Welcome to the first week of your third and final trimester.
Although you're definitely looking pregnant by now, you're not
quite at that stage of feeling so big you're getting clumsy. You
can still navigate your way comfortably around and not feel as if
all you want to do is to lie down. Although by the end of the day
your ankles and feet may be getting a bit swollen, by the next
morning they should be back to their normal size.
This may be the time you need to branch out into some proper
maternity clothes. Going for larger sizes with stretchy waistbands
may have worked until now, but by 28 weeks you'll probably need
some clothes which are designed and cut with a pregnant belly in
mind.
Can someone please open a window?
If you're one of the unlucky ones who experience nausea
throughout their pregnancy, you may find some relief in your third
trimester. By now, you've experimented with different foods to see
what you can tolerate and what's unbearable, but even cooking
smells and just the thought of some foods may still turn you
off.
Some pregnant women develop a complication with extreme nausea
and vomiting, called Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Hospitalisation and
rehydration with intravenous fluids can become necessary in women
who are simply unable to keep any fluids down. Fortunately, this is
not a common condition and medical treatment is effective. Women
who have experienced this level of unrelenting nausea say that
there is almost instantaneous relief of their symptoms at the
moment of their baby's birth.
Who's that sitting in my chair?
Think about investing in a comfortable chair if you don't have
one. You will be spending an increasing amount of time sitting
before you have the baby and after it is born. Feeding a newborn
consumes hours of every day, so does cuddling, gazing and staring
at their little face. A chair which isn't too hard to get up and
out of is essential. Look for one with well positioned arm rests,
good lumbar support and which doesn't push into the back of your
knees. A footstool is an added bonus and you'll find this
increasingly useful as your pregnancy proceeds.
Super annuation for your baby
Your baby is growing up a storm in your 28th week. Putting on
weight and filling out beautifully. All those extra kilojoules it
needs to fuel its growth will start at your mouth with the foods
you are eating. There's been an enormous amount of research in the
field of pre-natal, maternal influences on children long-term. One
of the most influential factors within your control is your diet
and the quality of the foods you eat whilst you are pregnant. It
has also been proven that ceasing cigarette smoking and illicit
drugs, avoiding alcohol, and generally living in a safe, clean
community are other primary factors in determining a positive
outcome for children as well. What this means is how you look after
yourself when you are pregnant will affect your baby in a major
way, as it grows into adulthood.
Your physical changes this week
- Stretch marks could be appearing on your tummy now. If you've
avoided them until now, don't be alarmed. There is nothing you can
do to stop them forming. Although they start out red and very
visible, within a year or less they will fade to white and not be
nearly as noticeable.
- Squatting and bending down is getting harder. You'll discover
the easier way of doing things in a hurry. Picking things up with
your toes takes some getting used to but it can be done. Lots of
pregnant women invest in a set of extendable calipers - look in a
toy shop for some. If you have a desk job, organise your work
station to suit you. Your computer chair may need to be adjusted a
couple of times a day.
- Your breasts could start producing colostrum, an early form of
breastmilk. This is a clear to yellowish coloured thick fluid,
which is very high in antibodies. It is a sign that your breasts
are starting early lactation, getting ready to produce milk for
your baby after it is born. If you have breastfed a baby
previously, you may find you produce colostrum a little
earlier.
Your emotional changes this week
- Feeling pregnant, looking pregnant, thinking pregnant can make
your whole life seem to revolve around the coming baby. Some women
long for their old identity at this stage of their pregnancy.
Unfortunately, things are likely to get worse before they improve.
You won't always be seen in terms of your relationship with the
baby, it's just that it's become so obvious now.
- People may be fascinated by your belly and reach out to touch
it. At best, they'll ask before they do, or the first you know may
be when complete strangers are stroking your belly. How you feel
about this may depend on your mood on the day, or you might just
find it all a bit intrusive.
- Work could be getting to you by now. Many women stay in paid
employment until they are around 34-36 weeks pregnant but can wish
they had applied for maternity leave a little earlier. Check with
your Human Resource Management department regarding options in
taking earlier leave. Really think about the financial cost versus
the emotional and physical cost to you of staying for longer.
Your baby's changes this week
- Your baby continues to take practice breaths this week,
breathing amniotic fluid in and out of its lungs and swallowing it
as well. It can also suck, blink, roll, kick, grasp and
hiccough.
- More REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep
in week 28, which is so important for your baby's brain. Studies
have shown that newborns spend a large portion of their time in
REM sleep as well, so your little one is
getting in lots of practice beforehand.
- Your baby's brain is changing from being soft and smoothly
rounded to having the familiar grooves and indentations on its
surface.
- This week your baby's hair may be going through a growing
phase. Some babies are born bald or with fine, almost invisible
hair on their head. Others are born with a thatch of hair. The old
wives tale about pregnant mothers experiencing heartburn being a
sign of their baby having lots of hair holds no truth.
Hints for the week
- If you find yourself rushing to the toilet every five minutes
just sit tight. Chances are this is because the baby is lying in a
particularly prominent position on top of your bladder. Try lying
on your side to see if this prompts it to move into another
position.
- Watch that indigestion and heartburn. Antacids may have
replaced jelly babies as your favourite lollies and you've got
packets of them stashed in every bag and drawer. Things will
improve as your body stops making such high concentrations of
relaxin and progesterone. Speaking of relaxin, your levels of this
important hormone will be ten times higher during your pregnancy
than what they are normally.
- Ease that back pain by doing strengthening exercises. Check
with an obstetric physiotherapist about how you can target the
muscles and joints which are causing you grief.
- Book a holiday. Now is the time to think about organising some
time away before the baby is born. Having a break between leaving
work and your due date can be incredibly restorative and help
remind you of the important things in life. If you've got older
children, this will be an opportunity for you to spend some
quality, one on one time with them before they need to share your
attention with their new sibling.
Week 29 next.