Pregnancy Week 29-32: Keep Track of Life Growing Within You

We hope you are enjoying our “Keep Track of Life Growing Within You” blog series. Weeks 29-32 are very exciting with the little one will be arriving soon! Here is what to expect during the next four weeks.

Week 29

Do you feel those kicks? They should be stronger & more frequent now as baby moves around inside. Space is tight & baby is squirming. Baby continues to hiccup from time to time, giving your belly an adorable little shake. As for you mom, your nails & hair may be flourishing due to the extra hormones. Unfortunately, the added weight could be giving you issues with your legs. Watch out for varicose veins.

Week 30

Go to the fridge & grab a good-sized head of cauliflower. At week 30, that is about the size of your baby. Although, yes it looks much more like a child & not anything like vegetable. Some women experience a rapid expansion of their belly during this time even though it may feel like the tummy couldn’t possibly expand any more. Baby is doing its final growth spurt as a fetus, & the most remarkable part is the rapid brain development taking place during this week. The brain surface starts to go from smooth to wrinkled, maximizing the volume of cells it can contain.

Week 31

Where did those kicks go? If movement seemed to slow down, know that baby is exhausted. Brain development continues at a rapid pace, & baby’s movements are stronger. Now, baby enters REM sleep in longer periods of time. If you are concerned about a lack of movement, try using a home baby heartbeat monitor or eat something a little sweet to wake he or she up. Watch out for shortness of breath as your expanding tummy & growing baby puts pressure on your organs.

Week 32

During this week it is normal to experience Braxton Hicks. This is also known as false labor. It is not dangerous; your body is preparing for the big event. Be sure to know the difference between Braxton Hicks & labor. Between now and the birth, baby may also move into the head-down position – but don’t panic if this doesn’t happen soon. Your doctor will monitor you & let you know if there are any concerns about the baby turning or if you need to prepare for a breeched birth which is when baby is born bottom first.

Preparing for a Lifetime of Love with HealthBanks

We help you protect your child for a lifetime. As you prepare for the birth, it may be time to also prepare for stem cell banking. By collecting cord blood & tissue with a collection kit from HealthBanks, you can help protect your child from 80+ serious diseases including some cancers. Our affordable pricing rate ensures accessibility to families across the nation.  While the mother’s body prepares for the birth, you can prepare to preserve the newborn’s cord blood & cord tissue which is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Explore our website to learn more.

Reviewed by Paul V. Holland, MD