27 weeks pregnant

How big is my baby at 27 weeks?

At week 27, your baby is 36cm long, weighing 1.9lbs and about the size of a head of broccoli or cauliflower. Your baby might start to open their eyes around the 27 week mark, and begin to distinguish between night and day. Their little hiccups in the womb might radiate through your tummy, meaning you feel all their little burbs and shudders!

If you went into premature labour now, your baby would be cared for in a special care baby unit, and would have a very good chance of survival. Their lungs are still developing, but would function with some medical assistance.

Your baby's brain is now also going through its final stages of fine tuning with some last minute fast and furious development.

Along with their developed brain, your baby now has very developed taste buds. 

Facts to know about your baby in week 27

• At week 27, your baby is 36cm long, weighing 1.9lbs and about the size of a head of cauliflower
• Your baby will be opening his/her eyes for the first time around now and eyelashes have formed
• Your baby will start to practice breathing movements, even though his or her lungs aren't taking in oxygen yet
• Babies have close to 15% fat on their body, but this will be closer to 30% by the time they're born
• Your baby's heartbeat is so strong that your partner might be able to hear it if they put their ear on your bump

You at 27 weeks pregnant

You are now in your third and final trimester and on the home strait! How exciting! 

You might experience some new pregnancy 'symptoms' as your body starts to prepare itself for D day and your baby's arrival.  

Your appetite will probably increase quite a bit in these last few months, as your body uses up more energy. Eat healthy, and try and keep as active as possible. By 27 weeks pregnant you will be gaining weight more rapidly. A healthy amount to gain during pregnancy is around 1 stone 12Ib (that’s around 12.5kg). 

If you’ve gained more than the weight advised earlier in the pregnancy (two or more pounds per week would be deemed over the average) you may be advised to try and slow down your weight gain. If you are struggling, do ask your midwife for some advice to help you. It's recommended to stick to the average weight gain as it helps reduce the risk of related pregnancy complications. It will also help you feel more comfortable in your third trimester as your bump will be growing at a faster rate.

You might want to try some breathing exercises or pregnancy yoga to keep you strong as supple in readiness for the big day.

None will cause you any long term problems and are just all part of the fun of motherhood!

Facts to know about you in week 27

• Of the 44 cell divisions before adulthood 41 have already taken place
• Progesterone is the hormone that makes boobs bigger in readiness for making milk.

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What to think about in week 27

You might be starting to think more and more about the actual birth of your baby now, and what the delivery might be like. 

Does everyone know what your wishes are in labour and what kind of birth you would like? 

Having a chat with your friends who've recently had babies will be really helpful at this stage – even if they do have what they might call 'horror stories' you can get some honest, reassuring advice – and of course, some practice cuddles with their babies!

At some point in your pregnancy there may be a call for a night out or special occasion and, even though it may be a little different to the nights out you were used to pre pregnancy. But what are you going to wear? As your bump grows, you might need to splash out on a new outfit, oh well if you must! 

Whilst dressing for a night out with a big bump is way different to dressing your pre-pregnancy body. Think about are showing off some assets you may not have had before-hand. Pregnancy can give many women a killer cleavage they didn’t have, so while you’ve got, flaunt it!

Think flowing and elegant. Try empire line and maxi dresses with gorgeous fabrics that fall beautifully to the ground. The pinched, high waist of the empire line will draw attention to your boobs and balance your bump. 

On the inside your day to day bond with your growing baby is developing and you’re probably starting to know their every move, what about dad? It can be a lot harder for dad to bond with the bump, but just as important he does get the chance. 

Spend time talking to your baby bump, as when they’re born your baby will then recognise your voice having already formed an attachment to you. Help dad do the same. When the two of you are relaxing it’s good for dad to.

Signs and symptoms at 27 weeks pregnant

It’s one of the more unpleasant symptoms of pregnancy, but many women to suffer with piles in pregnancy due to the, yep, you guessed it, high level of the hormone progesterone in your body which relaxes the walls of your blood vessels which makes suffering with piles more likely. It’s also the hormone that’s responsible for causing constipation in pregnancy. To try and avoid getting piles you should make sure you drink plenty of fluids as well as keep to a high fibre diet including fruit and vegetables. The only good news is that they go completely a few weeks after birth. 

Peeing when you sneeze – affectionately termed ‘snissing’

A lot of pregnant women experience the embarrassing case of sneezing and peeing yourself a little in the process. At this stage of pregnancy you may be experiencing it more as your baby is putting a lot of pressure on your bladder. As your baby grows, you may experience this a bit more but you should try to keep your pelvic floor strong so make sure you know how to do your pelvic floor exercises. Another thing that could help a little is to go to the toilet regularly, after all, the less there is in your bladder the less there is to leak! If involuntary passing of urine is troubling you, do let your midwife know as they may be able to refer you to a physiotherapist who can help you with exercises to reduce this.

Watch our videos below: 

Video 1: (NHS content): How and when should I do pelvic floor exercises?

Video 2: Giving birth at home/birthing centre

Video 3: Preparing a birth plan (NHS content)