Pregnancy Week 28
Baby’s Growth During the 28th Week of Pregnancy
Your baby is 2 1/2 pounds and 16 inches long head to heel. And while your little one is packing on the pounds to prepare for life outside the womb, the little body is learning all sorts of new skills like hiccuping, coughing, sucking, and taking practice breaths.
Those moments of sleep for your baby now include the REM (rapid eye movement) phase and that means your little one could be dreaming already. The lungs are also a little more mature now but they still have work to do. The good news? If born today, with some medical help, your little one would survive.
Body Changes in the 28th Week of Pregnancy
At 28 weeks pregnant, you’re now officially starting your 3rd trimester and final stretch of your pregnancy.
Your baby is settling into the proper position for birth with the head down. This could mean potential pain for you as the weight of your baby and uterus are sitting on your sciatic nerve. When this happens, it’s common for mom to feel sharp shooting paint and/or tingling or numbness. Typically this starts in your bottom and continues down the back of your legs. To find relief, try to take it easy and hope that the baby chances positions soon.
With the onset of your third trimester, you’re likely to start visiting your doctor or midwife bi-weekly now. When your 38th week approaches, these schedule appointments will become weekly. If the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you’re Rh negative, you’ll soon get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby’s blood.
