27 weeks pregnant

How’s Baby?

Baby is measuring in at about 14.2-15 inches, about the length of a bunch of bananas, and weighs just over two pounds. And your little one is now opening and closing their eyes with ease! Baby’s brain continues to develop at a rapid pace, preparing to control their body and movements once they’re born. Their brain is starting control their lungs and regulate their body temperature! And because Baby can hear you now, if you haven’t done so already, try talking or singing to your baby! It never hurts to familiarize them with your voice — they’re already your biggest fan.

What’s new with you?

We know that most pregnant folks can engage in exercise and movement right up until they give birth, but staying active, with all of the pregnancy body changes and symptoms, like aches, pain, and increasing immobility — can become increasingly difficult. Here are some options that might sound good to you! Swimming, or other aquatic exercise, can be a good way to stay active while also momentarily taking some of the pressure off of your body. Yoga can help with things like back and hip pain. Aerobic exercises and light weight lifting can help boost both your mood and your strength for the major workout of labor and birth. Pregnancy-specific exercise classes can also be a great way to connect with other soon-to-be parents!

It can also be helpful to get started on some of the more practical details of getting your home and life ready for Baby, like getting a crib, car seat, and other baby-related necessities. Getting Baby’s nursery or sleep space set up or figuring out how to install a car seat can be a great way to get your loved ones more directly involved in preparing for Baby’s arrival. And keep in mind that sometimes this preparation can be hard or frustrating (think confusing crib instructions or a car seat not fitting the way that it should), This is why starting now can be so beneficial, as it leaves you plenty of time to troubleshoot and get expert support. Nobody is born knowing how to be a parent or how to build a crib — there’s always a learning curve!  In terms of other practical prep work, this may be the time you want to look into adjusting any insurance policies as you see fit in order to best protect your family.

Your skin, hair, and nails could be getting brittle at this point. Stronger, thicker hair and nails are the pregnancy symptoms that get the most press, mostly because they’re fun, but between all the hormones in your body and the extra demand for nutrients that your growing baby needs, plenty of folks experience the opposite. This is totally normal, and it doesn’t last forever. If you experience any major changes to your hair and nails, they should return to just about where they started a few months after you give birth. In the meantime, you can combat some of these less-than-stellar changes to your nails by keeping your hands well-moisturized and wearing gloves when you’re doing dishes.

There’s also a chance you might develop symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) or pelvic girdle pain, a disorder caused by the many physical changes of pregnancy, and the pregnancy hormone relaxin that makes your pelvic joint particularly unstable. SPD won’t hurt Baby, but it could definitely make your life more uncomfortable. There are treatments available, so if you start to experience pain around your pubic bone, lower back, or perineum, check in with your healthcare provider so they can determine if it’s SPD and discuss possible treatments.

Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team