28 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy is a long journey and you have crossed two thirds of it. You are 28 weeks pregnant and so have entered the third trimester which is the last one. This trimester will end with the birth of your little baby and you will step into motherhood, a lifelong bondage. Your baby has come a long way from being an embryo to a fully grown baby. Due to any reasons, if your baby was to arrive at this stage, he would have a 90% survival rate without any defects. Today your baby is as big as a cucumber, almost 15 inches tall and weighs around 1 kilogram.

How Your Baby is Growing This Week?

The baby’s brain and nervous system are developing this week and studies have shown that they also have a phase of REM (Random Eye Movement) during their sleep cycle which means they are probably dreaming. The sleep cycle will get more organised in the coming weeks.

The eyes that have opened now begin to blink, a reflex which will come of intense use after birth. It is a reflex of the eye to keep away foreign bodies and distribute the lachrymal fluid uniformly within the eye. At this stage, the baby will also react to a bright light shown towards the womb and even give you a kick or two in response. The iris of the eye is beginning to get its pigment but the eye color of babies keep changing till they are one year old. Just as blinking is a protective reflex, your baby is gradually acquiring other reflexes equally well, like coughing and hiccuping which may be felt to you like rhythmic, jerky movements coming one after the other for a minute or two. Keep your hand on the belly and you’ll feel it. It’s a lovely feeling to be able to connect to the baby and feel what he/she does.

Externally the skin is beginning to get opaque as layers of fat deposit and provide the much needed warmth, insulation and protection to the baby. From this week onward, the fine lanugo hair which covered the entire body is gradually shedding off into the amniotic fluid as the job of keeping the baby warm is being taken over by the fat cells.

The lungs are maturing and getting ready for the first breath of the baby in the outside world. The internal organs are now functioning in sync and have a rhythm of their own, each performing their own tasks in good harmony.

By this time, most babies adopt the head down position that is their head enters the pelvic cavity and their spine is curled up either to the right or left side. The amount of space within the uterus is limited so they lie in the typical fetal position curled up and comfortable. As they grow bigger and space becomes a constraint, you may feel the number of movements getting lesser. However you must keep a mental check that you feel at least ten movements in the whole day. If not, then you must see your doctor immediately.

Changes in Your Body at 28 Weeks Pregnant

As the pregnancy weeks go by and you enter the third trimester, many new pregnancy symptoms will come and old ones like morning sickness will disappear. The pregnancy calculator will tell you the exact number of weeks you have remaining based on your last missed period which was the earliest pregnancy test for you.

Currently you are 28 weeks pregnant and your uterus which was as big as your fist when you started off is now almost 9 cm above your belly button. The hormone called relaxin tends to relax the joints and muscles to accommodate the growing uterus. You may find yourself getting uncomfortable and clumsy these days. Dropping things may be a common happening too but all these are temporary discomforts of pregnancy.

Your breasts have grown in size and nipple and areola are darker in preparation of the breast for feeding. You may also notice a thick yellowish fluid leaking from the nipples. This is called as colostrums.

You have gained 15-20 pounds till you were 6 months pregnant. The seventh month onwards you will gain approximately 5 pounds more. On an average pregnant women gain between 20-30 pounds throughout their pregnancy. In case you were overweight pre-pregnancy, the weight gain will be a little less.

Week 28 Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of pregnancy are mainly a reflection of the hormonal changes taking place in the body week by week. As you near the end of the second trimester, the fatigue and tiredness, which were your early signs of pregnancy will return. By knowing your pregnancy week by week, you will be better prepared for the rest of the weeks.

Restless leg syndrome
Clumsiness and change in gait
Leg cramps at night
Acidity
Constipation
Back pain
Dry and itchy skin
Round ligament pains
Oedema of hands and feet
Breathlessness on exertion
Varicose veins and hemorrhoids
Braxton Hicks contractions
Stretch marks on your pregnant belly
Breast engorgement
Discharge from the nipple
Food cravings
Increased pigmentation
Linea Nigra
Vivid dreams
Frequent urination
Mood changes
Recognizing a pattern in the baby’s movements
Weight gain

Around this time, many 28 weeks pregnant women experience a creepy and uneasy sensation in their legs during pregnancy and keeping the legs still gets difficult. This is called as restless leg syndrome. It is temporary and will not last beyond your pregnancy.

Diagnostic Tests and Ultrasound Results in Week 28 of Pregnancy

The 28 weeks pregnant ultrasound shows your baby actively moving his limbs and turning the face from side to side. After the third trimester sets in, the weight of the baby is checked at every visit. The placental blood flow will be seen for sufficiency.

In case you have a Rh negative blood group, you are likely to receive the Rh immunoglobulin shot this week. This is basically to prevent a blood group reaction from taking place at the time of birth as your fetus could be Rh positive and the antibodies may enter the maternal blood and cause a reaction. If your baby is Rh positive then you will get another shot after delivery.

Pregnancy Health Tips

This month onwards your prenatal visits to the doctor will happen every 15 days till the 9th month when it will become weekly. Make sure you discuss all your concerns well and inform the doctor about any new symptoms you may be feeling.
Have lots of iron rich foods like spinach, beans, beet and include lean meats like chicken as your energy requirement will be higher this month.
Make sure your pregnancy exercises are going on regularly. Choose a low intensity workout that does not cause too much over-heating.
Do your kegel’s exercises daily to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
Keep caffeine intake to a minimum as it can aggravate your acidity.
Take all the pre-natal vitamins regularly.
Start making a list of baby names this week. It will uplift your mood. Look for names with meanings and shortlist a few of them.
Listen to soft and relaxing music and talk to your baby often.

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