Pregnancy Week 28: The Third Trimester

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 (92-94%). REM sleep cycles active — baby is dreaming. Movements are strong and regular now, which is why daily kick counts start this week.

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.

• 01Kick 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 (usually much faster). Noticeably fewer than her normal, or a sudden drop, means call the OB the SAME day. Do not wait until morning.
• 02Tdap: if you've never had one, or it's been 10+ years, get it now — the CDC wants caregivers vaccinated at least two weeks before meeting the baby, and babies can come early. Whooping cough kills newborns, and they can't be vaccinated until 2 months

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.