28 WEEKS PREGNANT
The third trimester begins
Baby this week: about 37.5 cm — head to heel · about 1 kg
≈ 37.5 cm — about the size of a head of cabbage
Illustration enlarged for clarity — the amber marker shows true relative size
Your baby this week
- The third trimester begins this week
- Eyes can now open and close, and blink reflexively
- The fetus is gaining weight steadily as fat stores build up
- Brain wave patterns show characteristics of active sleep, similar to dreaming
Your body this week
- Appointments often become more frequent from this point on, typically moving to every two weeks
- Shortness of breath can occur more easily as the uterus takes up more space
This week's tip: From around now, many providers suggest getting familiar with your baby's regular movement patterns and mentioning any noticeable change to your care team.
Want the bigger picture — organ development, nutrition, scans and warning signs for this stage? See month 7: The world gets louder.
Sizes and milestones are typical ranges — every pregnancy runs on its own clock. Educational content; your prenatal care team's guidance always comes first.