29 Weeks Pregnant: Shortness of Breath, Braxton Hicks, Back Pain — What's Normal?
Medically reviewed by Dr. Sarah Chen, MD, FAAP · Updated May 2026
Your baby at 29 weeks
Butternut squash — 15.2 inches (38.6 cm), 2.5 lbs
Can't Breathe at 29 Weeks Pregnant? Here's Why
Yes — shortness of breath at 29 weeks is normal. Your diaphragm has been pushed upward approximately 4 cm, reducing lung capacity by about 20%. It is not dangerous. It improves when baby drops around week 36. Call your provider only if breathlessness starts suddenly at rest and doesn't ease within 5 minutes.
Quick answer
Shortness of breath, Braxton Hicks, and back pain at 29 weeks are all normal. They're mechanical — caused by a uterus that now extends above your navel and weighs roughly 1.5 lbs on its own.
Why it happens: Your diaphragm has been pushed upward by about 4 cm. Lung capacity drops by approximately 20% in the third trimester — not because anything is wrong, but because there is simply less room.
What happens next: Shortness of breath is worst between 28–36 weeks, then eases when baby drops. Braxton Hicks increase in frequency toward 35–36 weeks and are a normal part of uterine preparation.
Call your provider today if: contractions are regular (every 10 min or closer), you have pelvic pressure with blood or fluid, shortness of breath comes on suddenly at rest and doesn't ease, or you feel chest pain.
What each symptom actually means at 29 weeks
- Shortness of breath walking upstairs: Normal. Your oxygen demand has increased 20% and your lung volume is reduced. Slow down, take the elevator when possible, sleep propped up on 2 pillows. This changes around 36 weeks when baby drops — breathing typically improves noticeably, almost overnight.
- Braxton Hicks every few hours: Normal — especially after sex, exercise, dehydration, or a full bladder. They're irregular, dull, and last under 60 seconds. Drink water and they should ease. This becomes more important to track from 35–36 weeks, when distinguishing Braxton Hicks from early labour contractions starts to matter.
- Lower back pain that worsens by evening: Normal. Your center of gravity has shifted forward 2–3 inches. A firm pillow between knees when sleeping and avoiding standing for more than 30 minutes at a stretch helps. This is why a prenatal support band can make a significant difference from 28 weeks — it redistributes the load and reduces sacroiliac joint strain.
- Heartburn after every meal: Normal. The valve between your esophagus and stomach is relaxed by progesterone. Eating 5–6 small meals instead of 3 large ones and staying upright for 30 minutes post-meal is more effective than antacids alone. This usually persists until delivery, though it often improves temporarily after baby drops and the pressure on your stomach reduces.
- Any of the above that suddenly gets much worse, or is paired with bleeding, fluid, or regular timing: Call your provider — that's the line between normal and not. This is why trusting your instincts about your own body matters — you know your baseline better than any checklist does.
Over the next few weeks, some of these symptoms will plateau and some will intensify — the most important shift happens around 35–36 weeks when your body begins actively preparing for labour.
29 weeks: which symptoms are normal — and which ones aren't
Baby: Size of a butternut squash (~15.2 inches, ~2.5 lbs) · Head nearly fully grown, bone marrow producing red blood cells, eyes focusing · Body: Braxton Hicks increasing, shortness of breath, back pain, heartburn · Key milestone: Firmly in third trimester · Coming up: 30-week check, monitoring baby's position toward 32–34 weeks
Here's the exact breakdown of what's normal at 29 weeks, why each symptom happens, and the specific thresholds that mean call your provider today.
If you feel like your body has turned against you at 29 weeks, the symptom list is real: shortness of breath, random contractions, backache that won't quit, heartburn after every meal. None of these are warning signs on their own. Your uterus is now displacing your internal organs upward, your ligaments are stretched to their limit, and your blood volume is 45% higher than pre-pregnancy. Uncomfortable and normal are not mutually exclusive right now.
Pack your hospital bag between weeks 32–36. Include: your birth plan, insurance cards, comfortable clothing, toiletries, phone charger, and newborn outfit.
The symptoms you're navigating now are driven by specific changes in your baby's development — and those changes are accelerating.
