We had an appointment at the Birth Centre thismorning. All is going well…baby’s heartbeat was nice to hear, fundal height is good, blood pressure is fine (120/80) but the midwife (Katie) couldn’t feel the baby’s head yet, to work out it’s position. Katie was surprised that the obstetrician had requested that I have my wee tested for protein, but we did it all the same and she said there was a small amount but nothing to be worried about. I got the results of the blood test I had done last week, and everything was fine. I don’t have gestational diabetes, and my haemoglobin was normal. Appointments at the Birth Centre are now scheduled fortnightly, so I’m back in another 2 weeks. I weighed myself thismorning, and I am 6 kg heavier than I was 28 weeks ago.
Info from Birth.com.au:
You are now 28 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 29. Your baby has grown to be about 38 cm long from head to toe and approximately 1,200 grams (1.2 kg) in weight. Your baby’s bones are now mature enough to start producing their own blood supply from their bone marrow, taking over this task from their liver and spleen. Their liver also starts to store iron, supplied from your body. This is Nature’s way of meeting their iron requirements for the first 6 months after birth, until they start eating solids.
This week marks the beginning of the 3rd trimester (the final 12 weeks of pregnancy). Your baby is regarded as being born ‘on time’ if they arrive between 37 and 42 weeks, but only about 5% of babies are born on their actual due date! During these final weeks, your baby’s main task is to mature their body systems, grow stronger and put on weight. Premature babies born at this stage of pregnancy have a good chance of survival. However, the closer they are born to 37 weeks, the more likely they will be well and healthy and not require advanced medical treatments.
During the last few months, most women start to feel heavy and tired, as their baby increasingly takes up more space in their belly. This contributes to many physical signs of late pregnancy, such as heartburn, varicose veins, fluid retention and backache. By the time your baby is due, you may be feeling fed up with being pregnant and just want your baby to arrive soon! Your pregnancy visits will now be scheduled a little more frequently. However, the timing of each visit can vary, depending on when your last visit was (26, 27, 28 or 29 weeks), your individual needs and your caregiver’s preferences. Most women have a blood test around this time of pregnancy to check their haemoglobin for anaemia. If the level is low, your caregiver may suggest taking an iron supplement for the remainder of your pregnancy.
