Hurrah! Welcome to the terminal week of the second trimester — the end is near and you lot can see the calorie-free!

Your baby, on the other hand, is fine-tuning skills of his own ... and let'due south but say your voice is music to his ears.

Don't be surprised if you of a sudden showtime noticing footling jumps in that growing belly of yours, either. Your little one might have a case of the hiccups!

Your Babe at Week 27

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This week marks the end of the second trimester — which means you lot're ii thirds of the style at that place, mama! But you're not the but one who'due south come a long way…your infant has, too. Now tipping the scales at over two pounds, your wonderful piece of work-in-progress has doubled in weight in the past month. (Meliorate her than yous, correct?)

What's new in the height department? Really, a whole lot — including how that height is calculated. Those crown-to-rump measurements are now officially beingness traded in for the easier-to-film head-to-heel measurement. So how tall is your e'er-bigger infant bun at the dawning of the tertiary trimester? A full 15 inches — more a foot long!

What'due south on babe'southward menu these days? Lots and lots of amniotic fluid, which your picayune gourmand ingests in large quantities. Around a pint of amniotic fluid passes through babe's digestive system per day, into her now fully operation kidneys, and back out into the amniotic fluid as urine…and this ingestion-excretion bicycle happens every three hours.

By the way, the amniotic fluid likewise serves as a two-way radio, thank you to the electrical conductivity of fluid. You already know your trivial listener can hear your voices, but it goes the other manner, also. If your partner patiently presses his ear to your belly, he may exist able to hear that most precious sound of all — the thumpety-thump of your little one's heartbeat.

At a Glance

Ear muffs

Your baby can hear you, but know that it'due south muffled because the ears are still covered in vernix caseosa, that waxy protective coating on the skin.

Baby's got hiccups

If yous're feeling unusual movements in your belly, it may be hiccups. As babe's lungs continue to develop, chances of hiccups increase.

And then active!

Your little gymnast has started to develop muscle tone from all that boot, rolling and punching he's doing.

27 weeks pregnant is how many months?

If you're 27 weeks pregnant, y'all're in month 6 of your pregnancy. Only 3 months left to go! Still accept questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken downward in pregnancy.

How big is my babe at 27 weeks?

By the cease of the 2nd trimester, your baby is now measuring almost 14½inches — more than a foot long. His weight is creeping up the charts likewise, coming in at around 2 pounds. That's double what information technology was 4 weeks agone.

Most babies this age, yours included, still like to snuggle in a slightly curled position within the uterus, thus the term "fetal position."

Baby recognizes your voices

Large news: Your baby may recognize both your and your partner'due south voices past now.

His auditory development, or hearing, is progressing as the network of fretfulness to the ears matures — though the sounds he hears are deadened cheers to the creamy coating of vernix covering them.

So this might be a practiced time to read and even sing to your baby — or rather, your tummy — and a good chance to start memorizing those plant nursery rhymes and lullabies you'll need to be repeating (and repeating) pretty soon.

While yous're at it, here'south another way to accept some family fun at 27 weeks pregnant: Your partner might be able to hear baby'southward heartbeat by pressing an ear to your tum.

Baby'south tasting...and hiccupping

Your baby's taste buds are very adult now, besides — more he will e'er have exterior the womb, actually. Demand a taste test? If you eat some spicy nutrient, your baby will exist able to gustatory modality the difference in the amniotic fluid. Just keep in mind that you lot'll have different mealtimes, with his coming about two hours afterwards yours.

Some babies will even respond to that spicy kick past hiccupping. And although hiccups, which feel like belly spasms to y'all, may seem like they're disturbing him, he isn't stressed at all. It'due south just one more sensation babies demand to get used to.

Your Body at Week 27

27 Weeks Pregnant

Swelling and edema

Two weeks ago, your abdomen was a soccer ball — and by 27 weeks pregnant, your uterus has swelled to the size of a basketball. Unfortunately, that'due south not the only thing that'due south swelling.

Nearly 3 in 4 significant women experience mild swelling of the extremities — peculiarly the anxiety, ankles and easily — and information technology may kick into fifty-fifty higher gear around now.

Chosen edema, it occurs when fluids build upwardly in your trunk tissues thanks (or no thanks) to increased blood flow and uterine pressure on the inferior vena cava, the big vein on the right side of your trunk that returns blood from your lower limbs to the center.

While the puff factor is completely normal and temporary, now might be a good fourth dimension to take off your rings and kick off those too-tight shoes.

And if it seems to be excessive, talk to your practitioner since it can be i sign of preeclampsia, though when it is, it'south accompanied by a variety of other symptoms similar elevated claret pressure level and protein in the urine. If you aren't experiencing these symptoms, you lot have zero to worry about.

To spell swell relief, avoid sitting or standing for a long time, try some pregnancy-advisable practice like walking or pond, if your practitioner okays it, and sit or slumber with your feet elevated. Hey, if anyone deserves to put those sore feet upward, it'south you!

Be sure, too, to drink enough each 24-hour interval; restricting fluid intake willnon decrease swelling, only staying hydrated may. And try to look on the brilliant side: Edema is a temporary condition — you'll debunk completely soon after you give nascency.

