28 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Short Answer: At 28 week pregnancy, your baby is about 37 cm from head to heel, roughly the size of an eggplant, and weighs around 1 kg. The eyes open and blink, the lungs have enough surfactant to work with help if your baby is born early, the brain is growing fast and your baby sleeps and wakes in clear cycles. You have reached the third trimester. The top of your womb is about 7 to 8 cm above your navel. You may have backache, leg cramps, heartburn, breathlessness, swelling and trouble sleeping. This week, learn how to track your baby’s movements, get the anti-D injection if you are Rh negative, arrange the whooping cough vaccine, finish any pending glucose test and hemoglobin check and plan your visits, since many doctors now see you every two weeks. Call a doctor the same day for any change in your baby’s movements, and for bleeding, severe pain, fever, fluid leaking, regular tightenings or a severe headache with blurred vision.
Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception. Twenty-eight weeks pregnant means about twenty-six weeks since conception. You are at the start of your seventh month, with about 12 weeks to go. For the week before, read our guide to 27 weeks pregnant, and to follow the whole journey see our pregnancy guidelines week by week.
29 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Week 28 at a glance
| Detail | At 28 weeks |
|---|---|
| Trimester | Third (weeks 28 to 40) |
| Months | About 6.5 to 7 |
| Baby’s length | About 37 cm (14.5 inches), head to heel |
| Baby’s weight | About 1 kg (2.2 pounds) |
| Heart rate | About 120 to 160 beats per minute |
| Weeks to go | About 12 |
| Size comparison | An eggplant |
| Height of womb | About 28 cm from the pubic bone |
Sizes differ a little between guides, because they use averages from different groups of babies. Your own scan results and your doctor’s measurements matter more than a chart.
Welcome to the third trimester
The third trimester runs from week 28 to birth. Your baby gains most of the weight, the lungs and brain mature and your body prepares for labour. Many people feel more tired, more uncomfortable and more anxious, and also more excited.
What changes now:
- Visits become more frequent, often every two weeks until about 36 weeks, then weekly
- Your baby’s movements get close attention
- Tests focus on blood pressure, anaemia, growth and your baby’s position
- You plan the birth, the hospital bag, your leave and help at home
The World Health Organization recommends at least eight contacts with a health professional during pregnancy, at about 12, 20, 26, 30, 34, 36, 38 and 40 weeks. Keep every appointment, even if you feel well, and bring your prenatal card.
Your baby at 28 weeks
Growth. Your baby weighs about 1 kg and is laying down fat quickly, mostly under the skin. This fat will help regulate temperature after birth. Your baby will roughly triple in weight by the due date, gaining about 200 grams or more a week from here.
Eyes. The eyelids open and close, and the eyelashes are fully grown. Your baby can sense light through your belly and may turn toward a bright torch. Newborns see only blurry shapes at about 20 to 30 cm, which is the distance to your face during feeding.
Brain. The brain is growing fast, with more folds and more connections between nerve cells. Brain waves show clear cycles of sleep and wakefulness, including dream-like sleep with rapid eye movements. Good nutrition, sleep, avoiding alcohol and tobacco and treating infections quickly all support brain growth.
Lungs. The air sacs are growing, and enough surfactant is made for the lungs to work with help if your baby is born now. Your baby keeps practising breathing movements, which you may feel as rhythmic jumps like hiccups. The lungs will keep maturing until about 36 weeks, and some babies need a little more time.
Hearing. Your baby hears your heartbeat, your voice, your stomach and loud outside sounds, all muffled. Newborns prefer their mother’s voice and familiar sounds. Talking, reading and singing to your baby is a nice habit.
Immune system. Your antibodies pass to your baby through the placenta, mostly in the third trimester. This is why the whooping cough and tetanus vaccines in pregnancy protect newborns, and why a very early birth means fewer antibodies.
Skin and hair. The skin is smoother as fat builds up, but it is still red and wrinkled. Vernix and lanugo still cover it. Hair on the head is growing and has colour and texture. The nails are growing.
Position. Your baby has less room now, and often settles with the head down toward the pelvis. Many babies are still head up (breech) or sideways at 28 weeks, and most turn by 34 to 36 weeks.
Chances at birth. A baby born at 28 weeks has a good chance of survival, about nine in ten or more in hospitals with good newborn intensive care, although most need weeks of care and some face complications such as breathing problems, brain bleeds or infections. In places where newborn care is limited, as in many parts of Bangladesh, the chances are lower. Steroid injections given to the mother before preterm birth help the baby’s lungs, and they work best one to seven days before birth. If you have signs of preterm labour, go to a hospital with a newborn unit early.
