28 Weeks Pregnant - The Final Trimester

This the final trimester and the baby have now grown to 17 inches! The mother at 28 weeks pregnant has started growing rapidly. The baby is now growing up and weighs close to three pounds now, at the time of delivery this weight might fluctuate and the baby might double or triple in size. This is a crucial period in the life of the mother as well as the baby. He or she has now started developing fat and it will be deposited more and more under his skin. The baby which had a wrinkled skin earlier will now start developing a smoother skin. This fat is very different from the brown fat which the mother starts accumulating when she is at 29 weeks pregnant. The brown fat in the mother is used for keeping the baby warm and after the delivery; this fat will slowly give away. This fat also serves as an energy resource. The baby on the other hand has white fat which will remain till a long time after birth. This fat is known as the puppy fat and will disappear once the child touches puberty. Because of the presence of this developing white fat, the baby is energized and also is very active around the womb. You can expect to feel jabs and pokes and the baby moving around. The baby will also be poking your tummy with his or her elbows and toes. So, occasionally, you can expect a few kicks on your tummy. The doctors say that the kicks are actually an important indication of the baby’s well-being. So, if the baby is kicking once or twice, you should keep a check and count it. Two kicks in a day are indicators that your baby is alive and well. The baby is also growing stronger and has started responding to light. So, whenever you are stimulated with light, you can actually feel the baby’s head moving towards the source of light! The baby will also be able to respond to various other stimuli like movement and sounds. At this moment, the mother is facing a different dilemma. She is rapidly gaining weight. So much so that she has now gained more than five kilograms in a while! The mother at 29 weeks Pregnant is also becoming a vociferous eater. She will be attracted to any kind of delicious food. But a word of caution here, the mother should steer clear of foods which might cause flatulence in her. She can have snacks like cupcakes and pastries, but she should also concentrate on having healthy food like green vegetables and more of salads. However, in order to prevent gas and more flatulence, she should be away from legumes and beans. Iron is crucial and if you are not able to have beans, you should have iron supplements. Iron is essential for making the baby’s red blood cells. Iron intake can also cause constipation, so the mother needs to have other types of food which can counteract the affects of constipation.