# Day 205: Up in the night, again

> Twenty-nine weeks and two days. More trips to the bathroom at night, and a baby who wakes when you lie down. Tonight you light the way.

- Series: Your seventh month of pregnancy, day by day (https://chorevia.com/learn/pregnancy-month-7), day 205 of 280, 29 weeks + 2 days
- Your baby this week: about the size of a butternut squash; around 38.6 cm from head to heel
- Canonical URL: https://chorevia.com/learn/pregnancy-month-7/day-205
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-22
- Publisher: Chorevia (https://chorevia.com)
- Cite as: Chorevia. "Day 205: Up in the night, again." Last reviewed October 22, 2026. https://chorevia.com/learn/pregnancy-month-7/day-205

This guide is general education that summarizes published research and guidance from groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and the WHO. It isn’t medical advice, and every child develops on their own timeline. Your pediatrician knows your child; if something feels wrong, call them. In an emergency, call 911.

Twenty-nine weeks and two days. If you've been up twice already by the time you read this, you're not alone. Today's note is about the night shift: why you're up, why the baby seems to be too, and a small fix for the walk to the bathroom.

## Your baby

Around 38.6cm from head to heel, about the size of a butternut squash ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)). For several weeks your baby has been covered in vernix, a greasy white layer that protects the skin and the soft downy hair, and the NHS says it's now starting to disappear ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)).

Your baby's active periods may also coincide with your bedtime ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)). Lying down and going still is often exactly when you feel the most kicking.

## Your body

Sleep is difficult around now, and pressure on your bladder means more trips to the bathroom at night ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)). MedlinePlus explains it: your kidneys are filtering extra blood and making more urine, and the baby is pressing on your bladder ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000559.htm)). It suggests avoiding lots of fluid within a few hours of bedtime, and limiting caffeinated drinks ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000559.htm)). Drink well earlier in the day instead; the Office on Women's Health still says eight to 10 glasses of fluids daily ([OWH](https://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/body-changes-and-discomforts)).

Your balance may also feel off as your centre of gravity shifts ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)). Half asleep, in the dark, with a bump in front of you, the walk to the bathroom is a trip worth making safer.

## Try today

### The night-light path

- **Time:** 15 minutes

1. Walk the route from your side of the bed to the toilet with the lights on, and look at the floor.
2. Clear it: shoes, bags, laundry, toys, the corner of a rug that curls.
3. Put a small night light in the hallway and one in the bathroom, low down, so you never need the main light or your phone.
4. Tonight, sit on the edge of the bed for a moment before you stand, and keep a hand near the wall as you go.

**Make it work:** A plug-in light with a motion sensor turns itself on as you pass and won't keep anyone awake.

## Watch for

- **Normal:** a baby who's busiest just as you settle down ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)). **Call your provider** if that pattern changes or the movements stop; the NHS says to report it ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)).
- **Normal:** needing to pee more often, day and night. **Call your provider** for pain when you pee or a change in the colour or smell of your urine, which may mean a bladder infection ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000583.htm)).
- **Normal:** feeling a little clumsy. **Call your provider** if you fall, even if you feel fine; the NHS says to tell your midwife or doctor ([NHS](https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/)).
- **Normal:** a night that just feels off and turns out to be nothing. **Call your provider** if you feel like something just isn't right, even if it isn't on any list; the CDC says to reach out and tell them you're pregnant ([CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html)).

## For you

Broken nights add up. MedlinePlus says short daytime naps can make up for lost sleep ([MedlinePlus](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000559.htm)), so if there's a chance for twenty minutes this afternoon, take it without guilt.

If you're the partner: the night lights are a five-minute job. Buy them, plug them in, and clear the floor on your way to bed every night from now on.

## Sources

- NHS. "Week 29." Week-by-week guide to pregnancy, Best Start in Life. https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/week-by-week-guide-to-pregnancy/3rd-trimester/week-29/
- MedlinePlus. "Problems sleeping during pregnancy." National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000559.htm
- Office on Women's Health. "Body changes and discomforts." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/youre-pregnant-now-what/body-changes-and-discomforts
- MedlinePlus. "Common symptoms during pregnancy." National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000583.htm
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Urgent Maternal Warning Signs and Symptoms." HEAR HER campaign, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/maternal-warning-signs/index.html