeks?
Yes, one study on patients performed between 21 and 33 weeks gestation has shown that your baby can feel when you rub your belly! When mothers touched their bellies, the fetus responded by increasing its movement!
How often should you feel baby move 29 weeks?
At 29 weeks you should feel your baby move 10 times in 2 hours.
This is known as the fetal kick count.
The third trimester is a good time to begin paying attention to the movements, as decreased or absent fetal movement will need to be evaluated!
What should I be feeling at 29 weeks?
At 29 weeks, you should be feeling a lot of fetal movement.
You may also start to feel your baby having hiccups!
The hiccups will feel like regular pulsing in one spot that will last for a few seconds or minutes.
Here are some other symptoms you may be experiencing:
- Shortness of breath
- Leg cramps
- Lower back pain
- Difficulty sleeping
- Braxton-Hicks contractions (aka practice contractions)
- Mood swings (due to fluctuations in pregnancy hormones)
- Constipation (drink plenty of fluids and eat high fiber foods to try and prevent hemorrhoids)
- Swelling
- Sore breasts
How many months is 29 weeks pregnant?
29 weeks is 7 months and 1 week pregnant!
You have officially started your 8th month of pregnancy!
What can I expect at my 29 week scan?
Your physician may or may not perform a growth scan at 29 weeks.
An ultrasound at this point will look at four things:
- the amniotic fluid volume (or liquid around the baby)
- the weight of your baby by taking several measurements (femur length, head circumference, biparietal diameter, and abdominal circumference)
- the fetal heart rate, and
- the fetal movements
Anything else I should know?
Here are a few other things you should know to maximize your chances of a healthy pregnancy!
- It will become more difficult to sleep as your uterus grows. If you sleep on your back, make sure to place a pillow or a wedge underneath your left side so that you are not flat on your back. This is to avoid compressing the major blood vessel that returns blood back to your heart, decreasing overall blood flow to your body. A pregnancy pillow may help as well.
- Be on the lookout for any symptoms of high blood pressure or preeclampsia, such as severe headache, changes in vision, severe pain in your abdomen, nausea, and vomiting.
- If you experience painful contractions at regular intervals, make sure to be evaluated urgently to rule out preterm labor.
This is not a comprehensive list of things to look out for, but they are the most common.
If you are ever unsure about anything, the important thing is to always speak with your healthcare provider first!
Final Words on 29 Weeks Of Pregnancy
At 29 weeks, you only have ~11 weeks left until your due date!
How did your week go?
Can you believe we are approaching the end of your pregnancy?
What are you looking forward to?
Comment below and let me know!
Be sure to check back in for my 30 week update!
My Other Weekly Updates
- My pregnancy bump at 26 weeks of gestation
- My pregnancy bump at 27 weeks of gestation
- My pregnancy bump at 28 weeks of gestation
Get Four Free Workouts To Help Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor & Heal Your Mommy Tummy!
Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT
Brittany Robles is a full-time OBGYN physician, a NASM certified trainer, and a prenatal and postnatal fitness specialist. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in maternal health with a special interest in exercise and nutrition. She is also the co-author of The White Coat Trainer. Learn more about her here.
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