🌱 Baby's development this week
- Bones fully formed — hardening continues to birth
- Muscular coordination improving
- Baby
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Baby
🤰 Your symptoms this week
💛 Changes in your body
- Heartburn often worst in third trimester
- Hemorrhoids common from pelvic pressure
- Varicose veins may worsen
- Nesting instinct may begin
Nesting instinct — the powerful urge to organize and prepare — is a biological phenomenon driven by hormonal changes. Channel it productively, but don
Third Trimester Symptoms at 29 Weeks: What's Normal and What Isn't
Week 29 brings the reality of the third trimester into full focus. The symptoms that emerge now — intense and unfamiliar — are normal physiological responses to a baby that has roughly tripled in size in the last trimester. Here's what you're likely experiencing and why.
Shortness of breath: The uterus is now pressing upward into the diaphragm. This improves around weeks 35–36 when the baby "drops" into the pelvis. Sleeping propped on pillows helps. Breathlessness during rest or that comes with chest pain warrants prompt assessment.
Back and pelvic pain: Relaxin hormone loosens the pelvic joints to prepare for birth — this creates instability and pain. Symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) affects up to 20% of pregnant women and is more common in third trimester. A maternity support belt, pelvic physiotherapy, and avoiding asymmetric positions (e.g. standing on one leg) help significantly.
Heartburn: The uterus compresses the stomach upward; the lower oesophageal sphincter is relaxed by progesterone. Eat small, frequent meals, avoid lying down within 2 hours of eating, and ask your provider about safe antacids.
Braxton Hicks: Practice contractions increase in frequency and sometimes intensity in the third trimester. Unlike real labor contractions, Braxton Hicks are irregular, don't increase in frequency, and ease with movement or position change. If contractions become regular (every 10 minutes or more frequently) before 37 weeks, contact your provider immediately.
🥗 Nutrition focus
- Calcium priority: 1200–1500mg/day in third trimester — your bones will donate calcium if you
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Discuss birth preferences including pain management options, delayed cord clamping, and skin-to-skin at your next appointment.
What should you do right now?
- NORMALIf You're short of breath walking up one flight of stairs — Slow down — your lung capacity is reduced 20% right now. This improves after baby drops around 36 weeks.
- MONITORIf You feel Braxton Hicks every few hours — Drink 2 glasses of water and lie on your left side. If they ease within 20 minutes — Braxton Hicks. If they continue or get closer together, start timing and call your provider.
- ACT NOWIf Tightening or contractions are coming every 10 minutes or closer — Call your provider now — do not wait an hour first. At 29 weeks, regular contractions need same-day evaluation.
- NORMALIf Lower back pain is constant and worsening by evening — Try a warm pack and a pillow between your knees at night — mention it at your next appointment if it disrupts sleep.
- ACT NOWIf You feel sudden shortness of breath at rest that doesn't ease within 5 minutes of sitting down — Call your provider or go to triage — sudden resting breathlessness can indicate pulmonary embolism, which is rare but more common in pregnancy.
- NORMALIf Heartburn is affecting your sleep — Eat smaller meals, stay upright 30 minutes after eating, sleep with head elevated — ask for a prescription option at your next appointment if lifestyle changes aren't enough.
ACT NOW = call provider or go to hospital · MONITOR = watch and note · NORMAL = expected, no action needed
✅ This week's checklist
Frequently Asked Questions: 29 Weeks Pregnant
How big is baby at 29 weeks?+
At 29 weeks, your baby is approximately 15.2 inches (38.6 cm) long and weighs about 2.5 lbs (1.15 kg) — roughly the size of a butternut squash. Baby is gaining approximately 0.5 lb per week at this stage as white fat deposits build under the skin.
What are common symptoms at 29 weeks pregnant?+
Common symptoms at 29 weeks: shortness of breath, back and pelvic pain, intense heartburn, frequent Braxton Hicks, difficulty sleeping, swollen ankles and feet, varicose veins, and rib pain as the uterus expands. The third trimester is physically demanding — rest is a medical priority, not a luxury.
What trimester is 29 weeks pregnant?+
29 weeks is firmly in the third trimester, which runs from week 28 through week 40. You have approximately 11 weeks until your due date.
Is baby's position important at 29 weeks?+
At 29 weeks, baby position is not yet a significant concern — most babies move frequently and won't settle into a final position until 32–36 weeks. Breech presentation before 32 weeks is common and usually self-corrects. Your provider will begin monitoring position more closely from around 32–34 weeks.
What should I expect at my 28–32 week appointment?+
Between weeks 28–32, your provider will typically check blood pressure (monitoring for preeclampsia), fundal height (uterus measurement to track growth), fetal heartbeat, and discuss any symptoms or concerns. You may also have anti-D injection at 28 weeks if Rh negative, and GBS swab planning will come up at 35–36 weeks.
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