Congratulations! You're in the homestretch! Right now you may be bubbling over with excitement -- this is the time of decorating the nursery, baby showers, childbirth classes, and packing that suitcase to head towards the hospital! As the anticipation rises though, so may those feelings of anxiety -- maybe even a bit of fear. Don't worry, as all these emotions are perfectly normal.

The third trimester typically starts at week 29 and lasts until week 40 and sometimes even beyond. (Don't worry — 42 weeks is the maximum! After that, a woman usually is induced to give birth.) Most women gain an average of 11 pounds/ 5 kilograms during this trimester.

By this week, your baby weighs nearly 3 pounds/ 1.3 kilograms and may measure 16.5 inches/ 42 centimetres from top to toe. At about this time, your baby can open her eyes and turn her head in utero if she notices a continuous, bright light shining from the outside. Her fat layers are forming and her fingernails appear.

This pregnancy is suddenly very real. That due date that was once so far away is looming ever closer. Your baby is making her presence known with karate kicks, twists and turns until there simply is no more room. You may find yourself alternating between discomfort and bursts of energy. Be sure to cherish these last few weeks together with your baby nestled so snugly within your womb. From birth on, time appears to speed up.

Babies born this trimester have an great chance of survival with all major organs functioning! Consider the third trimester as the one where the finishing touches are added. By the beginning of this trimester your baby will have all of her bones -- 300 to be exact! Now she'll be building fat stores and muscle mass. Your baby's hair will be growing, replacing the lanugo that protected her skin in the womb.

By the end of this trimester your baby will be approximately 7 pounds in weight and about 20 inches long. Her lungs mature right up to birth so don't become too anxious to deliver early. Each day in the womb (up to 42 weeks gestation), helps prepare your little one for the world outside!

Your baby's eyelids, which have been fused shut, begin to open ... along with a new set of eyelashes! Your baby already appears a lot like he or she will look at birth. The skin, though, is quite wrinkled due to constant immersion in amniotic fluid.Your baby now weighs about 2.5 to 3 pounds and measures 10.5 inches. Her eyes open and close, she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals and she may suck a finger or thumb.

Sweet dreams, little baby! Some experts believe that babies begin to dream by the 28th week. What do they dream about? No one knows for certain but the brain is active this week as well. The characteristic grooves on the brain's surface start to appear and more brain tissue develops.

Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of the hiccups, which are common this week and throughout the pregnancy. Your baby has them but is breathing in amniotic fluid rather than air. A paper bag can't cure her hiccups, obviously, but an episode usually lasts only momentarily. The sensation for you may be strange but not unpleasant.

Since your uterus is now up near your rib cage, you may now find yourself short of breath if you haven't already. Starting now and continuing through the last three months of pregnancy, you may be plagued by leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and an itchy abdomen. Are pregnancy discomforts getting you down? Try some natural remedies to perk you up.

If you were found to be Rh-negative earlier in pregnancy, you'll probably be tested for Rh antibodies this week or next and have an anti-D injection to combat the incompatibility. You may be offered a repeat injection at 36 weeks.

Marc's been hard at work and it shows. Check out the latest kitchen pictures here!

Measuring your baby from top to toe with his legs extended, she may now reach 15 inches/ 38 centimetres; from crown to rump she is about 10 inches/25.5 centimetres. She weighs a little more than 2 pounds/ 900 grams.

Your baby's eyes begin to open around now. Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. She also continues to take small breaths and although she's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when she's born.

Since your baby is now growing so fast, and brain development is so intense at this stage, your nutrition is very important. Continue to eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of grains and vegetables. Fibre-rich foods, including whole-grain breads and cereals, lentils and brown rice are high in vitamin B and help fend off constipation.Your childbirth class should start sometime in the next few weeks, if it hasn't already. Classes should provide you with good, clear information about the birth and the early days of parenthood. Keeping informed goes a long way toward calming any concerns you may have about giving birth.

Pictures, pictures, pictures:

• Check out what Marc's done in the kitchen. The place looks beautiful! [The cabinets are in!]
  

• Kate's latest belly shot. She also looks beautiful! [Belly Shot II]
  

• Looks like Marc's going to be competing for closet space these days. [Miscellaneous Images]
  

• I don't know if this was actually supposed to be posted or not, but it was too cute to leave off of the site. [Miscellaneous Images]
  

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs a little under 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches, from head to heel. The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, which means her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are developing now, too, as she continues to take small breaths of amniotic fluid — good practice for when she's born and takes that first breath of air.
Note: Experts say every baby develops differently — even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.

How your life's changing:

Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly as it returns to its normal pre-pregnancy range. (It was at a low from 22 to 24 weeks.) Though preeclampsia most often occurs in the last trimester, this is a good time to be aware of the warning signs of this dangerous condition that occurs in about 3 to 7 percent of all pregnancies. Signs you should be alert for include swelling of the hands and face, sudden weight gain (due to water retention), blurry vision, seeing spots before your eyes, sudden severe or persistent headaches, or upper abdominal pain. By checking for high blood pressure and protein in your urine, your caregiver will monitor you for preeclampsia at your routine prenatal visits, but call her immediately if you have any of these symptoms before your next appointment. Early identification of preeclampsia is essential for the health of you and your baby.If your back seems a little achy lately, you can thank pregnancy hormones (which are loosening up your joints and ligaments) and your shifting center of gravity. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath — or cool compress — might bring relief. Or you may want to schedule a prenatal massage by a trained therapist. Use a pregnancy wedge when sleeping, to support your back and abdomen. Try to maintain good posture, which will help reduce the strain on your back, and always take care when bending and lifting. If you experience severe pain or numbness in any area of your body, call your practitioner.