By week twenty-eight you are sailing nicely into the third trimester. You will start seeing weight gain quicker and you are within the last leg of the pregnancy. Now you will be going to doctor appointments on a more regular basis and if you are considered to be a high-risk pregnancy, you see more appointments and more sonograms. These are necessary to ensure the health and the safe birth of the baby. Some women during their pregnancy will test positive for the Rh antibody . If this is your case the doctor will give you an anti D injection at week twenty-eight and at week thirty-six.
If you haven’t done so already, there are plenty of prenatal classes that you can enroll in. in these classes you will learn about the rest of the pregnancy and what to expect. You will also learn about childbirth and a bit about what to expect when you get home from the hospital. These classes are not required but they can take a weight off of your shoulders.
You may have already started getting the nursery ready for the baby and the list of baby names has probably grown. New moms to be should really take advantage of the second trimester, this is the time to really do any running around that needs to be done like stocking up for nursery items, baby shopping or if you want to help prepare the baby’s nursery then now is the time. Once you enter into the third trimester, you will be advised to take it easy more and some of the fatigue you felt in the first trimester will return.
Baby’s Development
By now the baby is about 16 inches long and should weigh approximately 3-1/2 to 4 pounds. The baby’s skin has become wrinkled at this stage so the baby’s skin will look rounder. The lanugo (fine hair) will be covering the baby now. At week twenty-eight, the baby’s eyes will be open and the eyebrows and eyelids are very well formed by now.
The baby’s enzyme system and their endocrinological process are now developed. The baby will start to move around more and you will soon start feeling these kicks and punches on a more consistent basis. The baby’s organs are formed but they are still developing, if the baby was born at this stage with intensive care the baby could survive.
By now the lungs will just about be mature and the respiratory movements of the baby are now being monitored when you go to your doctor’s appointments. The last two months of pregnancy are important to the baby’s body systems and organs. As the baby prepares for birth, their organs are developing and this will help ensure a healthy delivery for the baby.
Changes With Your Body
By now the nausea and vomiting have all disappeared. The second trimester is the best place in pregnancy as far as physically and mentally feeling great. As the pregnancy progresses the pressure from the uterus can be causing more heartburn than you already have. The very top of the uterus is about 1/3 of the distance from the belly button and the xiphoid cartilage. You may be experiencing constipation, this happens because the baby is putting pressure on the lower colon.
As the pregnancy progresses at twenty-eight weeks, you will see more weight gain and the more weight you gain the more tired you will feel. The breasts at this point in the pregnancy are still increasing in size because the body is preparing for lactation. By now the total weight gain for the average pregnant women is about 17 to 24 pounds.
The pregnancy symptoms that you felt in the first trimester will soon resurface in the last trimester. The only positive about that is that you now know what it feels like and you know how to handle it. You may experience lack of ability to sleep, frequent urination and possible hemorrhoids.
What To Expect
You can expect to start attending more doctors appointments, usually in the last trimester, they can range to every two weeks to every week. Women who are considered to be high risk will start seeing the doctor every week at this point. Sometimes at the third trimester, the baby may not be in the correct position for birth. But don’t panic, there is plenty of time for the baby to turn and head in the right direction.
You may start to get headaches, backaches, more itching and heartburn. These are all common. You may start to feel nauseous again so it is important to keep up your nourishment anyway because now it is a very important time in the pregnancy when the baby needs more nutrition before they are born.
Your weight gain should be about 17 to 124 pounds, if you weigh more, along the way the doctor would have shown some concern about your weight. So if they haven’t said anything don’t worry about it. It is never a good idea to start watching what you eat or decrease your food intake when you are pregnant.
Tips/Advice
If you are concerned about your weight, speak to the doctor, they may recommend more healthy types of foods or they may suggest that you start walking after meals or maybe go swimming a few times a week. Exercise will make you feel better. If you have any questions about future doctor’s appointments or how the birth is being planned. Now is the time to ask your doctor. You may think that the questions you have are just plain silly but they aren’t.
It is your body and your baby; so don’t hesitate to ask your doctor any questions no matter how trivial you think it is. Some women look to the pregnancy books for answers first. While these books are informative, they should not be a replacement for your doctor’s advice. The only person who knows your pregnant better than you is your doctor.
