28th week of pregnancy: how the fetus develops and what happens in the body
Well, the threshold of the third trimester has arrived, which places even greater responsibility for the safety of her health on the shoulders of the expectant mother. You need to be very attentive and careful: avoid falls, unnecessary shaking, and also try not to expose yourself to overwork. Childbirth is getting closer, so we need to start slowly now pack a bag with which you will then go to the maternity hospital and, if possible, start attending special courses for women in the “position”.
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28th week of pregnancy - what happens to the baby
As in previous weeks, this baby continues to improve its body and all its functions. The baby’s weight already reaches a kilogram, and his height varies between 38-39 cm. Active formation occurs in bone tissue, the alveoli of the lungs are formed, which will give the baby the opportunity to breathe without outside help. The baby’s brain also works; grooves regularly appear on it and convolutions that were formed earlier develop. The fat layer accumulates, which helps smooth out the skin of the baby. Now he feels a little more cramped than before. He more often communicates with his mother by kicking and pushing, as if letting him know that everything is fine with him and he also cannot wait for that long-awaited moment of meeting.
By the way, if for some reason premature birth begins now, know that the baby at this stage is considered quite viable. There is every chance that everything will end in success. Now, with each passing week, the chances of a baby surviving a premature birth increase exponentially, but this still requires that the perinatal center be equipped with special artificial pregnancy equipment.
28th week of pregnancy - what happens to the mother
The main thing that distinguishes this week of pregnancy from previous ones is the strong and frequent movements of the baby. It becomes larger, accordingly, it takes up more space in the stomach and now its movements are more noticeable. Considering that the little one now has his own daily routine, his activity will be somewhat orderly. This allows the mother to control the child’s condition. According to specialist observations, babies are much more active in the evenings than in the mornings. Many mothers note that when they themselves walk and move, the child behaves quietly, but as soon as she calms down, the baby immediately responds with a kick. This is explained by the fact that at the moment of movement the baby is rocked and falls asleep, and during the period of mother’s calm he wakes up and wants to play.
Increased activity of a child can be characterized by other factors. For example, when the mother consumes a large amount of glucose, or when the level of adrenaline in the blood increases, which happens during stress and emotional arousal. No one can say exactly when a child’s activity is considered normal, since this is an individual indicator that is associated with the baby’s temperament. That is why you need to be attentive and listen to the child’s personal rhythm, which will become that rating scale. The only time you need to immediately inform your doctor about your condition is when the baby has not shown signs of activity for 24 hours.
There are no special changes in terms of allocations during this period. Normal ones remain light milky in color, uniform consistency and sourish “aroma.” Any changes in color and consistency, especially those accompanied by other symptoms, should alert you and be a reason to consult a doctor. If you experience severe unbearable pain, discharge of blood and clear fluid, you should urgently call an ambulance. Since this is either the onset of premature labor, or, in the case of blood, placental abruption.
Pain at 28 weeks of pregnancy
The seventh month is considered the most noticeable for the mother’s body. This is due to the great transformations that overtake a woman, which is not least due to the growth of the uterus and baby. Therefore, this week a woman may experience pain as a matter of course. First of all, of course, we are talking about pain in the lower back, which appears due to a shift in the center of gravity, back and abdominal area, which is explained by softening of the ligaments and joints. The nature of the pain can be compared to what is felt when sciatica develops. That is, the epicenter is not only on the back, but also spreads along the hips, reaching the knees and ankles. The enlarged uterus begins to put pressure on the sciatic nerve, which causes this kind of pain. As a rule, this pain occurs spontaneously, but it is not so severe, but quite tolerable and mostly aching. Therefore, in case of severe unbearable pain, you should urgently call an ambulance, as this may be a sign of premature birth.
You need to be attentive to the sensations in your stomach. Periodic and quickly subsiding pain, which is caused by the activity of the baby, will be normal. If there is a dull pain under the ribs that occurs after a meal, along with nausea, a pulling sensation in the abdomen and bitter belching, you need to urgently talk to your doctor, as this could be gallstone cholecystitis.
You should be wary if edema occurs frequently. Of course, few people manage to do without them, but it’s one thing when the swelling is weak and goes away quickly, and quite another thing when it’s strong and lingers for a long time. At high intensity, you should definitely talk to your doctor in order to prevent gestosis. Try keep your weight under control and not go too far beyond the boundaries. Adjust your diet, introduce more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, drink at least 1.5 liters of liquid (this includes soups, juices, milk, etc.). To reduce thirst to a minimum and prevent water retention in the body, you need to reduce the amount of salt, smoked foods, spicy and fatty foods you consume.
