Week 28 · Baby · 1 of 4
Baby.
Eggplant size — 14.8 inches, 2.5 lbs. REM sleep is active: baby is dreaming. Movements are strong and regular now, which is why daily kick counts start this week.
BriefingWeek 28 ›
Week 28
Third trimester · 12 weeks to go
The Third Trimester
Baby update
Eggplant size — 14.8 inches, 2.5 lbs. Brain developing deep grooves and folds for more surface area. Survival odds if born now are over 9 in 10. REM sleep cycles active — baby is dreaming. Movements are strong and regular now, which is why daily kick counts start this week.
What she's experiencing
Welcome to the third trimester. Fatigue returns hard — she is carrying 15–25 extra pounds. Sciatica (shooting pain down the leg) as baby presses on nerves. OB visits move to every 2 weeks; if she is Rh-negative, the RhoGAM shot happens around this appointment.
Your focus this week
Kick counts start now — this is your monitoring job for the rest of the pregnancy. Once a day, count baby's movements: 10 kicks, rolls, or jabs within 2 hours is the benchmark. Noticeably fewer than her normal, or a sudden drop, means call the OB the same day.
Tdap: never had one? Get it now. It takes about two weeks to protect you, so it has to be done at least two weeks before baby arrives.
Car maintenance: oil change, tires, brakes. Keep the tank above half from now on.
3 tasks added · Week 28Tdap: never had one? Get it now. It takes about two weeks to protect you, so it has to be done at least two weeks before baby arrives.
Car maintenance: oil change, tires, brakes. Keep the tank above half from now on.
Relationship check-in
Take over all floor-level household chores — vacuuming, mopping, picking things up off the floor. She cannot bend over comfortably. Do not wait to be asked.
Coming up
Baby shower usually happens between weeks 28–34. If someone is planning one, coordinate logistics.
Source
ACOG · The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
