Week 25-28

Week 25

The baby: the baby is now approximately 8. 8 inches long and 1. 5 pounds. The heart beat is now audible through a stethoscope or by placing an ear to the mother's stomach. The baby's skin is no longer translucent; it has become thicker and has a more opaque quality.

The mother: the mother's uterus should now be half way between her belly button and sternum. At this stage the skin on the mother's abdomen is becoming quite stretched and it is not unusual for the mother to feel very itchy. This can be soothed through the application of moisturizers and oils. It is best to remember not to itch and scratch the skin.

Week 26

The baby: the baby is now approximately 9. 2 inches long and weighs 2 pounds. The baby's lungs are still developing. Hearing meanwhile is fully developed and he will react to music with a quickened pulse and movements that are in time with rhythm. The baby now has regular sleep and wake patterns and his brain waves resemble that of a newborn child.

The mother: the mother's uterus should now be approximately 2. 5 inches above her belly button and her weight gain should be between 16 and 22 pounds. With the increased growth in the uterus, placenta, and the baby, back pain, pelvic pressure, leg cramps and headaches can become more frequent. Also, the mother may begin to feel pressure in her chest and under her ribs as the uterus begins to grow towards her chest.

Week 27

The baby: This week marks the beginning of the third trimester. The baby now weighs just over 2 pounds and is 9. 6 inches long in the crown to rump (CTR) length discussed earlier. Typically total length is now measurable and the baby should be approximately 15. 3 inches long from head to toe. This measure will now be given along with the crown to rump length. The eyelids typically open this week as they had previously been fused shut. The baby is also now capable of crying.

The mother: the mother's uterus should now be roughly 2. 5 inches above her belly button. At this point stretch marks will become more evident than they previously had been. With the increased weight the mother is now carrying, mobility and balance become an issue. The mother will find she is incapable of certain actions and fatigue sets in doing others.

Week 28

The baby: the baby now weighs about 2. 4 pounds and measure 10 inches CTR, and 15. 75 inches in total. The baby's brain begins to develop characteristic grooves and indentations in the surface. His eyebrows, eyelashes and hair grow longer and he is getting fatter as more fat collects. Also, the branches of the lungs are developing rapidly now meaning that a premature birth at this point may provide the baby with a chance of surviving. Monitoring of the baby's brain waves reveals patterns of REM sleep, meaning that he is dreaming.

The mother: the mother's total weight gain is now between 17 and 24 pounds and her uterus has grown to nearly 3. 5 inches above her belly button. Urination may again become even more frequent as more pressure is placed on her bladder. As well, her increased size may make sleeping difficult, cause shortness of breath, and cause abdominal pain. It is also not uncommon to begin experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions at this stage. These contractions are not signs of labor. They are common in pregnancy and the mother should not be worried that she is giving birth prematurely. During this week it is also common for her physician to repeat some of the regular tests that were performed earlier in the pregnancy as a precaution to ensure development has been without complications.

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