At 28 weeks pregnant, the third trimester becomes a reality. This is the home stretch, baby will be here in the next 10-12 weeks. For me, having had my first baby at 36 weeks, I am officially on high alert– even though I could be waiting around until I’m 40+ weeks. At this point, physical fatigue is a way of life. My feet hurt after work, and I have an appointment for a prenatal massage that I’m hoping will help the annoying pinch in my back; but complaints aside, I’m convinced this baby is about as healthy as they come– if the strength of his kicks and punches are any indication!
This week, we did most of our baby shopping, since waiting until I am nine months pregnant and waddling around the mall during Christmas shopping season didn’t seem like a good plan. I have to say I forgot how much I love the smell of baby laundry soap in my house!
Taking out my yoga mat, even if for just ten minutes a day has really helped me relax the last few weeks. Some simple stretching and breathing exercises has been extremely energizing, relaxing, and calming as I get wider and less capable of putting on my own socks. If all else fails, I’ve also taken up a regular bubble bath schedule, I highly recommend it– we deserve it! (just be sure the water temp. is very mild and not too hot)
Measuring in around 15 inches, and weighing in at about 2.3lbs, baby at 28 weeks gestation has an almost perfect survival rate (about 9 in 10 babies) where medical intervention is available. While it is ideal to keep baby baking as long as possible, its pretty comforting to hear that all the work you’ve put into this little person is about to come to fruition.
More about baby this week:
Baby’s eyes are now partially open and can blink– those peepers might even have some pigmentation, although experts say it can take months after birth for their eye color to develop; it took my son almost a year to get his chocolate brown eyes!
Light and sounds now contribute a great deal to baby’s understanding of the world– I know this because some strategically placed headphones or flashlight can cause what on the outside appears to be an earthquake of kicks! Baby is also slowly filling out and packing on the fat, making those kicks and punches a little more power-packed.
Your body:
While many symptoms, including sciatic pain, stretch marks, and swelling, become more common in the 3rd trimester, I have been lucky enough to avoid these so far. If you’re like me, you might be stopping in your tracks a few times a day.. (Why did I come into this room? Where did I put my wallet?), pregnancy brain. Doctors attribute this memory lapse to the emotional impact of pregnancy and hormonal changes– but most of the time I just tell those around me I need a nap!
You might also be noticing an increase in bathroom breaks, thanks to the little 2.5lb weight on your bladder.
Gestational diabetes testing should also be done by this point. This is the only legal form of pregnancy torture I am aware of (kidding), where we get to drink what is essentially cold, flat, extremely sugary soda, wait for an hour, and be pricked with needles. While it can be uncomfortable (nauseating, annoying…) it’s an extremely important test to ensure you are maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, which is an indicator for mom’s risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and baby’s risk of high birth weight, jaundice, and low blood sugar. ┬áIf your early blood work showed you are Rh negative, you’ll be receiving an extra needle this week to prevent complications.
~ Julianna
Related Knocked-Up Fitness and Wellness Posts:
3 Comments
I absolutely love knocked-upfitness! The site is extremely user friendly and the search features are quick and easy to use. They provide the right amount of information for every question in detail.