Your Pregnancy: Week 27

While the second trimester may have been a beautiful reprieve from the worst of your pregnancy symptoms, beginning this week, you may start to notice some of them creeping back up on you. That’s totally normal, and you may notice that you’re feeling worse the closer you get to your due date (sorry, we’re just the messengers!) or you might feel just fine.

These are the symptoms you may notice:

Back pain
With your body carrying the weight of a human baby (and all of the stuff that comes with it), you’re probably feeling a bit of body soreness, including back pain, which may feel worse when standing or lying down.

Shortness of breath
Feeling a bit more winded than usual? That’s normal, because you’re carrying a bit more weight these days and your organs are a bit squished. Consider this your free pass to take the elevator.

Swelling
Of course, any unusually fast or dramatic swelling should be a red flag to call your doctor so you can be screened for preeclampsia, but swelling in your feet is par for the course. Use this as an excuse to put your feet up!

Heartburn
There’s an old wives’ tale that babies who have a lot of hair en utero cause their moms more heartburn than others, but regardless of your baby’s locks, you might be feeling it more than ever this week.

In week 27 of pregnancy, how many months along are you? You’re still six months pregnant.

You probably won’t be getting an ultrasound this week, but if you did, you’d see a baby who’s focusing on gaining weight, developing their brain at warp speed, and who might even be sucking their thumb! At this point, they’re finishing up all the development they need before they meet you for the first time, and even practicing breathing for when they exit the womb.

Around 27 weeks, you’re probably noticing that your bump is growing practically by the day — hope you’ve found a favorite pair of maternity pants by now! You’ve probably gained between 15-30 pounds, but if you fall outside that range, your OB-GYN knows you and your pregnancy best and is the right person to ask.

You might feel like you’re quickly running out of steam, but remember that feeling of exhaustion will probably only grow from here. This week is a great time to tie up all those loose ends — finish up the nursery, make any online baby-related or postpartum orders you’ve been procrastinating on, and make sure everything is set with maternity leave at work.

Here’s what you might want to work on this week:

• Finalize your birth plan
• Make sure you’re registered at the hospital you plan to deliver at
• Start researching pediatricians
• Make childcare plans, if necessary, including getting on waiting lists at daycares if needed

In week 27, you might want to think about making sure you’re getting enough DHA (or docosahexaenoic acid) in your diet. While it’s an element that’s usually included in your prenatal vitamins, it’s also important to make sure it’s in your diet (around 200-300 mg per day) too, since DHA helps your baby’s quickly developing bran. You can find DHA in foods like:

• Salmon
• Eggs
• Seaweed
• Tuna
• Sardines
• Grass-fed meats

While you should definitely call your OB-GYN anytime you feel something might be amiss, any unusual bleeding or cramping are both reasons to get a visit in ASAP, as well as experiencing symptoms like painful urination. And if that lightheadness you might be feeling leads to actual fainting or passing out, it’s important to call or stop into your emergency room, too.

Keep an eye out for any unusual swelling, since that could be a sign of preeclampsia, and it’s important to call your doctor if you have itchy palms or feet, which might mean that you’re experiencing cholestasis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and death compared to non-pregnant women. Furthermore, pregnant people with COVID-19 are at increased risk of delivering a baby before 37 weeks (preterm birth) and other adverse ramifications.

Note: If you are visiting a medical professional during COVID, make sure to ask about the facility’s safety measures and confirm that they are following COVID protocols as indicated by the CDC.

If you haven’t already taken the glucose test, this week, your OB-GYN may be supplying you with a sugary drink that will help determine if you have gestational diabetes.

If do end up being diagnosed, usually, GD can be managed with diet changes and keeping a close eye on your blood sugar (though neither of those things are necessarily fun). But in order to have a safe pregnancy and a safe mom, it’s important to follow your doctor’s orders on this one.