28 Weeks Pregnant - Trimester 3

BABY DEVELOPMENT

Your baby is getting more and more ready to breathe outside air, but for now, they still take in amniotic fluid that completely fills the lungs. Their skin begins to appear less wrinkled because fat is starting to deposit underneath it. At your next prenatal visit, you will be able to hear your baby’s little heart beating with a stethoscope.

At 28 weeks, your baby is around the size of a cabbage and their skin is now getting less wrinkly and looks more like their skin at birth thanks to the stores of fat underneath.

YOUR BODY

Do you sometimes feel a tightening in your back or a hardening of the belly? That may be Braxton Hicks contractions. Not to worry, it just means your uterus is practising a little for the birth. If the contractions don’t stop or continue to get stronger consult your health care professional (if only to reassure yourself).

NUTRITION

With every meal you eat you’re preparing your baby to experience new flavours and develop their taste preferences. Flavours in your food can be carried to the baby via the amniotic fluid. After their birth, they may even remember these tastes – and if you keep eating a diverse diet while breastfeeding, these foods will flavour your milk.

TIPS

As you enter the third trimester, you will likely see your midwife or obstetrician more frequently.  Jot any questions down between appointments so you don’t forget to get your answers at each visit.