See also:

Pregnancy fitness and nutrition

Breastfeeding

Bottle Feeding

Pregnancy/Nursing Clothing

Baby & Toddler - Parenting

Baby & Toddler: Play & Learn

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Note for use of this pregnancy calendar: A pregnancy usually lasts 38 weeks from conception, or 40 weeks from the start of your last menstrual period (LMP). If you are counting from the date of conception, just add two weeks to use this calendar. For example, if you conceived two weeks ago, you are in week 4 by the usual method.

The length of the developing baby is measured from the crown of the head to the bottom of the baby's rump, this is referred to as the CRL measurement

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Week 27

• baby now weighs right around 2 pounds (900-1000g) and is about 9.6 inches (240mm) from crown to rump and his standing height is about 12.5 inches
• baby's lungs are now producing a substance called surfactant which helps keep the little air sacs in the lungs open when he breathes air
• without surfactant, these little sacs or alveoli would collapse everytime the baby exhaled and wouldn't fill with air very easily
• with surfactant present in the lungs, a baby of this developmental age could survive outside the womb with intensive care
• in your baby's eye, the retina is forming it's layers that will recieve light and images and transfer this information to the brain
• have you begun to think about which childbirth class you are going to attend? hospital or private? natural or childbirth preparation?
• to find out more about different childbirth "methods" and some of the medications used during childbirth, check out the MommyLinks Birth Methods page

Week 28

• baby weighs between 2 and 2.4 pounds this week, with a crown to rump length of 10 inches (250mm) and a standing height of around 13-14 inches
• little eyes are opening this week
• you should be feeling lots of baby movement now as you little one squirms and tumbles inside you
• have you had your glucose tolerance test yet? You know, that icky sweet orange stuff?
• if your blood sugar levels were high, you will likely have to undergo a more lengthy blood glucose test and may be referred to a nutritionist and/or endocrinologist to help you get your blood sugars within a normal range
• gestational diabetes (high blood sugar levels related to pregnancy) occurs in about 2% of all pregnant women and is usually managed through changes in diet
• you are now into your third trimester and may be feeling a little less comfortable
• a body pillow or a few smaller pillows may help you get more comfortable at night, you can use them to prop a knee up while you're sleeping on your side, or just drape yourself over a big body pillow
• try to find time each day to lie down on your side and just rest for a while, this is a great time to enjoy watching and feeling your baby cruising around

Week 29

• baby weighs between 2.4 and 2.7 pounds (1150-1250g) and measures about 10.4 inches (260mm) from crown to rump and would stand around 13.5 to 16.7 inches tall
• if your baby was born now it would have a greater than 70% chance of surviving with expert medical care, but could possibly have disabilities or health problems associated with being born prematurely
• your baby likely has lots of hair on her head now, and still has a fuzzy layer of laguno covering her body
• toenails are now visible
• you can now feel your uterus about 3.5 to 4 inches above your belly button
• make sure you eat enough protein and get enough calories overall, regardless of how much weight you've gained during your pregnancy, now is not the time to cut back, your baby is rapidly putting on weight and needs you to supply good food
• a low protein diet may cause premature labor, high blood pressure, and swelling
• as you get closer to term, your weight gain will slow down, while your baby continues to get bigger

Week 30

• baby weighs between 2.7 and 3 pounds (1300-1400g) and measures 10.8 inches (270mm) crown to rump and has a standing height of 14 to 17 inches (350 to 380mm)
• eyes are wide open now
• skin may still be slightly wrinkled, but your baby is getting fatter, and soon the wrinkles will be gone
• you may feel like you can't possibly get any bigger as your uterus grows closer to your ribs, now about 4 inches above your belly button and 12 inches (30cm) from the top of your pelvic bone
• only 10 weeks left!!
• if you haven't already attended or have a childbirth class scheduled, make that call
• if for some reason you can't attend a childbirth class, read at least one book about childbirth and see if you can tour the hospital's labor and delivery ward

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Related Books:

The Pregnancy Book : A Month-By-Month Guide
by William Sears, Martha Sears, Linda H. Holt