It's week 28 and from here on out there will start to be small differences in the rate of growth depending on your whether your baby-to-be is a boy or girl — a bouncing blue bruiser is likely to grow bigger and heavier than a princess playing on team pink. Genetics and other factors also weigh on how fast a baby grows and how big she will ultimately be on arrival.
So while on average, a 28-weeker is around two and a half pounds and almost 16 inches tall, your little one may currently be longer, shorter, heavier, or less tubby. As long she continues to get good reports at those prenatal checkups, you can rest assured your baby's on the right track and in the right range for growth.
Your minute miracle has added another trick to her repertoire…hiccupping. If you haven't yet, you'll not only be able to feel hiccups on the inside, as little rhythmic twitches — you'll be seeing them on the outside, too, making your belly shake like a bowl of jelly. These tiny spasms are thought to be caused by the sudden, irregular contraction of the immature diaphragm, which is still trying to gear up for life outside the womb by practicing the ins and outs of breathing.
Some babies hiccup several times a day every day, others not so much — but you're bound to feel those adorable twitches every so often — and an ultrasound might pick that little chest heaving from the hiccups, too. Entertaining for you, and happily, not uncomfortable for baby.
Another activity that can be picked up: REM or rapid eye movement. Those tiny flutters of baby's eyes suggests that she's is dreaming away, since REM is considered the "dream" phase of sleep — but there's no way of knowing what's on your little one's mind — or what, if anything, she might be dreaming of. What we do know is that sleep cycles are coming at more regular times… meaning that your sweet sleepyhead is developing a more regular pattern of sleeping and wakefulness.
Problem is, your on-the-go movements lull her to sleep during the day, keeping her awake and raring to go just when you're settling down for the night. Still, there's nothing more satisfying than feeling your amazing miracle summersault and stretch inside of you. Plus, as they say, baby's keeping you up with those antics now is good preparation for after she's born…and when every night's a night to howl.
Want more satisfaction? Though the bun in your oven is far from being fully baked, her chances of survival outside the womb are at least 90 percent at this point.
Your baby begins to experience REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which means it's very likely that she is dreaming!
So far, your baby's eyes have been shut tight. Now, she can open and close her eyes, complete with brand new fluttering eyelashes.
Fetuses often stick out their tongues at this age. No one is sure exactly why, but it's possible your baby is tasting your amniotic fluid.
Your baby is settling into the proper position for birth, with his head facing downward (toward your body's nearest exit!). Your little work-in-progress now weighs about two-and-a-quarter pounds and is almost 15 inches long when measured head to toe. He's busy these days blinking (outside in the real world, blinking is necessary to help keep foreign objects out of the eyes). That skill is just one of an already impressive repertoire of tricks he's working on, like coughing, more intense sucking, hiccupping and, perhaps most important, better breathing.
28 Weeks Pregnant Is How Many Months?
If you're 28 weeks pregnant, you're in month 7 of your pregnancy. Only 2 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy.
This is it — you're two-thirds to the finish line at 28 weeks pregnant as you enter the third trimester. And what a difference a trimester makes! Gone, most likely, are the days when you could call pregnancy "comfortable" (that is, if you ever did). Now, your baby's kicking (or lack of) is keeping you up at night and worried during the day, your feet are swollen, you're getting tired all over again and your backache is a pain that just won't quit. And even though she hasn't started crying yet, it may seem like your baby's getting on your nerves already — literally. As she gets settled into a proper (you hope) position for birth, her head and your enlarging uterus may rest on the sciatic nerve in the lower part of your spine. And if that happens, you may feel sharp, shooting pain, tingling or numbness that starts in your buttocks and radiates down the back of your legs — otherwise known as sciatica. The pain of sciatica can be quite intense at times, and though it may pass if your baby shifts positions, it can also linger until you've delivered.
A heating pad, a warm tub, stretches or just some self-imposed bed rest can help with the discomfort. So can some complementary and alternative therapies.
Okay, students: Your due date is still months away, but school (or at least a childbirth education class) is in session — so start taking notes. You'll "graduate" with all the skills and know-how you and your labor coach need to get through delivery with honors. You can choose a course at the hospital or with a local instructor, but sign up early so you can finish several weeks before your due date. Ask whether your class includes lessons on infant care, CPR and breastfeeding (it should). Have special needs? There are courses for second-timers who need to brush up on their techniques, for moms who are attempting a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and for parents expecting multiples. There are even intensive classes taught over a weekend at resorts, which can double as a couple's getaway. Whichever one you choose, make sure your instructor is certified by a national childbirth education organization. And here's a bonus: Your insurance company may cover the cost, so be sure to submit your bill.
Having a boy? You may want to have the circumcision talk with your partner now, if you haven't already. Get your pediatrician's POV, too!
Do you know your rhesus (Rh) status? If not, it's important to find out. If you are Rh negative and your baby is Rh positive, you'll need a vaccine-like injection of Rh-immune globulin, known as RhoGAM, this week to prevent the development of antibodies.
Breasts feeling different? Tender lumps are common during the third trimester, but still, they shouldn't be ignored. Ask your health care provider for a breast exam at your next checkup.
Your baby absorbs the majority of his iron stores during the third trimester, so nosh on iron-rich foods like chicken, beans, spinach, tofu, beef and enriched cereals.
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