Your Nutrient of This Week¹

Your Wellness Tips This Week

Eating regular, balanced meals and snacks can help improve circulation and leg strength.

Doctor visit: ²
You might be visiting the doctor when you’re 29 weeks pregnant or in the next couple of weeks:

• This might be your last monthly visit.

• Your doctor might ask to see you every two weeks and then once a week until the delivery.
• Your doctor will continue to monitor your health and your baby’s progress.

Give Me a Break³
Many women begin to slow their activity in the 29th week of pregnancy and beyond, which is normal.

• You are carrying more weight, which can make any physical activity more exhausting than normal.
• Respond to your body’s needs. It’s OK to modify your routine. Just try to keep moving every day.

Your Baby's Development at Week 29⁴

Your baby in the 29th week of pregnancy might be best described as long and strong!

• Your baby probably weighs almost 1.5 kg. From crown to rump she is about 25 cm long, about the length of a large cucumber.
• Your baby’s activity probably keeps getting more frequent and stronger during the 29th week of pregnancy. She can kick and make grasping movements. Hold on — some of your baby’s jabs even might take your breath away!
• Your baby already might be within almost 7.5 cm of her birth length, although she still has weight to gain to fill out.
• During the next 11 weeks, she might more than double or almost triple her current weight. Much of this weight will happen as she gains important weight under her skin.

Your Changing Body at Week 29⁵

When you’re 29 weeks pregnant, you begin your 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Now, most of your pregnancy symptoms are caused by your uterus continuing to grow. Here’s what else is happening in your 29th week of pregnancy:

• Your heart and circulatory system work overtime as your body keeps on producing more blood than normal, carrying oxygen and nutrients to your baby.
• You occasionally might notice Braxton-Hicks contractions  (false labour) as your body prepares for labour.
• Ready for more of the same? Most of your late-pregnancy symptoms are familiar by now. Look for some of these symptoms in the weeks to come.View the symptoms.

Weight gain
Most women average about 0.5 kg a week or about 2 kg a month.

Veins bulging a bit or becoming blue?
Your veins are becoming larger to accommodate increased blood flow.

You might notice veins bulging and becoming visible as bluish or reddish lines beneath the surface of your skin, particularly on your legs and ankles. Varicose veins often can appear for the first time during pregnancy, usually in the last trimester.

Varicose veins might be sore or itchy.

Tips for care⁶
You cannot prevent varicose veins, but you can keep them from getting worse and relieve any swelling or soreness with extra care:

• Keep your blood flowing by limiting how long you stand or sit in one position.
• Avoid crossing your legs, which can cut off circulation.
• Prop up your legs whenever possible.
• Try sleeping on your left side, which is best for circulation.
• Avoid putting on weight above that recommended by doctor.
• Avoid heavy lifting.
• Do walks or other exercise.
• Avoid restrictive clothing, but ask your doctor about the benefits of support hose.
• Eat foods rich in vitamin C.

Spider veins⁷
Similar to varicose veins, appear as tiny, reddish spots with raised lines that branch out from the center.

They might appear on your face, upper chest, or arms. They usually disappear a few weeks after your baby is born. To keep them from spreading, follow the same tips for varicose veins. You also might experience haemorrhoids, caused by varicose veins in your rectum. Constipation increases this risk.

References:

¹ Healthhub. Nutrition During Pregnancy—Eating Right for Two. Available [Online] at: https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/928/pregnancy-nutrition-during-pregnancy-eating-right-for-two. Accessed on 28 August 2023.
² Verywellfamily. Your Prenatal Care Appointments. Available [Online] at: https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/29/. Accessed on 28 August 2023.
³ Verywellfamily. Week 29 of Your Pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.verywellfamily.com/29-weeks-pregnant-4159140. Accessed on 28 August 2023.
⁴ American Pregnancy Association. 29 weeks Pregnant. Available [Online] at: https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/week-by-week/29-weeks-pregnant/. Accessed on 28 August 2023.
⁵ Watson S. Third Trimester. WebMD. Available [Online] at: https://www.webmd.com/baby/third-trimester-of-pregnancy. Accessed on 28 August 2023.
⁶ My Cleaveland Clinic. Varicose Veins While Pregnant. Available [Online] at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23331-varicose-veins-in-pregnancy. Accessed on 28 August 2023.
⁷ Taylor M. What to Know About Spider Veins During Pregnancy. WebMD. Available [Online] at: https://www.webmd.com/baby/what-to-spider-veins-during-pregnancy. Accessed on 28 August 2023. Accessed on 28 August 2023.
* Comparison among all maternal milk in Singapore as of January 2022, as declared on the label.

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