Day 205 of 280, third trimester
You are 29 weeks and 2 days
Your baby's nerve cells are developing, but they're not yet mature enough for her to feel pain, temperature, or touch.
75 days until your due date
Electrical activity can now be detected in the increasingly folded gray matter of your baby's brain, which controls higher functions such as memory and consciousness, as well as muscle control and senses such as sight and hearing.
The nerve cells of the cortex (the outer layer of gray matter) have started forming six distinct layers with different jobs, a process that will finish in about five weeks, although further maturing will be needed. Your baby is born with almost all her neurons, but there's more growth in early childhood.
For nerves to work well and carry signals faster, they need insulating with fatty myelin sheaths, a process called myelination. All parts of the nervous system are present early on, but the sensory and motor nerves, spinal cord, and brain need the whole pregnancy to develop and work together.
The nerves of the brain and spinal cord carry pain, temperature, and touch, but myelination won't be complete until the last few weeks of pregnancy, so your baby doesn't register or recognize these sensations yet.
Ask a Doctor
The reality of giving birth is hitting me. How can I avoid getting too anxious?
Partway into the third trimester, the reality of childbirth may sink in, especially if you're having discomforts such as Braxton Hicks contractions, which hint at what's to come.
Remember that the calmer and more relaxed you are, the easier your birth will be. Try some positive visualization, picturing your baby coming out easily in a "whoosh" of fluid, and think of contractions as "positive pain" bringing your baby into the world. Your baby will be fine however long she takes, and your pain and discomfort can be controlled; even if you plan a natural birth, you can get help and relief when you need it.
Try to relax and enjoy these last months. Treat yourself to a massage and keep busy, perhaps with a creative project for the baby. Above all, don't worry; think of childbirth as welcoming your baby into the world and focus on that.
Explainer
Massage
A soothing massage is very welcome attention as you wind down toward your baby's birth.
Appointments and key dates around now
- Whooping cough vaccineUsually around 20 weeks, best before 32 weeks
- RSV vaccineFrom 28 weeks
Read the full 29 weeks pregnant guide
This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.