Highlights this week
Baby development at 27 weeks
- Your baby is finally able to open and close their eyes
- Your baby's sleeping and waking at regular intervals
- Tiny respiratory sacs are forming in your baby's lungs
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Your baby is as heavy as a head of cauliflower
length
36.6
cm
head to toe
weight
875
g
Pregnancy symptoms at 27 weeks
Your body is altering rapidly now. Your uterus is up near your rib cage and you may discover the delights of leg cramps, haemorrhoids or varicose veins. All these pregnancy complaints should disappear after you've had your baby.You're likely to have another antenatal appointment soon and you may have a blood test to check for pregnancy anaemia. You can become anaemic if you don't have enough iron in your diet, resulting in a deficiency of red blood cells. Many pregnant women develop a mild case of the illness because of normal changes in the body during pregnancy.
If your blood group is Rhesus-negative you may have an injection of anti-D around now.
See how other BabyCenter mums look at 25 to 27 weeks of pregnancy.
- Your baby's pushing against your stomach – no wonder you feel full
- Avoid lying on your back to prevent a sudden drop in blood pressure
How your life is changing
Labour really isn't far away so if you haven't already signed up for an antenatal class, then find out if there is a space available on a course now. Perhaps hypnobirthing would be right for you, especially if you're hoping for a drug-free birth.Believe it or not, a mum's breastfeeding success has a lot to do with her partner's attitude. If you're a parent-to-be, it's time to learn the basics of breastfeeding so you can provide support after your baby's born. Your partner will need looking after in the first few weeks after the birth so be prepared to help out, particularly if they have had a caesarean.
What you need to know
- If you want to travel by air you may need a note from your doctor saying you're fit to fly.
- Interested in labouring or giving birth in water? You need to plan ahead, particularly if you intend to have a home birth. Take a look at this gallery of beautiful water birth pictures from BabyCenter mums.
- Some mums-to-be swear by raspberry leaf tea for making labour easier. But does it really work?
- What it means if your blood test results show low platelets.
Pregnancy tip: beyond orange juice
"Need more vitamin C and had enough of fruit? Try red capsicum! They have loads of vitamin C and are great to cut into strips to use with dips. An easy, healthy snack."Kara
Megan Rive is a communication, content strategy and project delivery specialist. She was Babycenter editor for six years.
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