Pregnancy week 28 - baby's development and your body

Your baby is growing, developing, and becoming stronger by moving and kicking. Some babies may turn head-down in preparation for birth, though this can happen later as well.

Size:

Your baby is about 37–38 cm or 14.57–14.96 inches long, from head to foot.

Weight:

Approximately 1 kg or 2.20 lbs.

Fetal development:

All of your baby’s body parts and senses are now developed, and this week, your baby begins to open its eyes. With short-term memory in place, your baby can also respond to familiar voices and sounds.

In the coming weeks, most babies will turn head-down in preparation for birth, but for now, there’s still plenty of room, so your baby might be positioned head-up, head-down, or even sideways.

The nervous system keeps maturing, and your baby is gaining fat, which helps smooth out previously wrinkled skin.

Babies born from this week onward almost always survive with intensive care, and the risk of long-term complications is now low.

Your body:

As your belly continues to grow, it may start to feel a bit cramped as the uterus takes up more space, leading to shortness of breath and heartburn.

Your baby’s movements are becoming stronger and more pronounced, with regular kicks and stretches. Many people notice pregnancy symptoms picking up again, such as increased fatigue and a general feeling of heaviness.

You might feel added pressure on the ligaments around the uterus, and pelvic pain after physical activity is common. The skin on your belly may also feel tight, dry, and itchy as it stretches.

Other common symptoms in the third trimester include continued breast growth, with some people starting to leak colostrum. Swelling in the feet and ankles can become more noticeable, and back pain may increase due to the added weight and strain.

Skin color changes, like darkened nipples and a more visible “linea nigra”—a dark line from the pubic bone to just below the navel—may also appear.