Your baby

Your baby is about to embark on a major growth campaign. Between now and 29 weeks, there will be all sorts of changes to note. Right now, your baby is about 36cm long and weighs approximately 1lb 7oz – so you should feel his movements every day. His lungs are ready to breathe if he was to be born early, and his heart-rate has fallen to an average of around 150bpm, a little higher for girls and a little lower for boys.

You

Keeping fit during your pregnancy will help you adapt to your evolving shape. And the really good news is that it’ll help you during labour and get you back into shape after the baby’s born.

Remember never to exhaust yourself, and you may need to take it easier as you get bigger – but exercise needn’t be too strenuous for you to feel the benefit. Doing a daily amount of low-impact exercise like walking can help you stay active. Swimming is also a great idea, as the water can support your increased weight – ask at your local pool to see if they’ve got a special ‘aquanatal’ class.

As ever, you need to be aware that you can’t always do what you used to be able to do, so avoid strenuous exercise in hot weather, always take on plenty of fluids – and make sure that your instructor (if you go to classes) knows how pregnant you are! If you’re in any doubt about how much exercise you should be doing, talk to your doctor or midwife.