29 WEEKS PREGNANT
Muscles and lungs continue to mature quickly
Baby this week: about 38.7 cm — head to heel · about 1.15 kg
≈ 38.7 cm — about the size of a butternut squash
Illustration enlarged for clarity — the amber marker shows true relative size
Your baby this week
- Muscles and lungs continue to mature, though the lungs still need more time
- The head is growing to keep pace with the rapidly developing brain
- Bones are fully formed but still soft and flexible
- The fetus can now regulate its body temperature somewhat, though it still relies heavily on the womb's environment
Your body this week
- Backaches and pelvic pressure often increase as the baby's weight grows
- Frequent bathroom trips return as the uterus presses on the bladder again
This week's tip: Kegel exercises can help support pelvic floor muscles as they carry increasing weight in the coming weeks.
Want the bigger picture — organ development, nutrition, scans and warning signs for this stage? See month 7: The world gets louder.
Sizes and milestones are typical ranges — every pregnancy runs on its own clock. Educational content; your prenatal care team's guidance always comes first.