Your Pregnancy Week 27

Your Baby

The retina, which is important in the reception of light images, develops its normal layers by the 27th week of gestation. These layers are important in receiving light and light information and transmitting it to the brain for interpretation. Your baby's skin is quite wrinkled from floating in water. This will stay this way until a few weeks after birth as your newborn fills out into a baby. Your baby is about 14.5 inches long, and weighs over two pounds.

Your Body

Congratulations! You have officially started your third trimester. Way to go!
Your body will need an extra 300 to 350 calories each day. During this time you will continue to put on weight and will continue to do so until about your 36th or 37th week. You will notice that the weight you gain will be different in the placement then the weight you have gained to this point. As long as you are eating healthily and maintaining a well-balanced diet, the weight you gain during pregnancy is not considered fat or unhealthy, but instead, necessary for sustaining both you and your baby. Now is not the time to worry about the number on the scale and you should not diet while pregnant. If you are concerned with the amount of weight you are gaining - whether too much or too little - discuss it with your doctor.

You may be experiencing some shortness of breath from the pressure of your uterus on your rib cage. As your uterus grows, it places pressure on the rib cage and prevents your lungs from being able to expand completely. But don't worry. You and your baby are still getting enough oxygen.

In your third trimester it is important to recognize the signs of premature labor. Research shows that premature labor is more common in some women in the summer months then other times of year due to dehydration. Be sure to continue to drink plenty of fluids.

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