Mom’s Tip of the Week 28
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Little steps can make travel better. If you have your health-care provider’s OK, travel is fine. In fact, now, when you’re past morning sickness but before your belly is at its max, can be a smart time. On flights, make sure to drink plenty of water and get up every so often to stretch your legs—think ahead and book an aisle seat. When seated, try to rotate and flex your ankles regularly to protect against swelling and clots. And remember to pack medical records and contacts, just in case.
Your Baby at 28 Weeks Pregnant
What’s Happening in There
- Your baby at 28 weeks is the size of a cucumber. Once you’re 28 weeks pregnant, she is 16 inches long from head to toe and weighs about 2 1/4 pounds.
- Her lungs are almost fully mature. If your baby was born this week, she’d have a 90 percent chance of survival without physical or neurological problems. But you still want her to stay inside your nourishing womb for as close to 40 weeks as possible.
- She’s mastering many real-world skills. By the time you’re 28 weeks pregnant, your baby is blinking her eyes. She’s also sucking, coughing, hiccupping, and taking practice breaths.
- She’s experiencing periods of deep sleep. At 28 weeks pregnant your baby is now having REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Perhaps she’s dreaming of her mom, who is taking such good care of her.
- She might be turning upside down. Sometime in the next two months, your baby may turn to face headfirst for delivery. Most babies are born in that position.
Baby Brain Waves
Your Baby’s Brain Is Developing
Your little one’s brain is developing rapidly in this third trimester. As a matter of fact, more than 50 percent of the energy used by your baby is for brain growth over the next few weeks. So it’s important to make sure you’re continuing to consume the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at the expert-recommended level of 200 milligrams daily while pregnant or breast-feeding. Remember, DHA before your baby is born and throughout her first year in the world is important for brain growth and vision development.
Pregnancy Health
Real Issues, Real Solutions
The issue: About 15 percent of pregnant women worldwide develop gestational diabetes.
The solution: Understand how your doctor will check your blood sugar—and how to work together for better health (for you and your baby) if your levels are high.
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