29 Weeks

I can't believe I'm at 29 weeks already! Isaac's kicks have increasingly gotten stronger and more frequent. Yesterday at church, I was leaning up against Josh and he felt a big, swift kick against him. He laughed and asked, "Did you burp or was that a kick?!" Hee, hee!

How your baby's growing:
Now that organ and nerve development is almost complete, your baby will start gaining weight very quickly this week — mostly in the form of body fat. In addition, Baby's brain continues its important developmental work this week. In fact, it is growing so quickly now, it may cause his flexible skull bones to swell slightly. By this time, your baby may weigh just under three pounds and is a bit less than 14 inches long.

Other important developments in the 29th week include:
• Insistent kicking action will occur as Baby's muscles develop. Later in this trimester, these movements will slow down as Baby gets bigger and the uterus gets more cramped.

• Baby's skeleton will continue to harden.

• Baby's lungs will continue to mature.

• Toenails will continue to grow.

• Retinas will continue to develop.

Some old friends — heartburn and constipation — may take center stage again. The pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes smooth muscle tissue throughout your body, including your gastrointestinal tract. This relaxation, coupled with the crowding in your abdomen, slows your digestive process, which can cause gas, especially after a big meal. (Josh can vouch for that! LOL)