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Third trimester

29 weeks pregnant

At 29 weeks you are in the third trimester, which ACOG counts from 28 weeks. Your baby is fully formed and spends these weeks maturing organs, laying down fat and growing. Breathlessness, broken sleep and leg cramps are common as your bump grows.

This page covers 29 weeks 0 days to 29 weeks 6 days (29+0 to 29+6), counted from the first day of the last period. Check how far along you are

Enter it to see the calendar dates of your week 29.

Botanical illustration of a butternut squash

About the size of a butternut squash

Typical estimated weight 1.38 kg (3 lb 1 oz) at 29+0, about 1.53 kg (3 lb 6 oz) by 29+6. This is the 50th centile; healthy babies commonly vary by about 12.7% either way.1

A reference value, not a measurement of your baby.

How your baby is developing

  • Your baby's organs are in place. The work now is maturing them and building up fat under the skin.2,3
  • The brain grows rapidly around this time, and the nervous system is becoming able to control some body functions.3,4
  • The eyelids can open and close, and your baby can react to light and sound.3,4
  • The lungs are making surfactant, a substance that will help the air sacs inflate after birth, but they are still immature.3,4
  • The fine, soft hair that covered your baby's body starts to disappear around now.2
  • As space gets tighter, some kicks may start to feel more like pokes.3

Changes you may notice

Everyone’s experience is different. You may notice some of these, or none.

  • Breathlessness is common. Your baby is pressing up toward your lungs, and your body is carrying extra weight.2
  • Sleep can get harder. Leg cramps, more nighttime trips to the bathroom and a baby who seems busiest just as you lie down are all common.2
  • Sleeping on your side, with a pillow under your bump and another between your legs, may help you get comfortable. If you feel too exhausted to cope, tell your midwife or doctor.2
  • Your changing center of gravity can make you feel clumsy. If you fall, let your provider know.2
  • Other third-trimester symptoms some people notice include heartburn, backache, headaches, swollen hands and feet, and swollen or bleeding gums. Get medical advice about any vaginal bleeding.2

Care around this week

  • US: the Tdap vaccine, which helps protect your baby against whooping cough, is recommended during weeks 27 through 36 of every pregnancy, preferably early in that window. UK: the whooping cough vaccine is usually offered from 16 weeks and is best given before 32 weeks, so NHS guidance suggests contacting your midwife or GP now if you have not had it.2,5,6
  • RSV protection is timed differently by country. US: the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) is given at 32 to 36 weeks during September through January in most of the country, so it is often discussed ahead of week 32. UK: the RSV vaccine is offered from around the 28-week appointment and can be given up until labor.6,7
  • Get to know your baby's usual pattern of movements. If they slow down, stop or change, contact your provider or maternity unit straight away, even in the middle of the night, rather than waiting. You do not need to count kicks, and a home heartbeat monitor is not a reliable way to check on your baby.2,8

Questions to ask your provider

  • Have I had the Tdap vaccine in this pregnancy, and if not, can I have it at this visit?
  • Will my 32 to 36 weeks fall in RSV vaccine season, or will my baby be offered an RSV antibody after birth instead?
  • What can I do about breathlessness and leg cramps at night?
  • What number should I call if I notice my baby moving less, including after hours?
  • Are there childbirth classes you recommend?
When to contact your provider straight away

Call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) in an emergency, such as heavy bleeding or bleeding with severe pain, a seizure, chest pain, or severe trouble breathing.10,11,12,13

These symptoms are not always serious, but each one needs prompt advice from your provider, midwife or maternity unit (or NHS 111 in the UK if you cannot reach them) rather than waiting for your next appointment, and it helps to tell them you are pregnant.

  • Vaginal bleeding or spotting at any stage of pregnancy. Call 911 or 999 if the bleeding is heavy or comes with severe belly pain, shoulder pain, or feeling faint or dizzy.12,14
  • Fluid leaking or gushing from your vagina, or discharge that is unusual for you. Get checked straight away if the fluid is greenish, colored or smells bad.12,13,15,16
  • Your baby moving less than usual, not moving, or a change in their usual pattern of movements. Call immediately, even in the middle of the night, and do not use a home Doppler to check yourself.8,12
  • A severe headache that does not go away with simple painkillers or gets worse, or sudden changes in your vision such as blurring or seeing flashing lights.10,12,13
  • Sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet, or swelling, redness or pain in a leg.10,12,13
  • Belly pain that is severe or does not go away after resting, or pain just below the ribs.10,12,17
  • Regular tightenings or contractions, period-type pains, or backache that is unusual for you before 37 weeks, which can be signs of preterm labor.16,17
  • A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or feeling hot, cold or shivery.12,13,16
  • Shortness of breath that comes on suddenly or happens when you lie flat, chest pain, a racing or pounding heart, or dizziness or fainting.12,13
  • Very itchy skin, especially on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet, or itching that is worse at night.18
  • Being sick so often that you cannot keep food or drink down, or signs of dehydration such as dark urine, peeing very little, or feeling dizzy.12,19
  • Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. Get help right away, and call 911 or 999 if you think you might act on them.12,20

Questions about 29 weeks

Is it normal to feel short of breath at 29 weeks pregnant?

Breathlessness is common at this stage. Your growing baby presses up toward your lungs, and your body is carrying extra weight.2

Should my baby's movements slow down at 29 weeks?

No. You should feel your baby move right up to and during labor. If movements slow down, stop or change from the usual pattern, contact your provider or maternity unit immediately, even at night.8

Is 29 weeks the third trimester?

Yes. ACOG counts the third trimester from 28 weeks 0 days until birth, so at 29 weeks you are in it.9

Sources

  1. In utero analysis of fetal growth: a sonographic weight standardRadiology 181(1):129–133, 1991
  2. Week 29 of pregnancyNHS Best Start in Life
  3. Fetal development: stages of growthCleveland Clinic
  4. Fetal developmentUS National Library of Medicine
  5. Tdap Vaccination for Pregnant WomenUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  6. Vaccinations in pregnancyNHS (England)
  7. Protecting Infants from RSVUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  8. Your baby's movementsNHS (England)
  9. How Your Fetus Grows During PregnancyAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  10. Pre-eclampsiaNHS (England)
  11. Epilepsy and pregnancyNHS (England)
  12. Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms (Hear Her campaign)US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  13. Pregnancy symptoms you need to get help forNHS (England)
  14. Vaginal bleeding in pregnancyNHS (England)
  15. Signs of going into labourNHS Best Start in Life
  16. Premature labour and birthNHS (England)
  17. Stomach pain in pregnancyNHS (England)
  18. Itching in pregnancyNHS (England)
  19. Severe vomiting in pregnancyNHS (England)
  20. Depression in pregnancyNHS (England)

Links checked November 12, 2026. Citing a source does not mean it endorses this site.

Written from the sources above and checked against them on 2026-11-12. Not reviewed by a clinician. Our editorial policy