28 Weeks Pregnant - Baby, Body and Preparation

What is my baby doing?



By the time you are 28 weeks pregnant, you have finally entered the home stretch of the third trimester. Congratulations! The baby measures between 15 and 16 inches long and is weighing in between two and four pounds and has become quite active. He is kicking and stretching, sucking his thumb and finally able to have a look around his dimly lit environment because his eyes have opened.



A fine, peach-fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo is forming all over his skin as well as the protective vernix, a white, chalky looking substance that he will eventually begin to shed and ingest through amniotic fluid as the third trimester progresses. This is what will eventually become his first bowel movement. His organs are pretty well developed at this point, but if your baby were born now, he would need a number of specialized interventions to keep him alive. He is also starting to be able to hear, so feel free to talk to him. The sound of your voice will soothe him beginning now and through his infant-hood.



What is my body doing?



You have probably noticed already how much your breasts are changing as they prepare themselves for lactation, but at 28 weeks you will want to prepare yourself for the most dramatic changes that are about to occur. Tiny little sacs called alveoli are busy producing colostrum and building a proper duct system so that your baby will be able to feed when he needs to. If they have not already, your nipples will become quite a bit larger and your areolas quite a bit darker. Many theorize that this is so that the baby can see the nipple clearly after birth and work his way toward it for his first feeding.



You should still be visiting your doctor or midwife about twice a month at this point, but by 36 weeks you will want to make sure you are going every week. If the bloodwork from your first visit shows that you are RH negative, around now is when you would receive your shot of immunoglobulin. This is to ensure that your body does not create any antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. You might receive another shot after birth if your baby tests RH positive, so that any future babies you might have will also be protected.



One other test your doctor or midwife will want to do at around 28 weeks pregnant is the follow up to your first glucose screening test. If you tested positive the first time, you will have to come in and do a more extensive test that lasts about three hours. This test makes sure that you are not developing gestational diabetes, which can lead to an oversized baby as well as pose a number of risks to the mother, particularly with regard to the future of her health. Mothers who develop gestational diabetes are much more likely to develop diabetes themselves later on in life. If you do end up testing positive for gestational diabetes, your doctor will put you on a very strict diet until the end of the pregnancy. Make sure that you take it very seriously.



How should I prepare?



By now your friends have probably started arguing about the details of your baby shower! Do them and yourself a favor and create a registry for yourself that they can include in their invitations. Do not feel funny about this; people want to help you prepare effectively for your baby's arrival. Helping people shop for your baby ensures that you do not get fifty-seven receiving blankets!



This is also a good time to start getting your birth plan in order. Imagine your ideal birth. Will there be music? Should you hire a doula? Are you taking childbirth education classes? Are you for or against pain medication? If your baby is a boy, should he be circumcised? These are all things to start considering and getting down on paper so that you and your doctor or midwife are very clear about your preferences and can start having a dialogue about possible outcomes.



Remember, things do not always go as planned. So, if you are 28 weeks pregnant, now is a good time to start thinking of your preferences as this will help ease any anxieties you may be having about your Big Day! 28 Weeks Pregnant - Baby, Body and Preparation



What is my baby doing?



By the time you are 28 weeks pregnant, you have finally entered the home stretch of the third trimester. Congratulations! The baby measures between 15 and 16 inches long and is weighing in between two and four pounds and has become quite active. He is kicking and stretching, sucking his thumb and finally able to have a look around his dimly lit environment because his eyes have opened.



A fine, peach-fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo is forming all over his skin as well as the protective vernix, a white, chalky looking substance that he will eventually begin to shed and ingest through amniotic fluid as the third trimester progresses. This is what will eventually become his first bowel movement. His organs are pretty well developed at this point, but if your baby were born now, he would need a number of specialized interventions to keep him alive. He is also starting to be able to hear, so feel free to talk to him. The sound of your voice will soothe him beginning now and through his infant-hood.



What is my body doing?



You have probably noticed already how much your breasts are changing as they prepare themselves for lactation, but at 28 weeks you will want to prepare yourself for the most dramatic changes that are about to occur. Tiny little sacs called alveoli are busy producing colostrum and building a proper duct system so that your baby will be able to feed when he needs to. If they have not already, your nipples will become quite a bit larger and your areolas quite a bit darker. Many theorize that this is so that the baby can see the nipple clearly after birth and work his way toward it for his first feeding.



You should still be visiting your doctor or midwife about twice a month at this point, but by 36 weeks you will want to make sure you are going every week. If the bloodwork from your first visit shows that you are RH negative, around now is when you would receive your shot of immunoglobulin. This is to ensure that your body does not create any antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. You might receive another shot after birth if your baby tests RH positive, so that any future babies you might have will also be protected.



One other test your doctor or midwife will want to do at around 28 weeks pregnant is the follow up to your first glucose screening test. If you tested positive the first time, you will have to come in and do a more extensive test that lasts about three hours. This test makes sure that you are not developing gestational diabetes, which can lead to an oversized baby as well as pose a number of risks to the mother, particularly with regard to the future of her health. Mothers who develop gestational diabetes are much more likely to develop diabetes themselves later on in life. If you do end up testing positive for gestational diabetes, your doctor will put you on a very strict diet until the end of the pregnancy. Make sure that you take it very seriously.



How should I prepare?



By now your friends have probably started arguing about the details of your baby shower! Do them and yourself a favor and create a registry for yourself that they can include in their invitations. Do not feel funny about this; people want to help you prepare effectively for your baby's arrival. Helping people shop for your baby ensures that you do not get fifty-seven receiving blankets!



This is also a good time to start getting your birth plan in order. Imagine your ideal birth. Will there be music? Should you hire a doula? Are you taking childbirth education classes? Are you for or against pain medication? If your baby is a boy, should he be circumcised? These are all things to start considering and getting down on paper so that you and your doctor or midwife are very clear about your preferences and can start having a dialogue about possible outcomes.



Remember, things do not always go as planned. So, if you are 28 weeks pregnant, now is a good time to start thinking of your preferences as this will help ease any anxieties you may be having about your Big Day!