Your body at 28 weeks
Womb. The top of your womb is about 7 to 8 cm above your navel, and a tape measure from the pubic bone reads about 28 cm. Your doctor measures this at visits as a quick check of growth. A difference of up to 2 cm either way is normal. A measurement that is far off, or that stops growing, may lead to a growth scan.
Weight. A person of normal weight usually gains about 0.4 to 0.5 kg a week. By now most people have gained about 8 to 12 kg in total, though it varies. Sudden rapid weight gain, especially with swelling, needs a check for pre-eclampsia.
Blood and heart. Your blood volume is near its peak, up to 40 to 50 percent above normal. You may feel warm, sweat more, have a faster pulse and notice veins on your legs and breasts.
Breathing. The womb presses up on the diaphragm, so you may feel breathless on stairs or when lying flat. Sit upright, rest and avoid rushing. Call your doctor if breathlessness is sudden, severe or comes with chest pain, a fast heartbeat or a cough with blood.
Skin and hair. A glow is common, but so are acne, dry skin, dark patches on the face (melasma) and a dark line down the belly (linea nigra). Stretch marks can appear on the belly, breasts, hips and thighs. Genetics matters more than any cream. Hair looks thicker.
Breasts. They are larger and heavier. Colostrum, the thick yellow first milk, may leak. A supportive nursing bra helps.
Hands, feet and legs. Mild swelling is common, especially in hot weather. Tingling in the hands from carpal tunnel syndrome is common too. Varicose veins and piles can appear or get worse.
Fatigue. Tiredness often returns, because of the weight you carry, poor sleep and the load on your heart and lungs. Rest when you can, and ask for help.
Mind. Vivid dreams, forgetfulness and mood swings are common. Many people feel closer to the baby, and also more anxious about the birth and about becoming a parent.
Your baby’s movements: what to know
From about 28 weeks, doctors advise paying close attention to your baby’s movements. A change in movement can be an early warning that a baby is unwell, and acting quickly saves lives.
Key points:
- Your baby should move regularly until labour. Movements do not slow down near the end of pregnancy, though they may feel different, with fewer big kicks and more rolls.
- There is no single right number of kicks. What matters is your baby’s usual pattern.
- Get to know when your baby is most active, often after meals, in the evening or when you lie down.
- If you want a method, count distinct movements, such as kicks, rolls and swishes, but not hiccups, until you reach ten. Most babies take well under two hours, often much less. Sit or lie on your left side, and have a cold drink or a snack first if your baby is quiet.
- Do not wait for a certain number. Any clear drop or change in your baby’s usual pattern needs a same-day check.
Call at once or go to hospital if:
- You feel no movement
- Your baby moves much less than usual
- The movements feel weak, slow or different
- You have not felt ten movements in two hours
Do not wait until the next day. Do not rely on a home Doppler or phone app to reassure you, because a normal heartbeat does not guarantee your baby is well. If a check is normal, you can still call again if you are worried. Doctors would much rather see you than miss a problem.
Risk factors that make a check more important: high blood pressure, diabetes, a small baby, smoking, a past stillbirth, being over 35 and sleeping on your back.
Common symptoms and what helps
| Symptom | Why it happens | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Backache | Growing womb, loosening joints, posture | Flat supportive shoes, good posture, side-sleeping with a pillow, gentle stretches, support belt |
| Pelvic and hip pain | Loosening joints, sleeping position | Pillow between knees, small steps, avoid standing on one leg |
| Sciatica | Pressure on the sciatic nerve | Change position often, warm pack, swimming, gentle stretches |
| Braxton Hicks tightenings | Practice contractions | Drink water, rest, change position |
| Leg cramps, mostly at night | Circulation and mineral changes | Calf stretches before bed, drink water, ask about calcium |
| Swollen feet and ankles | Fluid retention | Raise your feet, avoid long standing, drink water |
| Heartburn | Relaxed valve at the top of the stomach | Smaller meals, avoid spicy and oily food, stay upright after eating, raise your head in bed |
| Shortness of breath | Womb presses on the diaphragm | Sit upright, rest, good posture |
| Constipation, piles | Slow gut, iron tablets, pressure | Fibre, water, daily movement, do not strain |
| Trouble sleeping | Belly size, cramps, heartburn, worry | Side-sleeping with pillows, regular bedtime, cool room |
| Restless legs | Low iron, hormones | Gentle stretches, warm bath, ask about hemoglobin |
| Tingling hands | Fluid squeezing a nerve at the wrist | Shake and raise your hands, wrist splint at night |
| Frequent urination, leaking | Baby presses on the bladder | Pelvic floor exercises, empty your bladder often |
| Itchy, stretching belly skin | Skin stretching | Moisturiser, loose cotton clothes |
| Increased vaginal discharge | Hormones | Cotton underwear, no douching |
| Varicose veins | More blood volume, pressure from the womb | Raise your legs, walk daily, avoid long standing, ask about support stockings |
Do not take any medicine, including painkillers and herbal products, without asking a doctor or pharmacist. Paracetamol at the recommended dose is generally considered safe. Avoid ibuprofen, aspirin and diclofenac unless your doctor prescribes them.
