28 weeks pregnant
Your baby is the size of a head of

Hey mom-to-be, welcome to the third trimester! Now that you're in the final phase of your journey, you may be excited to meet your little one soon. Your doctor might ask you to start counting your baby's movements. It's going to be fun! If you want to know more about this week, keep reading.

28 Weeks Pregnant: Your Baby's Development

Your little one has grown up too fast to be about the size of a lettuce head. Your 28 weeks pregnant baby weight in kg will be about 1.1, and height will be about 14 inches. Read on to know his progress so far:

Head-down and blink

At 28 weeks, your baby's position is head-down, which is the proper position for birth. Your little one will be busy practising the skill of blinking required in the outside world to keep foreign objects out of the eyes.

This is what dreams are made of!

Did you know? While you're dreaming about your baby, your baby may be dreaming about you too! When brain wave activity is measured in a developing foetus, it shows different sleep cycles that include rapid eye movement. This is the stage when dreams occur.

Brainy baby

This is the period of a baby's rapid brain growth when her brain tissues are developing the ridges and furrows to form a grooved and folded appearance.

Is that an eye roll?

Although your baby's eye movements begin as early as 14 weeks, these movements increase around 28 weeks pregnant.

The bloodline

Although the umbilical cord is fully developed by 12 weeks, it continues to grow in diameter and length. It is responsible for carrying blood, oxygen and nutrients between the placenta and your baby. It also removes waste from the body.

28 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms

With the growing 28 weeks pregnant belly, comes a lot of changes internally! To know what's happening with your symptoms this week, continue reading:

Back pain

As your body prepares for labour and birth, the ligaments and joints in your pelvis begin to loosen. This causes lower back and pelvic pain. Usually, the pain strikes while climbing stairs or getting in or out of the car. Your growing uterus and changed centre of gravity can put pressure on your back muscles. Try wearing flats or supportive shoes, avoid standing or walking for too long, and place a pillow behind your back while sitting. If your pain is severe or you're concerned about the back, hips or pelvic pain, talk to your doctor.

Shortness of breath

Your expanding uterus makes your abdominal organs crowd inside. When this happens, your stomach and diaphragm put pressure on your lungs, which makes taking deep breaths difficult. Be mindful of your posture in case you feel out of breath. Try standing up straight to give your lungs more room to expand.

Haemorrhoids

Your growing uterus also puts pressure on the veins that can cause painful or itchy varicose veins in your rectal area. This condition is called haemorrhoids. The strain on your bowels caused due to constipation can make haemorrhoids worse. Stay hydrated and make sure to include fibrous food in your diet like fruits, veggies and whole-grain bread and cereals. You can also try soaking in a warm bath to relieve the discomfort.

Braxton Hicks contractions

Also known as practice contractions, Braxton Hicks help your body prepare to give birth. These false contractions can strike at any time, but unlike the true ones, don't open your cervix, meaning you're not going into labour. You may experience a slight tightness in your abdomen that can turn into more painful contractions, which are more likely to hit after physical activity. With the progressing pregnancy, they can get stronger and can be tricky to distinguish from true labour contractions.

Frequent urination

Say hello again to this pesky symptom that you bid goodbye in the first trimester. In the third trimester, frequent urination occurs as a result of the pressure your growing little one puts on your bladder. Make sure you still keep yourself hydrated and use a panty liner to prevent bladder leakage.

Things to Consider at 28th Week of Pregnancy

Here are some things you may have to consider this week:

• Kick counting: Your doctor may ask you to start counting the baby kicks. To do this, begin by sitting in a comfortable spot with your hands on your abdomen. Before starting, check the time and wait until you feel 10 kicks, rolls, or other movements. Count good, strong foetal movements and not your baby's hiccups. At this stage, if you don't feel around 10 baby movements in two hours, contact your doctor. However, worry not if you can't feel much movement; it can simply mean that your little one could be sleeping. So, make sure you choose a time of day when your baby is more active.

• Kegel exercises: Kegel exercises are an excellent way to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and improve bladder control if you're struggling with bladder leakage. They strengthen your pelvic muscles so that they get back to normal sooner.

• Birth control: Discuss your options of birth control that you may want to use after your baby is born with your doctor. While breastfeeding, hormonal birth control pills that contain oestrogen may not be suitable, so talk to your doctor for advice.

• Sleep positions: With your bump getting bigger, it's best to ask your doctor about safe and comfortable sleeping positions. Invest in a pregnancy pillow that can help support your body.

• Nesting: You might have an unusual urge to clean or organise your home. This feeling is called nesting instinct. It's alright to give in to your nesting urges, whether it's cleaning, decorating your baby's nursery or cooking batches of food to freeze for later. Make sure you don't overdo it; relax and rest enough, and make sure you save your energy for all that's to come.

Precautions & Tips at 28th Week of Pregnancy

We've got you some tips that might be of help for you:

• Rh status: It is essential to know your rhesus (Rh) status. If your baby is positive and you're negative, a vaccine-like injection of Rh-immune globulin (RhoGAM) may be needed to prevent the development of antibodies.

• Breast changes: Worry not if you experience tender lumps in your breast. During pregnancy, your breasts tend to become more lumpy, heavy and firm than usual. However, tender breasts are common during the third trimester; it is best to get them examined to rule out problems.

• Iron intake: As most of the iron you consume is absorbed by your baby during this trimester, make sure to include more iron-rich foods in your diet. You can eat chicken, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals, and tofu. The best way to boost iron absorption is to consume enough vitamin C. Drink a glass of orange juice or eat some fresh strawberries.

• Fish oil supplements: It is best to skip fish oil supplements at this stage unless you want to keep burping fish oil all day.

• Childbirth class: Look for childbirth classes that include small courses for CPR, infant care, breastfeeding, etc. If you're a second-time would-be-mom, you can brush up your techniques or look for classes that offer vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) or twins. As per your convenience, you enrol for a virtual or offline class.

• Hospital tour: Now is a good time to schedule a hospital tour to get a glimpse of the place before your due date. This way, it will save you some time on the D-day as you will be aware of all the necessary counters and rooms. Talk to your doctor about how you can set one up.

At Your Doctor's Office

In the third trimester, you might have a prenatal appointment scheduled every week. At 28 weeks, you will have your first prenatal visit of the third trimester. Here's how you might expect it to go:

Get week-by-week expert tips on pregnancy to keep track of your baby’s development & to ensure well-being of both you & your baby during entire nine months journey!

As you move closer to meeting your baby, you might come across more challenges while your body and your baby continue to change and grow. This is a crucial week for your baby's health, so make sure you take extra care and don't skip the prenatal visits.