Soothe heat rash

Caused past the combination of an already overheated pregnant body, dampness from excessive perspiration and the friction of skin rubbing confronting itself or against vesture, as it tends to do when there's more skin to rub, heat rash shows up equally prickly, pimply, itchy, red patches on your skin.

Information technology is nigh mutual in the crease betwixt and beneath the breasts, in the crease where the bulge of the lower abdomen rubs against the tiptop of the pubic area and on the inner thighs.

A cool, clammy compress can take some of the oestrus out of your heat rash. A dab of calamine lotion can also be temporarily soothing and is rubber to use. If whatever rash or irritation lasts longer than a couple of days, ask your practitioner virtually next steps.

Pregnancy Symptoms Calendar week 27

Faintness or dizziness

It's a common pregnancy symptom, but mention information technology to your practitioner, especially if you exercise faint. Y'all can stop a dizzy spell by lying downward and elevating your feet as soon as you experience lightheaded. Read More

Bleeding gums

Thanks to pregnancy hormones, your gums could be swollen, inflamed and even bleeding. Although haemorrhage gums are mutual — and volition probably go abroad after delivery — take extra proficient intendance of your teeth and gums right now by brushing twice a day and flossing once daily. Read More

Itchy belly

Your stretched-out belly tin cause your pare to get dry and itchy. Apply moisturizer regularly and consider soaking in a warm oatmeal bath to ease the itch. Read More

Restless legs syndrome (RLS)

For some expectant women, it may feel as if their legs take on a life of their ain, becoming tingling and jittery — especially when they prevarication downwards at nighttime. Talk to your practitioner about this. In some women, RLS is linked to iron-deficiency, anemia or a sensitivity to certain foods. You tin can also consider yoga or other relaxation techniques, which may help. Read More

Round ligament hurting

Blame that growing tummy of yours once again for those growing pains around your heart. The best matter to practise? Yep, y'all know the drill: Go off your anxiety for a while. Read More

Stuffy nose

As if a bloated abdomen, anxiety and fingers weren't enough, now you may be contending with swollen nasal passages, making for i stuffy feeling. You'll get relief when you lot deliver, but until then, over-the-counter nasal saline sprays or nasal sprays are usually off-limits. Bank check in with your practitioner for other recommendations. Read More

Tips for You This Week

Combat heart puffiness

The two main culprits for bags under the eyes are water retentivity and fatigue, so try to get as much residual every bit possible and drinkable plenty of water to affluent your system. The more yous drink, the less yous retain.

Still puffier than yous'd similar? Here are some quick fixes: Considering dark circles and nether-centre bags tend to be more prominent in the morning, identify something cool over your eyes when you lot outset wake upwardly. Try the always-favorite absurd cucumber slices, common cold tea bags, chilled spoons or a bag of frozen blueberries. Concealer and mascara can help also, if yous're so inclined.

Enquiry auto seats

Y'all may already know this, but y'all won't be allowed to drive home from the hospital with your newborn if yous don't accept a auto seat.

It'south likely the start piece of infant gear you'll apply — and one of the nearly important — so there'due south a lot to consider when you lot're shopping for an infant car seat. Before ownership, always castor up on recent recalls to make sure the kind you settle on isn't on the list.

Choose the best salmon

Heard conflicting salmon stories? "Swallow lots of it — it's proficient for you lot!" or "Brand certain y'all don't consume too much — it's bad for y'all!"

Salmon'south definitely one of nature's best providers of DHA, a encephalon- and mood-boosting omega-3 fatty acrid that's practiced for babies and moms.

Try to opt for wild, which also contains more of those healthy fats, or organically raised farmed.

Can't find either? Merely follow these tips, no matter what fish you lot're choosing: Go skinless, trim dark meat thoroughly and cook your fillet through. Nigh of the chemicals plant in fish accumulate in peel and nighttime meat, and a thorough cooking will get rid of what'south left.

Expect into infant CPR

Chances are, you'll never need to salvage your baby's life. But emergencies occasionally do happen, even when y'all're vigilant.

Luckily, with a piffling training, yous can exist ready to act in the unlikely event that you'd need to. Sign upward for an infant CPR class — many are likewise offered well-nigh.

Check your heart charge per unit during workouts

Now that you're pumping for 2, it's more of import than ever to go on an eye on your heart rate when you're exercising.

The best way to check how much you're exerting yourself is to use the practice talk test — no need to have your pulse! If you tin't exercise and talk simultaneously, your heart rate is probably too loftier.

Go along a food journal

If restless leg syndrome is driving you crazy, try keeping a food journal and note what you lot ate before you experience bouts of RLS.

Some detect that certain foods — such as carbs eaten tardily in the day — may trigger restless legs. A journal may aid you figure out what foods make your symptoms improve or worsen.

Fight bloat

Nosotros know you're gassy and bloated. It's normal! To assist curb the problem, you lot may want to swap flatulence-causing foods like broccoli and asparagus for less-gassy spinach and carrots.

Also brand sure to drink enough of water and opt for smaller meals — the more nutrient you take in during 1 sitting, the more gas yous'll expel afterward on.

From the What to Look editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When Yous're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such every bit peer-reviewed studies, bookish inquiry institutions and highly respected wellness organizations. Learn how we keep our content authentic and upwards-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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