At week 28 your baby is the size of an eggplant so it’s getting a little bit tight in there, so you’ll feel their movements more strongly and they’ll be weighing heavier on your bladder, so you’ll be up and down to loo – day and night.
If your finding yourself awake at night, you won’t be the only pregnant woman suffering with this frustrating later pregnancy affliction. There are many reasons for this – yep, hormones is one, and your baby’s size the other!
The big news this week is that your baby will now be able to open their eyes which have been sealed closed for a number of weeks. The average weight of a baby at about week 28 is just over a kilo. Your baby probably measures a little over 33 centimetres from head to toe (when stretched out.) Your doctor will be able to track your baby’s growth during checkups by gently pressing on your belly to feel where the top of your uterus is. This measurement is known as fundal height.
Those aches and pains that come with late pregnancy can really get you down, especially if you’re getting less sleep than you need. The NBB team are sending you a big virtual hug, because sometimes that’s just what you need! But if that doesn’t cheer you up a bit of pampering can do wonders, and a pregnancy massage might just relieve those aches and pains for a while. There are many benefits to massage in pregnancy so you can read all about it here.
Your uterus has grown quite large. Normally it weighs about 70 grams and holds less than 30 grams of fluid; now it’s expanded to house your baby, the placenta, and an entire litre of amniotic fluid. As your uterus expands you may experience side effects such as back pain, swelling in your feet and ankles, heartburn, haemorrhoids and itchy skin. Many of these symptoms will go away as soon as the uterus starts shrinking after delivery.
You may now find that your breasts start to leak, as your breasts start producing colostrum. Most mums-to-be have planned their birth plan a several weeks in advance of the big (birth) day but how many of us create a birth plan for breastfeeding – A breastfeeding plan?
Get ready to start seeing your care-giver more frequently too. From around now, you’ll go from monthly appointments to fortnightly – which in itself is quite exciting! A reminder that you’re getting closer to the big day! Start formulating a plan for getting to the hospital, while you don’t know when you’ll go or where you’ll be, consider the different scenarios and talk about it with your partner so you have loose plan for the day. And don’t forget to renew your ambulance subscription – just in case!
You may already have an obstetrician, but you might also want to find a good paediatrician for after your baby is born. Listen to recommendations and do some research to find a practitioner you trust and are comfortable with.
You may find yourself rushing off to the bathroom every five minutes. Sometimes it’s because you need to go but it can also be because your baby is sitting in the wrong spot. Try changing positions and see if that helps.