When to call a doctor
| Usually normal | Call a doctor soon |
|---|---|
| Short, sharp pulls in the lower belly | Severe or constant abdominal pain |
| Mild, irregular tightenings that stop with rest | Regular tightenings that come more often and do not stop |
| Your baby’s movements change a little with time of day | A clear drop or change in your baby’s usual movements |
| Milky white discharge | Watery fluid leaking, or foul, itchy or coloured discharge |
| Occasional headache | Severe headache with blurred vision, flashing lights or upper belly pain |
| Itchy stretching belly skin | Intense itching of palms and soles, or yellow skin |
| Tiredness, mood swings | Fainting, chest pain or sudden breathlessness |
| Mild swelling of feet late in the day | Sudden swelling of the face and hands, or one swollen, painful calf |
| Light spotting after sex | Any bleeding that soaks a pad, or any fresh bleeding without pain |
Bleeding. Any bleeding in the third trimester needs urgent care, even if it is painless. Painless bright red bleeding can be a sign of a low-lying placenta (placenta praevia), and bleeding with pain and a hard belly can be a placental abruption. Both are emergencies. Do not examine yourself internally, and go to hospital at once.
Pre-eclampsia. A serious blood pressure condition that can develop after 20 weeks. Signs include a severe headache that will not go away, blurred vision or flashing lights, sudden swelling of the face and hands, pain under the ribs on the right side, vomiting and rapid weight gain. It needs urgent care.
Preterm labour. Call straight away if you have regular tightenings, more than four in an hour, a steady low backache, pelvic pressure, a change in vaginal discharge, bleeding or fluid leaking before 37 weeks. Lie on your left side and drink water, and go to hospital if the signs continue for an hour, or at once for bleeding or fluid leaking. Call 999 if you need help getting there.
Fever. In Bangladesh a fever can also mean dengue, so do not treat it at home. See a doctor straight away.
If you feel sad, anxious or hopeless for more than two weeks, tell your doctor. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, seek help right away.
Tests, injections and visits
| Test or step | When | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Glucose test | 24 to 28 weeks, last chance this week | Screens for gestational diabetes |
| Hemoglobin check | Second and third trimesters, or as advised | Looks for anaemia |
| Blood pressure and urine check | Every visit | Screens for pre-eclampsia and infection |
| Anti-D injection | About 28 weeks, if you are Rh negative | Protects future pregnancies |
| Whooping cough vaccine | About 27 to 36 weeks | Protects your newborn |
| Tetanus-diphtheria vaccine | During pregnancy, as your doctor advises | Protects you and your baby |
| Flu vaccine | Any trimester, in flu season | Protects you |
| Growth scan or repeat placenta scan | If advised, often about 32 weeks | Checks your baby’s size, fluid and placenta position |
| Group B strep test | About 35 to 37 weeks, where offered | Checks for a bacterium that can infect newborns |
| Position check | About 36 weeks | Checks whether your baby is head down |
Anti-D injection. If your blood group is Rh negative, ask about anti-D. If your baby is Rh positive, your body can make antibodies that harm a future Rh positive baby. Anti-D prevents this. Doctors usually give it at about 28 weeks, sometimes in two doses at 28 and 34 weeks, and again within 72 hours after birth if your baby is Rh positive. It is also given after any bleeding, a fall or a procedure during pregnancy. It does not harm your current baby. If you do not know your blood group, ask for a test.
Whooping cough vaccine. Given from about 27 to 36 weeks, it passes antibodies to your baby, protecting the newborn in the first months before they can be vaccinated. Whooping cough can be very dangerous for babies. Ask your doctor whether it is available, and when to have it.
