Medically reviewed by Tanja Premru-Sršen Welcome to the third trimester!
Week twenty-eight of your pregnancy starts a new and final chapter before you greet your baby.
Keep reading to learn more about what pregnancy week twenty-eight has in store for you and your baby.
The third trimester will come with its assembly of pregnancy symptoms that you pregnant women have to deal with for the next three months, and that journey starts now.
Here are the symptoms you can expect at your twenty-eight weeks of the pregnancy journey.
If you have ever spoken to any pregnant women in the third trimester, you know they are notorious for taking forever to finish their sentences and breathing like they just finished a marathon.
Well, expect to be a part of that crew pretty soon. As your baby crowds your diaphragm and lungs, it will become harder and harder to catch your breath.
You cannot push through that kind of issue, so take breaks when you need them.
As the due date gets closer and closer, the mix of pregnancy hormones, nerves, and overall discomfort, will make it harder and harder to get a good night’s sleep.
As the baby grows more and more in your pregnant belly, the belly is getting bigger and putting pressure on your body, which makes sleeping more tricky. This discomfort is very likely to get even bigger in the final trimester as the pregnancy progresses.
Take naps whenever the situation allows it, and get a pregnancy pillow to help with the comfort level.
Your body is preparing for the giving birth, which might cause your breasts to start producing the baby’s first food called colostrum, a yellowish substance that might come out before the baby.
Wearing a maternity bra can help with leakage.
Due to the toll that the pregnancy takes on your body and the hormone fluctuations you are going through, the third trimester can be uncomfortable, and sometimes even painful.
The discomfort is bound to multiply if you are carrying multiples. Doing yoga, stretching, swimming, and taking walks can help with those pains.
And make sure to get some comfortable, supportive shoes; they will change your life.
You might have been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions already.
Still, they are likely to become stronger, more noticeable, or more frequent in the third trimester as your body gets ready for the baby’s arrival and delivery. If the contractions are only occasional, there is no issue.
However, if they are regular and continue getting closer together, you should call your healthcare provider as soon as possible since you could be in preterm labor.
At 28 weeks pregnant, the average baby weighs about 2.5 pounds and measures about 14 inches long, which is about the size of a head of lettuce.
Week 28 of your pregnancy is characterized by the baby’s rapid brain growth and baby’s development. The baby’s brain tissue is developing the furrows and ridges that make up the brain’s grooved and folded appearance. The baby’s eye movements are also going to increase around 28 weeks, which is associated with healthy brain development and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
At this point of your pregnancy, your baby is pretty active, and you are very likely to feel these baby’s movements in your
As each week of your pregnancy passes, the risks of life-long health issues go down and the baby’s development progresses, which makes the baby’s chances of survival in the outside world go up. For example, a baby born prematurely at 28 weeks has a 94% chance of surviving outside of the uterus with specialized care.
Now that you are officially in the third trimester, there are certain tasks you need to fulfill and cross off your list in order to stay safe and get prepared.
The list of things you need to complete during your twenty-eighth week of pregnancy will include:
Kick counts can be both super fun, but they can also be a bit anxiety-inducing sometimes. However, counting kicks is important because it will help you get familiar with your baby’s schedule and habits.
It is essential to choose a pediatrician that will care for your baby’s health, and make sure they know that they will have to see your baby in the next 12 weeks.
It is important to have everything lined up before the baby arrives, as the pediatrician will need to see the baby within a few days of being born.
Before you know it, you will be a mother, holding your baby in your arms.
Before the time passes, it is a good idea to be prepared for the baby’s arrival.
Preparation tasks include setting up the baby’s nursery, preparing and washing some baby clothes, and stocking up on some postpartum recovery essentials for your recovery process.
It is imperative to avoid potentially harmful and dangerous things and activities to protect you and the baby during your pregnancy.
During week twenty-eight, make sure to stay away from:
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