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You’re 27 weeks pregnant and at the end of the second trimester! Here’s what’s happening this week on the inside.
How Big is Baby?
Your baby has added another half-inch in length and is about 14 ½ inches long at week 27.
What’s New with Baby?
Baby is beginning to practice inhaling and exhaling, getting their rapidly developing lungs prepared for life outside your womb. Their brain is also showing activity—and it will keep getting more and more complex throughout the third trimester. And if you’re feeling tiny, rhythmic movements, don’t worry, Mom. That’s just baby hiccupping and they usually only last for a few moments.
What’s new with Mom?
Many of your symptoms this week are related to baby’s growth and maternal weight gain. “As the woman’s abdomen grows, many women feel increased strain, pressure, and back pain,” says Dr. Ashley Birmingham, an Ob/Gyn at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “The growing uterus and baby are also placing increased pressure on the pelvic bone, which creates pain, often sudden and sharp. You may notice changes in your digestion, acid reflux, becoming full more quickly after meals and constipation.” We promise, this pregnancy is 100% worth it!
Ashley Birmingham, M.D. is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She is a hospitalist who specializes in the care of laboring and hospitalized patients.
Fun Fact
If your partner presses their ear to your belly, they just might be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat.
What to Know About the Third Trimester
You’re about to head into the third trimester, so you may be wondering what you can expect when it comes to your body, how baby is developing and what else will likely occur in the coming weeks. Here’s what you need to know.
Your Body
During the third trimester, your body will undergo significant changes. “You may notice your weight increasing more quickly than it did in early pregnancy,” Birmingham says. “Your abdomen may also be growing faster as the baby is undergoing a period of rapid growth.” These two factors are responsible for many of the discomforts associated with the third trimester, including low back and pubic bone pain, stretching and pulling sensations in the abdomen and an increase in urinary frequency.
Other common third trimester symptoms, related to the gastrointestinal system, include increased heartburn or reflux, becoming full quickly after eating and constipation. Women also commonly experience breast changes including breast growth, tenderness, possibly leaking colostrum and changes in vaginal discharge. More than 33% of pregnant women will experience involuntary urine leakage in the third trimester, plus 31%–62% of pregnant women will develop carpal tunnel syndrome due to swelling in the wrists.
You may also experience restless leg syndrome, insomnia, swelling, lightheadedness and dizziness. These symptoms can be managed by staying hydrated, sleeping on your left or right side, wearing compression socks and standing up slowly.
Baby’s Development
“Entering the third trimester, babies weigh about two pounds and will gain about a half pound per week for the remainder of the pregnancy,” says Birmingham. “Most full-term newborns weigh between 6–8 pounds.”
As the third trimester progresses, you may feel fewer large, turning movements and more focal jabs and kicks—and they may feel the strongest around 32–35 weeks. Baby’s neurological system is developing, which results in the movements feeling less jittery or frantic.
These fetal kicks are often counted to assess a baby’s well-being. “It is generally accepted that ten fetal movements in two hours is reassuring and indicates a healthy baby. If you are concerned your baby is not moving normally, please reach out to your physician,” Birmingham urges.
Doctor’s Appointments
Prenatal visits will increase in frequency as you enter the third trimester. You’ll typically see your provider every two weeks between 28-36 weeks and then weekly after 36 weeks. “For women with underlying health issues, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, you will see your physician more frequently during this time,” Birmingham says.
So what can you anticipate at appointments in the third trimester?
• Your gestational diabetes screening test will need to be completed by week 28.
• Women with an Rh-negative blood type are recommended to receive the Rh immunoglobulin injection by week 28.
• Moms should get the Tdap (tetanus toxoid, diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis) and Influenza vaccinations.
• Your doctor will offer antepartum testing at 32 weeks if you have certain health risk factors (or sooner if you have more than one risk factor).
• Speak with your doctor about your birth plan around week 33–34.
• In week 35–36, you’ll get a Group B strep test to ensure baby’s safety during labor.
• Every physician’s office is different, but many patients will have an ultrasound performed around the week 36 to evaluate baby’s size and position along with amniotic fluid levels.
We know this all sounds like a lot, but it’s important to remember to try to enjoy the last weeks of your pregnancy. After all, you’ll be busy getting everything finalized and ready for baby to come home.
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This blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute the provision of medical advice or professional services. This blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
The above article was written by DFWChild contributor Katelin Walling with information provided by UT Southwestern Medical Center as part of their sponsored content.
