Your growing baby
Your baby is 36.6cm from head to heel (about the length of an average cucumber) and weighs around 875g.You will begin to notice from its movements that your baby is beginning to sleep and wake at more regular intervals. You may also feel hiccupping for a few minutes at a time. Bouts of hiccups are common from now on but they are nothing to worry about because they won’t cause your baby any distress.
The brain tissue continues to develop and your baby is becoming very active mentally. Some experts even believe that babies begin to dream around now – although no one knows what they may be dreaming about! Your baby may have begun to suck its fingers or thumb.
The liver and immune system are quite weak and the lungs are still immature, but they are capable of functioning. If your baby were to be born this week it would have an 90% chance of surviving. But a large amount of help from medical practitioners would be needed, and an incubator would be required for quite some time to come.
What’s happening to you
Along with an aching back you may find that you have developed piles (haemorrhoids) or varicose veins and that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. This is because these muscles are carrying the extra weight of your expanding uterus, which is also putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart, as well as on the nerves leading to your legs.
Unfortunately, any cramping is likely to get worse as your pregnancy progresses. You will probably find that leg cramps happen more often at night, but they can also happen during the day.
When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle should give you some relief. Straighten your leg and then gently flex your toes back toward your shin. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too.
You may notice your abdomen tightening so that it becomes hard and then relaxing again. These are known as Braxton Hicks contractions and are ‘practice’ contractions as your body get ready for the real thing.
Need to know
Things for you to consider during week 27 of your pregnancy
If you are planning a holiday after this week and you want to travel by plane, the airline may need a letter from your doctor saying that you are fit to fly.
Travel insurance can be difficult during the later weeks of pregnancy, so you may have to shop around.
Remember that you should take your hand held maternity record with you when you go abraod in case you need medical attention while you are away.
If you are considering long haul destinations, seek advice from your GP before booking as some countries pose a risk of infectious diseases, such as Zika, which can have a serious impact in pregnancy.
Your third trimester starts next week, so if you haven’t got your antenatal classes organised, now is the time to sign up. These classes are really important, as they will help to prepare you for labour, birth and parenthood.