Week 28 at a glance
At 28 weeks pregnant, you enter the third trimester.
Your baby can blink and dream, and you might be experiencing sciatica, melasma, and sensitive skin.
At 28 weeks pregnant, it’s time to say “Hola, third trimester!”… and “Sayonara” to your feet!
(It’s possible you haven’t seen your feet for a little while, anyway….)
From here on out, your baby is all about packing on the pounds, so your 28-weeks pregnant belly is only gonna go one way ‒ out!
In this article: 📝
- Week 28 at a glance
- Baby development at 28 weeks
- Pregnancy symptoms at 28 weeks
- Pregnancy tips at 28 weeks
Baby development at 28 weeks
At 28 weeks fetal development is rapid!
Right now, your baby is about the size of an eggplant ‒ almost 15 inches long from head to toe and weighing in at around 2.25 pounds (around a kilogram).
During the third trimester, your baby’s brain will triple in weight, but thankfully not in size.
Phew.
Instead, your baby’s brain is developing deep grooves and ridges that hold in all the new skills your baby is already learning in utero, like wiggling their toes and kicking.
Along with their ability to hear, smell, and touch, your fetus at 28 weeks will be able to blink (and flutter their new eyelashes) and even dream.
Adorable!
What position is the baby in at 28 weeks?
Your baby might still be heads-up (known as breech) or they might have made the switch to heads-down by now, ready for their big entrance.
Your practitioner will check at your bi-weekly appointments by feeling your belly.
What a baby looks like in the womb at 28 weeks
A 28-week fetus doesn’t look quite like the chubby newborn baby you’re imagining, but they’re getting there!
They are gaining more fat at this stage, and their skin is becoming less wrinkly.
If you’re lucky enough to have a 28-week pregnant ultrasound (it’s not part of the routine treatment), you might see your baby try out a new skill – coughing!
Can you deliver a baby at 28 weeks?
If your baby is born prematurely at 28 weeks, they’ll more than likely be okay after some specialized medical care (aka time in the NICU!).
From 27-weeks, the chance of survival is around 89%, and increases to 95% if delivered after 31 weeks.
Pregnancy symptoms at 28 weeks
Now that you’re in month 7 of your pregnancy, the finish line is in sight!
At 28 weeks pregnant, you’re two-thirds of the way through and probably feeling a heady mix of emotions – from excitement that your due date is inching ever closer, to anxiety that, erm, your due date is inching ever closer.
However you’re feeling, you’re not alone!
With your baby getting bigger, it’s not surprising that being 28 weeks pregnant can be pretty uncomfortable.
Back, hip, and pelvic pain as well as leg cramps at 28 weeks pregnant are common.
But if you have sharp stabbing pains, or a numb tingling down the back of your legs, you may have sciatica.
You can try resting, putting your feet up, or stretching, and your doctor might be able to give you more advice.
Along with aches and pains, some other common 28 weeks pregnant symptoms include:
Bloating and wind
So attractive, right?!
Just keep doing your pelvic floor exercises to minimize those awkward moments.
Mask of pregnancy
Less famous than Zorro, but with a cool name nonetheless, Melasma is the hyperpigmentation caused by pregnancy hormones usually presenting in the 2nd or 3rd trimester.
It’s more common if you have a darker skin tone to begin with.
You might notice more freckles, darker skin across your cheeks, and a more pronounced linea nigra.
Sensitive skin
If your normal moisturizer is turning your face into an oil slick, or your skin is feeling dryer than the Sahara, it’s all normal.
Blame it on some more hormones, and know that post-pregnancy, your skin will probably go back to how it once was.
For now, sensitive formulas and natural products like calamine can help calm any itchy scratchy patches.
Pregnancy tips at 28 weeks
Not sure what you should be doing at 28 weeks pregnant?
Here are a few suggestions:
- Sing to baby ‒ they can hear you now!
- Take off your rings if your fingers are getting swollen ‒ it’s totally normal, but it’s easier to take them off at this stage before they get any bigger.
- Start decorating baby’s nursery.
- Keep track of baby’s kicks ‒ if you’re concerned baby’s not moving often, check in with your doctor.
- Switch over to your maternity wardrobe.
- Think of your birth plan, like having a doula.
- Get informed at a birth class.
As you enter the third trimester at 28 weeks pregnant, your baby is growing rapidly and getting ready for the outside world.
It’s important to continue taking care of yourself with regular prenatal appointments, a balanced diet, and plenty of rest.
Stay positive and enjoy this special time as you prepare for the arrival of your babe.