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Your Third Trimester - Week 27

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Week 27

What's Happening To Your Body

Congratulations! This week officially marks the beginning of the third trimester.

During this trimester, your body will need an extra 450 calories a day. Expect to gain between 10 to 12 pounds during this trimester, about 7 or 8 of which will be due to your baby. You'll continue to put on weight until week 36 or 37. You'll notice that the weight will distribute to different places. As long as you eat a well-balanced diet, the weight you gain is healthy and necessary to sustain you and your baby. Consult with your doctor if you think you are gaining too little or too much weight.

In the third trimester, it's important to recognize the signs of premature labor such as uterine contractions, lower abdominal cramping and increased pressure in your pelvis or vagina.

At this point, your healthcare provider may ask you to start counting your baby’s kicks, either how many times baby moves in an hour or how long it takes for your baby to move 10 times.

Your doctor will now offer you a prenatal check every 2 weeks until week 36, when these checks will become weekly.

What's Happening To Your Baby

Your baby is the size of a cauliflower. Your baby measures about 14.4 inches (36.6 cm) long from head to heel. At this point, your baby weighs roughly 2 pounds (907 grams).

Your baby resembles what it will look like at birth, except thinner and smaller. Its hearing should be mature enough now to recognize both your voice as well as your partner’s.

Your baby’s retinas are developing more fully. Development in the brain will concentrate on the forebrain, which deals with visual and auditory information. Your baby should be able to detect changes in light. If you shine a flashlight on your belly, your baby may move to or away from the light.