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!