Pregnant in week 28
Welcome to the third trimester! In week 28 your baby is the size of an aubergine, weighs about a kilo and can now dream in REM sleep. Week 28 is also the optimal time for a 3D/4D scan – the images are at their most beautiful right now.
Your baby in week 28
Your baby measures around 37.6 centimetres and weighs about a kilo. It steadily puts on fat, and the skin becomes smoother and less transparent.
The brain is now developed enough that your baby has periods of REM sleep and probably dreams. The eyes can open and close, and they react to light that filters in through the abdominal wall.
The lungs are close to being able to manage on their own, and your baby practises breathing busily. It can taste, hear, feel and tell light from dark – all senses are now in play.
Your body and symptoms in week 28
The third trimester is under way, and from now your midwife visits become more frequent. The bump is large, and many feel it in their back, pelvis and breathing.
The movements are strong, and it is now especially important to know your baby's pattern and react to clear changes. The amount of amniotic fluid is at its highest around now.
Heartburn, breathlessness, swollen legs and trouble sleeping are common companions. If you have a negative blood type, you are typically offered an injection (anti-D) around now – follow your midwife's plan.
Good advice for week 28
Book the 3D/4D scan now
Week 28 gives the most beautiful 3D images: your baby has enough fat for soft, round features, and there is still plenty of room in the uterus. It is the optimal week.
Attend the more frequent check-ups
From the third trimester you are seen more often by your midwife and doctor. They measure blood pressure, growth and wellbeing – important checks for both you and your baby.
Count kicks if in doubt
Know your baby's pattern. With clearly fewer or weaker movements, contact the maternity unit immediately – this applies around the clock.
Relieve your back and pelvis
Good posture, side-lying, flat footwear and gentle movement reduce pain. A physiotherapist can help with pelvic girdle pain.
Checklists for this stage
Tick things off as you go – the list remembers where you got to, and you can share it with your partner.
Relevant with us in week 28
This is what we can offer you at this point in your pregnancy.
Frequently asked questions in week 28
Does my baby really dream?
Your baby has periods of REM sleep, the sleep phase in which humans dream. We can't know what a foetus experiences, but the brain activity resembles dream sleep.
What is anti-D treatment?
If you have rhesus-negative blood and your baby is positive, your body can form antibodies. An anti-D injection prevents this and protects your baby. Your midwife plans it.
How often are check-ups now?
In the third trimester visits become more frequent – typically every two to four weeks and closer together towards the end. Your midwife sets a plan for your situation.
Your pregnancy – week by week, in your inbox
Every time you enter a new week we send you what is happening with your baby and your body, good advice for the week – and when the different scans make sense. Unsubscribe with one click.
Read on in week 28
Feeling life – when and how do you feel the first fetal movements?
How do you prepare for birth? – A guide for expectant mothers