Tetanus-diphtheria vaccine. If you have not been vaccinated before, you may need two doses at least four weeks apart. Ask your doctor about the schedule.
Glucose test. If you have not had it, book it now. The usual window is 24 to 28 weeks. South Asian women have a higher risk. Ask your clinic how to prepare, whether to fast and how long it takes. Eat normally in the days before.
Anaemia. Ask for a hemoglobin test if it has not been done recently. Anaemia is common among pregnant women in South Asia, and it raises the risk of bleeding after the birth. If it is low, your doctor may increase your iron dose, change the type or advise a longer treatment. Severe anaemia needs hospital care.
Growth scans. If your doctor measures a womb that is too big or too small, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, twins or other risks, you may have growth scans in the third trimester. They check your baby’s size, the fluid and the placenta.
Keep your records. Carry your prenatal card and test results to every visit and to the hospital.
Sleep position and safety
Research has linked sleeping on the back in the third trimester with a higher risk of stillbirth. The weight of the womb can press on the large blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the baby. Sleeping on your side is safer.
What to do:
- Go to sleep on your side, either side, though many find the left comfortable. A pillow between your knees and one under your belly helps. A long body pillow is a good investment.
- If you wake on your back, turn onto your side. Do not panic, because you are unlikely to stay on your back for long.
- Do the same for daytime naps.
- Tell your partner and family, so that they understand it.
Other things that help lower the risk of stillbirth: go to every visit, track your baby’s movements and report any change the same day, do not smoke or be around smoke, avoid alcohol, treat infections and fever quickly, manage blood pressure and diabetes and go to hospital early for bleeding, fluid leaking or severe itching.
Food and supplements
Iron. Keep taking iron-folic acid tablets as prescribed. Take iron away from tea, coffee and milk, and with something sour such as lemon. Dark stools are normal on iron.
Calcium. Calcium supplements are advised where diets are low in calcium. They help your baby’s bones and teeth and lower the risk of high blood pressure in pregnancy. Take calcium at a different time from iron.
Iodine. Use iodised salt in your cooking. Iodine supports your baby’s brain development.
Eat more of:
- Protein: eggs, well-cooked fish, chicken, lentils (dal), beans and milk
- Iron-rich foods: leafy greens (shak), lean meat and lentils, with lemon or guava for vitamin C
- Calcium-rich foods: milk, yogurt, and small fish such as mola eaten with the bones
- Fruit and vegetables: a variety of colours every day
- Whole grains and fibre: brown rice, whole wheat roti and oats
- Healthy fats: well-cooked oily fish, nuts and seeds
- Water: about 8 to 10 glasses across the day, more in hot weather
Calories. Your needs rise by about 450 calories a day in the third trimester, such as a glass of milk, a boiled egg, a banana and a handful of nuts. You do not need to eat for two.
Limit: caffeine to about 200 mg a day, which is one or two cups of tea or a single small coffee. Limit sweets, sugary drinks, juice and fried snacks. Large portions of white rice and bread push blood sugar up, so pair carbohydrates with protein and vegetables.
Avoid: alcohol, all tobacco (including zarda and jorda), raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs, unpasteurized milk and cheese, unwashed produce, large predatory fish such as shark and swordfish, high-dose vitamin A supplements, unripe papaya and herbal tonics your doctor has not approved.
Smaller, more frequent meals help with heartburn and breathlessness as your belly grows. Eat slowly, and avoid lying down for an hour after eating.
Weight gain. Total gain over the whole pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy, and Asian-specific BMI ranges may apply, so ask your doctor.
| Weight before pregnancy | Recommended total gain |
|---|---|
| Underweight | 12.5 to 18 kg |
| Normal weight | 11.5 to 16 kg |
| Overweight | 7 to 11.5 kg |
| Obese | 5 to 9 kg |
Exercise and posture
The standard advice for healthy pregnancies is about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days. Walking after meals helps blood sugar. Swimming, prenatal yoga, stationary cycling and pelvic floor exercises are good choices. You should be able to talk while you exercise. Avoid hot yoga, lying flat on your back during exercise, contact sports, heavy lifting and anything with a risk of falls. Stop and call your doctor if you have pain, bleeding, dizziness, trouble breathing, regular tightenings or fluid leaking.
