29 WEEKS PREGNANT

• This week, your baby's bones are hardening, and his/her muscles strengthening.
• In fact, you may have noticed from his/her kicks and jabs that they are growing stronger each week.
• Bones appear bright white on a sonogram.
• Although you can't see it in this image, your baby has probably been practicing his/her breathing movements this week, though the lungs still need more time to mature.

• In the third trimester, your baby's skeleton continues to harden as it now houses 250 milligrams of calcium every day. This means that you ought to keep a thorough check on your calcium intake and make sure your body is getting enough of it.
• Your little soldier has now become 16 inches in size and weighs in at about a kilogram and a half. As his/her brain is developing every week, the head is also increasing in size to make room for the growing brain.
• Along with the brain, all of the organs and the muscles in your baby's body are continually maturing. A few weeks ago, we had spoken about 'brown fat' which was necessary to regulate the temperature in your baby's body.
• A new kind of fat is now being deposited under the surface of his/her skin, called 'white fat'. 'White fat,' which comes from the mother's body, provides energy to the growing baby.
• A few weeks before this, your baby saw the first traces of his/her canine and incisor teeth sprout up. This week the vernix caseosa (the petroleum jelly-like substance protecting the skin from the amniotic fluid) will also start to disappear. Nevertheless, you may still see some of it on your baby after birth.
• Here's how your baby is helping you help him this week. Your baby's adrenal glands start producing a chemical. This chemical, in turn, will be turned into estriol by the placenta. Estriol is a form of estrogen. The estriol is perceived to act as a catalyst that stimulates the production of prolactin by your body. Prolactin is what makes you produce milk.

• Migraines : If you experience a shooting headache, try and be in a quiet and dark room with a cold compress on your forehead or neck. You could also take a quick nap when you feel such headaches. Speak to your doctor and take safe medication if the pain is unbearable.
• Varicose veins : All that pressure from your uterus on your legs is the main cause of this. Remember that staying fit will give you some comfort now. Try to eat a high fibre diet and avoid wearing high heels. Put your feet up and relax and keep changing positions if you are sitting or standing for a long time.
• Pregnancy brain : Are you becoming a bit too forgetful? Remember that your brain cell volume really is shrinking and your sleepless nights are not helping either. This too shall pass, soon.
• Haemorrhoids : Varicose veins can pop up anywhere in your body. The ones in your rectum are called haemorrhoids. Ensure to keep the area clean and wipe with warm water and toilet paper. You could use gentle wet wipes too.
• Constipation : Your growing uterus is pressing against your bowels, leaving a mark on your bowel movements. Do remember to have small meals and drink plenty of water. Don't sleep soon after eating, go for a walk instead and then get to bed.
• Hair and nail growth : You may notice that your nails are growing more than normal and they are probably softer too. Your hair may be thicker and luscious than usual as well. You may or may not necessarily have noticed these changes but they do happen. The reason remains the same - high production of pregnancy hormones inside your system. You may also notice hair growth on parts where you have never had them! This goes away within a few months after giving birth though.

Mylo's solution to pregnancy hairfall

• Upon reaching their third trimester, most pregnant women tend to get dizzy and lightheaded while lying on their backs until they change into another comfortable position.
• This uncomfortable positioning of the body brings about changes in the heart rate and blood pressure.
• Remember the SOS (sleep on side) position while sleeping to avoid such symptoms, and try and stick to your left side.