Congratulations on making it to 28 weeks pregnant! You will start the third and final trimester this week, which puts you in the home stretch of your pregnancy. You will likely gain almost half of your pregnancy weight in this trimester alone as your blood volume continues to increase and your baby continues to grow in length and weight. At this point in your pregnancy, your baby is almost 15 inches long from head to heel, and weighs about two and a half pounds. During the 28th week of your pregnancy, your baby’s survival rate if born this early jumps to nearly 80%–though let’s hope you aren’t going into labor any time soon!
Your Doctor’s Appointment
During this office visit, you will be given a shot of Rhogam if you are Rh negative. Rhogam is an immunoglobulin which will prevent your white blood cells from attacking your baby’s healthy blood cells. If your glucose tolerance test showed higher levels of glucose, you will also be given a three hour glucose tolerance test this week. If the results come out high still, you will most likely be diagnosed with gestational diabetes and will be carefully monitored from this point on during the remainder of your pregnancy. You may be put on a low-sugar diet or be required to take insulin depending on the severity of the gestational diabetes. Don’t worry, gestational diabetes will usually go away shortly after delivery. Your doctor will also be checking your blood pressure carefully at every office visit from this point on to insure you are not suffering from preeclampsia due to pregnancy. From the 28th week on, you will most likely begin to see your doctor every two weeks until you reach 36 weeks, then weekly from 36 weeks on.
How You Are Feeling at 28 Weeks Pregnant
You are probably still feeling pretty good at this point in your pregnancy, though you may be getting extremely antsy to get your pregnancy over with. Your baby is usually already head-down in your uterus by now, and will begin gaining weight at an extremely rapid pace during the third trimester–almost half a pound each week! During the 28th week, you should begin to get ready, if you haven’t already, for your baby’s arrival. Finalize childcare for when you go into labor for any other children you have. This is also a good time to take a tour of the hospital where you will deliver. Most labor and delivery units have scheduled tours which are usually free to sign up for. During these tours, you will often complete some pre-admission paperwork and fill out part of the the paperwork for your baby’s birth certificate as well as social security cards. This is also a great time to ask about other classes the hospital may offer as far as breastfeeding, introducing baby to other siblings, and basic newborn care if this is your first. These classes are a great opportunity for new parents to get expert advice on bathing, feeding, and changing a newborn. If you are trying to get completely prepared already by packing your hospital bag, here are some must-haves for your stay:
- Slippers
- Warm socks
- Lip Balm
- Camera
- Pillow
- Baby’s going home outfit
- Comfortable maternity pants and nursing bra
There are, of course, other items you can bring with you to make your stay more comfortable, but be sure your bag has at least these things. Slippers are definitely a must for labor, as you may be walking around during the active labor phase. Warm socks are also great to have for both during labor and after delivery. Socks with non-slip grips on them are best, as they won’t slide out of the stirrups during delivery, and they will keep you from slipping on the hospital floor. Lip Balm is another must, particularly if you have an epidural during labor. You won’t be allowed to eat or drink anything, and your mouth and lips will most likely be dry. Be sure to bring your camera so you can capture your baby’s first moments in this world. A comfortable pillow from home is another essential.
Hospital pillows will suffice in a pinch, but they typically go flat very quickly. Also, be sure to pack your baby’s going home outfit. It doesn’t necessarily have to be anything fancy, but it should be comfortable and easy to change should there be any spitup or other baby functions. Finally, comfortable maternity pants are a must as well as a nursing bra (even if you aren’t nursing). While most people think at 28 weeks pregnant they will be able to go back to their pre-pregnancy pants immediately after delivery, this is a big misconception. Even people who gain very little weight will notice their hips have spread during delivery, and your regular pants just won’t fit yet. A nursing bra is also great to have even if you aren’t nursing as your milk will probably come in during the first few days after delivery. Your breasts will be engorged, and nursing bras offer the support new moms need to keep them as comfortable as possible during the first few days of engorgement.
At 28 weeks pregnant, you are able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is a big week, as far as your pregnancy and your baby’s development. You are in the home stretch, and if for some reason your baby should come into this world this early, the odds of your baby surviving and thriving are in your favor. There is a lot to do this week, and a lot to consider as you enter the third trimester and gear up to delivery. At 28 weeks pregnant, you should be following up with your doctor if you are Rh negative, as well as having your 3-hour glucose tolerance test if your first glucose test came back high. You should also be touring the hospital, filling out preadmission forms, and getting your hospital bag ready for the big day.