Pelvic floor. Squeeze and lift the muscles you use to stop urine flow, hold for a few seconds and release. Do a few sets a day. Strong pelvic floor muscles help with bladder control during and after pregnancy, and with healing after birth.
Posture. As your belly grows, your centre of gravity shifts forward. Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, avoid high heels and use a chair that supports your lower back. Lift by bending your knees. A support belt can ease back pain, so ask your doctor.
Squatting. Gentle squats, with your back against a wall or holding a support, can open the pelvis and prepare your body. Stop if you have pain or dizziness, or if your doctor has told you to avoid it.
Is your baby head down?
At 28 weeks, many babies are still head up (breech) or lying sideways. There is plenty of room to move, and most turn head down by 34 to 36 weeks. By 36 weeks, about 3 to 4 in 100 babies are still breech.
Your doctor checks your baby’s position by feeling your belly and, if needed, with an ultrasound, usually at about 36 weeks. If your baby is breech then, you may be offered a procedure called external cephalic version, in which a doctor gently turns the baby from outside, or a planned C-section. Ask your doctor about your options.
There is no proof that special positions or exercises turn a baby. Do not try risky methods at home, and do not start before your doctor advises.
Planning the birth
The third trimester is when you decide where and how to give birth. Talk to your doctor early, because plans can change.
Where. Choose a hospital or clinic with a qualified doctor or midwife, a way to handle emergencies, a blood supply and a newborn care unit. Visit it if you can, and ask what the package covers and what an emergency would cost. Plan transport at any hour, and keep emergency numbers in your phone. The national emergency number is 999.
Vaginal birth or C-section. Many births in Bangladesh are by C-section, and some are not medically needed. A C-section is major surgery with risks, and it makes sense when there is a medical reason, such as a baby in a breech position, a low-lying placenta, a very large baby with a small pelvis or a complication in labour. Ask your doctor why they recommend one, and what a vaginal birth involves. You can ask for a second opinion.
Signs of labour. Learn them now:
- Regular tightenings that get stronger, longer and closer together
- A show, which is a pink or blood-streaked mucus plug
- Your waters breaking, as a gush or a steady trickle of fluid
- A steady backache or period-like cramps
Call your doctor or go to hospital if labour starts before 37 weeks, your waters break, you have bleeding or your baby moves less.
Pain relief. Ask what the hospital offers, such as breathing techniques, a birth companion, a warm bath, injections or an epidural, and what each involves.
Birth companion. Many hospitals allow a companion. Ask who can be with you and what they need to bring.
Respectful care. You have the right to be treated with respect, to understand what is being done and to say yes or no to procedures. Ask questions, and bring someone to support you.
Hospital bag. Start a list now, and pack by about 36 weeks.
| For you | For your baby | Papers and extras |
|---|---|---|
| Loose cotton clothes and a nightgown | Several soft cotton baby clothes and caps | Prenatal card, test results and ultrasound reports |
| Underwear and sanitary pads for after birth | Soft cotton wraps or blankets | National ID, and your partner’s ID |
| A supportive nursing bra and breast pads | Nappies and wipes | Mobile phone and charger |
| Toiletries, slippers and a towel | Going-home outfit | Cash, and a note of emergency numbers |
| Snacks and a water bottle | A baby car seat if you will travel by car | A note of your blood group |
Planning for after the birth
Postnatal care. The first six weeks after birth matter for you as much as for your baby. Plan to have checks within 24 hours, at about three days, at one to two weeks and at six weeks. Danger signs after birth that need urgent care include heavy bleeding that soaks a pad in an hour, a fever, severe headache, fits, severe belly pain, a foul-smelling discharge, a painful swollen leg and a breast that is red, hot and painful.
Breastfeeding. The World Health Organization recommends starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth and breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months. Do not give honey, water, sugar water, formula or any other food before breastmilk. Colostrum, the thick yellow first milk, is full of antibodies. Ask your hospital about skin-to-skin contact and rooming-in.
Family planning. Ask your doctor about contraception before you leave hospital. Waiting at least 24 months between births is safer for mother and baby. Options include a copper IUD, implant, injection, pills, condoms and, if you have completed your family, sterilisation. Breastfeeding alone is not reliable beyond six months or if periods return.
Newborn care. Keep the cord stump clean and dry. Keep your baby warm with skin-to-skin contact. Delay the first bath for at least 24 hours. Place your baby on the back to sleep, on a firm, flat surface, with no pillows or loose blankets. Go to hospital at once for danger signs such as fever, poor feeding, fast breathing, fits, yellow skin in the first day or very sleepy.
