Week 28

My Baby's Development

Your baby now measures about 10 inches (25cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 2 pounds, 2 ounces (1,000g). At your next prenatal appointment, your health care provider may tell you whether your baby in the womb is headfirst, feet-first or bottom-first (known as breech position). Most of the babies who are in the breech position may need to be delivered by cesarean section. However, your baby still has 2 months to change its position in the womb. So, don't worry if your baby is in the breech position right now. Most of the babies will switch positions on their own.
The folds and grooves of your baby's brain is developing and expanding. In addition, your baby will continue to add layers of fat and has continued hair growth.

My Body

Your health care provider may probably need your blood tests early in your pregnancy. One thing blood tests measure is the Rh factor (a substance found in the red blood cells of most people). If you’re Rh negative, you don't have it. But if your baby is Rh positive, there is potential for your baby to have health problems (such as jaundice and anemia). Your doctor can prevent these problems by giving you a vaccine (called Rh immune globulin) in week 28 and again after delivery.

Week 27

My Baby's Development

By this week, your baby looks similar to what he or she will look like at birth (except thinner and smaller). The lungs, liver and immune system still need some time to fully mature. But if your baby is born by now, he or she would have a very good chance to survive.

As hearing continues to develop, your baby may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's voice. However, the sounds may be muffled because the ears are still covered with vernix (a thick waxy coating that protects the skin from becoming chapped by the amniotic fluid).

My Body

Your body instinctively nourishes and protects your baby during pregnancy, but caring for a newborn is a skill to learn. Try to sign up for childbirth classes through your local community center or hospital. You’ll start to learn about topics such as labor, options for pain relief, what to expect before and after delivery, common newborn problems, babyproofing, breastfeeding and formula feeding, and infant CPR. Learning all you can about childbirth and care will help you feel more confident, especially if you're a first-time parent.

Week 26

My Baby's Development

Although your baby's eyes are sealed shut for the last few months, they will soon begin to open and blink. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (the color may change in the first year of newborn) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes. As eyelashes are growing, there will be more hair on the head.

Your baby, weighing a little less than 2 pounds (907g), is still looks wrinkly but will continue to gain weight steadily over the next 14 weeks until birth.

My Body

Your uterus will be a safe haven for your baby before birth. But what about after your baby born? Your baby will be moving to your home soon. Take the time now to safeguard your home by babyproofing. Some of the steps to ensure your baby's safety includes covering electrical outlets, removing choking hazards, installing smoke alarms and blocking off staircases. Take every precaution you may think of. But you must always remember that these babyproofing cannot substitute for your careful supervision over your baby.

Week 25

My Baby's Development

You may notice that your baby has alert and resting periods. Your baby's hearing has developed too. The baby may now be able to hear his or her mommy’s voice!

My Body

When it comes to digestion, pregnancy can cause some unpleasant side effects. Other than the hormone progesterone slow the emptying of the stomach, it also relaxes the valve at the entrance to the stomach so that it doesn’t close properly. This allows acidic stomach contents to move upward into the esophagus and occurs reflux (also known as heartburn) that can make eating your favorite meals a nightmare. In the last few months of pregnancy, the expanding uterus puts additional pressure on the stomach, making you feel like heartburn. Try to eat lesser and more frequent meals, and avoid spicy and fatty foods.

Week 24

My Baby's Development

The placenta is still providing your baby with oxygen. But once your baby was given birth, his or her lungs will start to take in oxygen on their own. In preparation for that, your baby lungs’ ability to produce surfactant are developing. Surfactant is a substance that keeps the air sacs in our lungs from collapsing and sticking together when we exhale, allowing us to breathe properly.

Because the inner ear (which controls balance in the body) is now completely developed, your baby may be able to tell when he or she is upside down or right side up while floating and making movements in the amniotic fluid.

My Body

Glucose screening is an important prenatal test. It is usually performed sometime during week 24 to 28. The test checks for gestational diabetes (a temporary type of diabetes) that occurs during pregnancy and can cause problems in the newborn (such as low blood sugar). Gestational diabetes may also increase the chances of a cesarean section during delivery because it can lead to a growth of very huge babies. In a glucose screening test, you'll drink a sugary solution and then have your blood drawn. If your blood sugar level is too high, you'll be requested for further tests. Gestational diabetes usually can be controlled by eating a well-planned diet and getting regular exercises. But sometimes medication (such as daily insulin) will be needed during the pregnancy.