— Welcome to the third trimester of pregnancy
When you are 28 weeks pregnant, you have probably gained between 15-25 pounds. When you enter into the pregnancy third trimester, you may experience sudden food cravings, mood swings, and quasi-labor pains. Abrupt movements could cause dizziness and loss of balance; therefore you better accelerate yourself.
The circulatory system functions more efficiently due to the increased production of pregnancy hormones, however, you can also feel less balanced and less energetic. There’s a possibility that you might feel a little depressed whenever you think about the upcoming labor. The best method to deal with these situations is to be positive and remember that the baby is very receptive of your feelings.
Symptoms experienced by a 28 weeks pregnant woman:
During pregnancy week 28, some women may experience leg cramps, shortness of breath, varicose veins, indigestion, heartburn, lower abdominal pain, mild swelling of feet and ankles.
Restless leg syndrome is a very annoying problem that begins late in the pregnancy. This condition causes an urge to kick and move the legs and feet constantly, which can cause many restless nights during pregnancy. Don’t worry about the condition; it will get back to the normal stage once you give birth to your baby.
This week, you may also feel Braxton Hicks contraction in preparing for the labor. Also, there is a chance for the development of hemorrhoids.
Physical changes that occur in a 28 weeks pregnant woman:
As each week passes, you will become bigger. When you put on weight, the level of discomfort will also increase. Also, during this period, your little one’s kicks will become even stronger. If you notice any drop in the number of kicks, make sure to visit your healthcare provider because the absence of baby movements can indicate a significant problem.
Some women may notice a slight reduction in the baby movements. As each week passes, your baby will become bigger and hence there will be less space in the placenta to make proper movements. With the increased belly size, stretch marks will become more apparent this week.
It is good news for a 28 weeks pregnant woman that the baby is settling into the correct position for childbirth. The painful news is that the baby’s head and increasing uterus weight puts great pressure on your sciatic nerve that goes through the lower part of the buttocks, legs, and back. This condition causes sharp and shooting pain, numbness or tingling that begins at your rear end and continues down the back of the legs.
Fetal changes that occur in a 28 weeks pregnant woman:
When you are 28 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of 15.25 inches long and weighs up to 2.4 pounds.
During pregnancy week 28, your baby is now developing eyelashes to go in conjunction with his or her eyebrows and eyes that are now open. As the baby responds well to the light, you will notice blinking of your baby’s eyes during the 28 weeks pregnant ultrasound scan.
The baby is also continuing to “fatten up”. Baby’s body is now containing between 2-3 percent of body fat. Also, muscle tone is starting to progress in Week 28.
Baby’s adrenal gland starts the production of hormones called androgen and estrogen, which now stimulate your hormones to the production of milk.
Still, you may notice a lot of wrinkles on the baby’s skin because of constant immersion in amniotic fluid. From the third trimester onwards, your baby will become more sensitive to light, taste, sound, and smell. Actually, your baby is now able to distinguish the sweet and sour tastes and can also manifest a choice.
By this week, there will be a great improvement in your baby’s muscles. Now the baby’s brain has developed small groves and canals that make a way to connect with all the brain tissues.
Some babies will have hair developed on their head while some others will take more time to develop. There are some studies showed that the babies will also dream during pregnancy week 28.
What care should be taken by a 28 weeks pregnant woman?
From this week onwards, you will need to begin visiting your doctor for every 2 weeks. If you haven’t got a blood test, probably this is the time to consider. A blood test during this period is recommended because it can help to measure the Rh factor, which is a component present in red blood cells. If you are Rh-negative and your baby is Rh positive, then there is a risk of some health problems for your baby, such as anemia and jaundice. This can be prevented by giving a vaccination known as Rh immune globulin when you are 28 weeks pregnant. The vaccine can be repeated after the delivery.
Your healthcare provider may also recommend a Glucose tolerance test during 28th-week pregnancy. If your glucose test indicates a high value, soon you will be having one more test because when your first test shows high levels, then it doesn’t mean that there is a problem. When the second test results will also show the same levels, then you will need to be under a doctor’s supervision for the rest of your pregnancy period.
Start knowing the facts about labor and delivery. Attending for the childbirth classes can help you great with labor and delivery. You can consider the classes at the hospital or at a local instructor. These classes will help you to know all the necessary information that you will go through the delivery. These classes will also teach you about breastfeeding, infant care, and CRP. Before signing up for any class, make sure that the instructor is certified by a national childbirth education organization.
Learn the things involved in C-section as well as a normal delivery. Know about the causes of C-section. Cesarean is one of the major abdominal surgeries, which can result from several factors, such as fetal distress, repeated cesareans, dystocia or non-progressive labor and breech presentation.
Staying alone in the house especially during the third trimester is strictly not recommended. During this period, pregnant women should have family support because women may feel sleepy, tired and sometimes also experience pre-birth anxiety.
Have a wonderful journey of pregnancy!! Go on to know more about the exciting things during pregnancy week 29…
