Growing Belly

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28 Weeks

Your baby is equal in weight to a Chinese cabbage -- about 2 1/4 pounds. (Length: almost 15 inches, from head to heel.)

28 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby now weighs about 2.7 lbs (1.2kg), measures about 10.4 inches (26cm) from crown to rump, and is around 16.7 inches (42cm) long. He is plumper and rounder, and his head and body are beginning to be in proportion.

Your baby now uses all of his senses. He can see, taste, recognize touch and the sound of your voice.

During the last trimester, your baby will receive antibodies from you through your placenta that will provide immunity from many diseases.

Your baby's adrenal glands are producing androgen-like substances. Androgens are normally male sex hormones, but in late pregnancy, when they reach the placenta they are turned into estrogen which in turn stimulates the production of prolactin in your body. Prolactin is the hormone needed for milk production. In this exchange, your baby is beginning to stimulate milk production in your breasts so that when he is born there will be food waiting for him.

Your Body This Coming Week

Your breasts may be leaking colostrum as your baby stimulates the production of the hormone prolactin. If you are not leaking colostrum, there is no need to worry at all about having a good supply of milk to feed your baby. Not everyone will leak colostrum before birth.

Your balance may be affected by your enlarged abdomen so you should be especially careful to avoid falling.

You may be feeling pressure on your diaphragm, liver, stomach and intestines as they are displaced by your growing baby.

Your total weight gain by this point is likely between 19 and 25 lbs (8.55 and 11.25kg).

As your uterus puts pressure on your internal organs, including your bladder, you probably have to go to the bathroom more frequently.

28 Week Journal

How far along? 28 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Up one more pound. I like that gain better than the last couple of weeks.
Stretch Marks: Still not really any.
Sleep: Decent. Had to get up a couple of times this week, but overall not too bad.
Best moment this week: Got to see some old friends over the weekend and received a number of hand me down clothes as well as a high chair and bouncy seat (although it is pink). I'm not positive, but I think we may be all set in 0-3 month clothes.
Worst moment this week: Starting to feel a lot more tired. Not sure if this is due to pregnancy or other factors though.
Movement: About the same as last week. I kind of wonder if I should be feeling more movement than I do.
Belly Button in or out? Still just barely in. Pretty flat.
Wedding rings on or off? On, but one of my other rings that I wear all the time was getting pretty tight, so I swapped it for a larger one.
What I'm going to miss/What I can't wait for: This is very much out of character for me, but I'm ready for fall. Normally I want summer to last as long as possible, but I'm ready for crisp autumn weather.
Milestones/Fun Moments: 3rd trimester!
What we need to do: Need to get moving on the search for daycare and a pediatrician.

27 Weeks

Your baby is as hefty as a head of cauliflower, weighing in at almost 2 pounds. (Length: about 14 1/2 inches.)

27 Weeks- Development

Your Baby This Coming Week

Your baby weighs about 2.5 lbs (1.1kg) and is about 10 inches (25cm) from crown to rump and 15 inches (38 cm) long from head to toe.

At this time, the baby has tastebuds which allow it to distinguish between sweet, sour and bitter tastes.

Brain tissue and brain development increases at this time as your baby grows the folds and grooves needed for a developed brain.

Eyebrows and eyelashes are probably present and the hair on your baby's head is growing longer.

Your baby's body is filling out, getting a bit fatter as fat deposition continues, but it is still somewhat red and wrinkled.

Your baby is big enough for his presentation to be determined. That is, your caregiver can probably tell how your baby is oriented in your uterus. He may be breech (bottom down) or head first. If your baby is in a breech position now, there is no need to worry as there is still plenty of room and time for your baby to change positions.

Your baby can feel pain and respond to it in the same way as a full term baby.

Your Body This Coming Week

You are entering your third trimester now.

Most women have gained between 17 and 24 lbs (7.7 to 10.8 kg) by this time.

Your breasts may start to leak colostrum, the sticky, watery substance which comes before milk. This will be your baby's first food before your milk comes in a day or two after delivery.

You will probably visit your caregiver every two weeks from this point on. Your caregiver may perform a glucose tolerance test this week. If your early blood work revealed that you are Rh negative, your doctor may want to do an antibody test to determine if you have made antibodies to your baby's blood type to see if there is a risk of you having an immune reaction to your baby's blood. If this situation applies to you, ask your doctor for more information.

If you haven't already, you may begin to have vivid dreams about your baby. Braxton Hicks contractions will probably continue preparing your uterus for childbirth.

You may have red stretch marks on your belly and the veins on your breasts will likely have become more prominent.

27 Week Journal

How far along? 27 weeks. Final trimester, baby!
Total weight gain/loss: Up another 2 pounds.
Stretch Marks: Still nothing major.
Sleep: Usually manage to sleep through the night. And if I do have to get up, I usually fall right back to sleep.
Best moment this week: We got another look at the baby yesterday. Still showing some tricuspid regurgitation (the leakage in the heart) but no other problems, so the doctor isn't overly concerned.
Worst moment this week: Luckily I don't think there were any bad moments.
Movement: Yup. Plenty of movement. Starting to feel movement more throughout the day, but still usually when I'm sitting.
Belly Button in or out? I keep thinking this will be the week that it will pop out, but it's still partly an innie.
Wedding rings on or off? They're on. Actually, one of my other rings feels tighter than my wedding rings.
What I'm going to miss/What I can't wait for: Can't wait to be done sewing the quilt for the nursery!
Weekly Wisdom: Take it easy. Don't worry about things you can't control.
Milestones/Fun Moments: Had a dentist appointment on Monday and they gave me Baby's first toothbrush.
Went to Maine over the weekend for my aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. Got to show off my belly to a number of family members.
What we need to do: I'm eager to get the nursery finished up, even though I know there is still plenty of time. We got some paint swatches/ samples for the walls. Need to make a decision on that soon.