27 Weeks

I'm quite late on this one! But here it is:

You’ve made it to the final trimester now, only 10 weeks to go! Your baby now weighs about 2 pounds and is about 14 inches long. They look like a fully formed baby at this point, only smaller and very thin. Survival, if born now, is around the 85% chance rate. Baby will go through another growth spurt now and may have predictable periods of sleep now.

The ears are covered the waxy substance called vernix which may muffle the sounds that they hear. Some experts believe that babies begin to dream at week 28, because the brain is so very active now. Brain tissue is developing rapidly.

It’s possible to hear the baby’s heartbeat by just placing an ear on your abdomen at this point! Lungs have developed enough that they could function outside of the womb and the central nervous system is well formed.

Amniotic fluid and the absence of fat on your baby’s body makes their skin appear wrinkly at this time. Baby will continue to fill out after they are born and begin to gain newborn weight.

The third trimester has begun!! Ten to 13 weeks doesn't sound all that far away: three full months definitely does. Especially looking down at this belly and wondering how it could possibly get bigger still.

I'm still feeling great. Did the ALS walk this morning and though I'm slow it felt good. By the end my hips and lower back were complaining a little, but not too much. I'm sleeping well. I feel fairly energetic.

Did some shopping here in Winnipeg because already most of my maternity tops don't reach my pants. Had to stock up on some longer tops. I don't remember "Homering" until maybe the last month with the other two. Ah well, it's my third baby, I suppose that's my excuse. Though when I meet with Abigail and Sari in a week or so to debrief about Eva and Micah's births I will ask if they can do a quick check to see if my size concerns them for any reason. I did a self fundal measurement the other day and came up about 3 cms big, which is on the outside edge of normal. But who knows if I was measuring properly either.

Baby is moving well and yesterday the kids got to see and feel it for the first time. Wee3 rolled over and Eva saw the movement of limbs under my skin. It was pretty cool. You should have seen how wide her eyes got, and how excited she was. Then both kids got a chance to feel some movement as well. My mom has been hoping to feel or see something too but the movements in her presence so far have been more furtive and random.

It's exciting to know that baby would have a very good chance at survival if born now. This little one is so close to ready to join us on the outside! (Not before your time, Wee, please!) I wonder what she looks like, or what kind of temperment he will have? What colour hair will she have? It's not unlikely that we could have a redhead! How big will he be? Such fun to wonder and I am enjoying the anticipation of finding out. I love this baby so much already. When we go for walks and the two kids run ahead, or when the kids are playing together, I often sketch in this third child in my mind's eye. It is beautiful. I am abundantly blessed!