You’ve started your third trimester this week and have 12 weeks left before delivering your baby! Take the time to prepare his/her nursery and other essentials for your baby during these last few months.

Size of your baby:

Your baby resembles the size of a coconut.

Weight / Height of your baby: 

Your baby weighs around 1 kg (2 and a quarter pounds) and measures around 38cm (15 inches) when measured from head to toe.

About your baby: 

At 28 weeks, your gets fully developed. The nerves, tissues, and organs are still in their growing stage but your baby has developed the essential systems which he or she might require to survive outside your womb. These are the last few weeks of pregnancy where your baby starts recognising different voices and sounds. The eyes of your baby are still in the developing stage and the development of the brain is still continuing. The heart sounds are louder and clearer too!

Your baby has also started attaining the position for its delivery. Although your baby might change its position and twist within the uterus, your baby will spend most of the time with the head facing downwards while the legs facing in an upwards direction. In certain situations, your baby can also breech where the head of the baby faces upwards toward your chest while legs facing downwards towards the pelvis. However, in 75% of the cases, the breech fixes back normally till week 38.

ABOUT YOUR BODY:

There will be added pressure over the diaphragm as your baby is gaining weight and the pain is intensified with each stretching effect through the legs of your baby. Heartburn is commonly felt during this stage, as such the symptoms which you might have felt during the first trimester are returning back because the pressure over the stomach intensifies leading to nausea and fatigue. Back pain is also severe during this stage because the baby is rapidly growing.

At week 28, you might experience a “pregnancy brain” where you find difficulties in concentration and begin to forget things easily. This is due to the difficulties in sleeping caused by oscillating hormonal levels and extreme pressure within your body. At this stage, your breasts start leaking a bit i.e. they release early breast milk or colostrum which contains IgA, fats, proteins, and minerals.

Do & Don’ts / Advice / Checklist / Tips: 

• Eat frequent, smaller meals to avoid any pain or stretching effect over the stomach and ribs
• Take enough rest and stay comfortable at all times to avoid back pain and fatigue
• Keep yourself hydrated at all times as the tight belly skin might feel itchy at this week
• Prepare the nursery for your baby’s arrival, set up all the necessary supplies and adjust them within your home
• As your pregnancy is about to end and if you are delivering the first baby, you’ll definitely feel anxious and nervous so schedule an appointment and talk to your doctor

Checklist:

• Buy some books which are regarding postpartum recovery
• Discuss childcare prior to the arrival of the baby
• Schedule a maternity leave