Week 26
Your Baby’s Development
Although your baby’s eyes have been sealed shut for the last few months, they will soon open and begin to blink. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first year of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes. Eyelashes are growing in, as is more hair on the head.
Your baby, weighing a little less than 2 pounds (907 grams), still looks wrinkly but will continue to gain weight steadily over the next 14 weeks until birth.
Your Body
Your uterus provides a safe haven for your baby before birth. But what about after delivery? Your baby will be moving about your home in what seems like no time at all. Take the time now to safeguard your home by babyproofing. Covering electrical outlets, removing choking hazards, installing smoke alarms, and blocking off staircases are just some of the steps to ensuring your child’s safety. Take every precaution you can think of, but remember: No amount of babyproofing can substitute for careful supervision of your child.
Week 27
Your Baby’s Development
By this first week of the third trimester, your baby looks similar to what he or she will look like at birth, except thinner and smaller. The lungs, liver, and immune system still need to fully mature, but if born now, your baby would have a very good chance of surviving.
As hearing continues to develop, your baby may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner’s. Sounds may be muffled, though, because the ears are still covered with vernix, the thick waxy coating that protects the skin from becoming chapped by the amniotic fluid.
Your Body
Your body instinctively nourishes and protects your baby during pregnancy, but caring for a newborn is a learned skill. Consider signing up for childbirth classes through your local community center or hospital to learn about topics such as labor, options for pain relief, what to expect after delivery, common newborn problems, babyproofing, breastfeeding and formula feeding, and infant CPR. Learning all you can about birth and babies will help you feel more confident, especially if you’re a first-time parent.
Week 28
Your Baby’s Development
Your baby now weighs about 2 pounds, 2 ounces (1,000 grams) and measures about 10 inches (25 cm) from crown to rump. At your next prenatal appointment, your health care provider may tell you whether your baby is headfirst or feet- or bottom-first (called breech position) in the womb. Babies who are in the breech position may need to be delivered by cesarean section. Your baby still has 2 months to change position, though, so don’t worry if your baby is in the breech position right now. Most babies will switch positions on their own.
The folds and grooves of your baby’s brain continue to develop and expand. In addition, your baby continues to add layers of fat and has continued hair growth.
Your Body
Your health care provider probably sent you for some blood tests early in your pregnancy. One thing blood tests measure is the Rh factor, a substance found in the red blood cells of most people. If you don’t have it (if you’re Rh negative) but your baby does (is Rh positive), there is potential for your baby to have health problems, such as jaundice and anemia. Your doctor can prevent these problems by giving you a vaccine called Rh immune globulin at 28 weeks and again after delivery.
Week 29
Your Baby’s Development
Your baby continues to be active, and those first few flutters of movement have given way to hard jabs and punches that may take your breath away. If you notice a decrease in movement, do a fetal kick count: your baby should move at least 10 times in an hour. If your baby moves less, talk to your health care provider.
Your Body
During pregnancy, iron is important for replenishing the red blood cell supply. You should be eating at least 30 milligrams of iron each day. Because iron deficiency is common during pregnancy, your health care provider may recommend that you receive a blood test to check your iron level. If it’s low, you may be prescribed an iron supplement.
Week 30
Your Baby’s Development
Now weighing about 3 pounds (1,400 grams) and measuring about 10.8 inches (27 cm) from crown to rump, your baby continues to gain weight and layers of fat. This fat makes the baby look less wrinkly and will help provide warmth after birth.
In preparation for respiration after birth, your baby will mimic breathing movements by repeatedly moving the diaphragm. Your baby can even get the hiccups, which you may feel as rhythmic twitches in your uterus.
Your Body
Constipation is a common complaint of pregnancy. The pregnancy hormones that allow you to maintain your pregnancy also slow the digestive process considerably. Exercising regularly and eating foods high in fiber, such as vegetables and whole grains, are great ways to keep everything regular.
source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_calendar/week30.html