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Your Developing Baby in Third Trimester: Weeks 29 - 40

 
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At 32 weeks:

- Your baby's bones are fully formed, but still soft.

- Your baby's kicks and jabs are forceful.

- The eyes can open and close and sense changes in light.

- Lungs are not fully formed, but practice "breathing" movements occur.

- Your baby's body begins to store vital minerals, such as iron and calcium.

- Lanugo begins to fall off.

- Your baby is gaining weight quickly, about one-half pound a week. Now, your baby is about 15 to 17 inches long and weighs about 4 to 4½ pounds.

At 36 weeks:

- The protective waxy coating called vernix gets thicker.

- Body fat increases. Your baby is getting bigger and bigger and has less space to move around. Movements are less forceful, but you will feel stretches and wiggles.

- Your baby is about 16 to 19 inches long and weighs about 6 to 6½ pounds.

Weeks 37-40:

- By the end of 37 weeks, your baby is considered full term. Your baby's organs are ready to function on their own.

- As you near your due date, your baby may turn into a head-down position for birth. Most babies "present" head down.

- At birth, your baby may weigh somewhere between 6 pounds 2 ounces and 9 pounds 2 ounces and be 19 to 21 inches long. Most full-term babies fall within these ranges. But healthy babies come in many different sizes.

For more resources on pregnancy click here.

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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