Vaccines. In Bangladesh, the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunization provides free vaccines. BCG is given at birth, and more doses from about six weeks. Ask your doctor or local EPI centre for the schedule, and keep your baby’s vaccination card safe.
Birth registration. Register your baby’s birth with the local authority. It is free within 45 days, and the certificate is needed for school and many services.
Help at home. Arrange relatives or friends to cook, clean and look after other children in the first weeks. Sleep when your baby sleeps, and accept help.
Mood. The baby blues, with tearfulness and mood swings, are common in the first two weeks. Depression that lasts beyond two weeks, feeling hopeless, being unable to care for your baby or having thoughts of harm needs help. Tell your doctor, and do not wait.
Work, leave and money
- Notice. Under Bangladesh’s labour law, you should give your employer written notice of your pregnancy and your expected delivery date.
- Maternity leave. Working mothers in the private sector are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, eight weeks before and eight weeks after the birth. Government employees receive six months. Check your own contract. Leave before the birth can start about eight weeks before your due date, which is around 32 weeks.
- Work. Most people can keep working. Take breaks to sit, eat and drink, avoid heavy lifting and long standing and tell your doctor about night shifts or hazards. Stop work and call your doctor if you have regular tightenings, bleeding, fluid leaking or severe headaches.
- Money. Budget for delivery, newborn care, a possible hospital stay and emergencies. Ask the hospital for a written estimate that includes tests, delivery and complications.
- Travel. After 28 weeks, avoid long trips unless necessary, and carry your prenatal records. Many airlines ask for a doctor’s letter, and some restrict travel after 32 to 36 weeks.
- Dengue and heat. Remove standing water around your home, use a mosquito net and drink plenty of water.
If you feel unsafe at home, tell your doctor or a trusted person. In Bangladesh you can call the national helpline 109 for support with violence against women and children. It is free.
Checklist for this week
- Book or collect the results of your glucose test, and a hemoglobin and blood pressure check
- Check your blood group, and get the anti-D injection if you are Rh negative
- Ask about the whooping cough, tetanus-diphtheria and flu vaccines
- Learn your baby’s movement pattern, and call the same day if it changes
- Sleep on your side every night, including naps
- Take iron-folic acid and calcium as prescribed, at different times, and use iodised salt
- Learn the signs of preterm labour, pre-eclampsia and bleeding
- Book your visits for the next month, now every two weeks
- Choose the hospital you would go to in an emergency, and plan transport
- Join an antenatal and breastfeeding class
- Start a hospital bag list, a birth plan and a plan for help after the birth
- Give your employer notice, and plan your leave
- Tell someone if you feel low or anxious
- Save your doctor’s number and the nearest hospital’s emergency number
FAQ
How big is the baby at 28 weeks?
About 37 cm from head to heel and 1 kg, roughly the size of an eggplant. Sizes vary a little between guides and between babies.
Is 28 weeks the third trimester?
Yes. The third trimester begins at week 28 and runs to birth.
Can a baby survive if born at 28 weeks?
Most babies born at 28 weeks survive in hospitals with good newborn intensive care, although they need weeks of care and some have complications. Chances are lower where newborn care is limited. Go to hospital early if you have signs of preterm labour.
How many kicks should I feel at 28 weeks?
There is no set number. Learn your baby’s usual pattern, and if you want a method, count distinct movements until you reach ten, which usually takes under two hours. Call your doctor the same day if the pattern changes.
Why is sleeping on my side recommended?
Sleeping on your back in the third trimester is linked to a higher risk of stillbirth, because the womb can press on blood vessels. Side-sleeping is safer.
What is anti-D?
An injection for Rh negative women, usually at about 28 weeks and after birth, that prevents antibodies forming against a future Rh positive baby.
Is bleeding in the third trimester normal?
No. Any bleeding needs urgent care, even if it is painless. Go to hospital at once.
Is it normal to be short of breath at 28 weeks?
Mild breathlessness is common, because the womb presses on the diaphragm. Sit upright and rest. Call your doctor if it is sudden, severe or comes with chest pain.
When should I pack my hospital bag?
By about 36 weeks, or earlier if you have a higher-risk pregnancy. Start a list now.
Note: This article gives general information and does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife. Every pregnancy is different. Call your doctor or go to a hospital if you have bleeding, severe pain, fever, fainting, a change in your baby’s movements or any symptom that worries you.
