Pregnancy Week 27

At 27 weeks pregnant, your baby’s lungs are continuing important development. Tiny air sacs are developing, and surfactant production is increasing, helping prepare the lungs for breathing after birth.

Your baby is not breathing air yet. Oxygen still comes through the placenta and umbilical cord, but those practice breathing movements are helping the lungs mature.

Your baby may now be around the size of a cauliflower and is gaining fat, muscle and strength, although babies vary.

The brain is developing quickly too, and your baby may respond more noticeably to voices, music, bright light, movement or sudden noises.

Movements may feel stronger now as your baby gains muscle and coordination. You might feel kicks, rolls, stretches, jabs, hiccups or sudden little jumps. Some movements may even be visible from the outside, depending on your baby’s position.

At 27 weeks pregnant, your growing uterus may start pressing upwards towards your diaphragm. This can make it harder to take a deep breath, especially when you climb stairs, walk quickly, lie flat or try to talk and move at the same time.

Mild breathlessness can be a normal part of pregnancy, but it should not be ignored if it feels severe or unusual. Get medical advice if you are breathless at rest, have chest pain, feel faint, have a racing heartbeat that does not settle, cough up blood, or feel suddenly much worse.

You may also notice:

Your appetite may increase now as your baby grows, but you do not need to count every calorie. Focus on regular meals, protein, fibre, calcium-rich foods, iron-rich foods, fluids, and snacks that help you feel steady rather than just briefly full.

Week 27 can feel like the start of a new mental phase. The early “is this really happening?” stage is behind you, and the practical “we need to prepare for a baby” stage may be arriving.

You might find yourself thinking more seriously about birth, maternity leave, money, baby equipment, feeding, sleep and how life will change. That does not mean you need to solve everything immediately, but it is a good time to stop keeping all the planning in your head.

This can also be a nice week to look back. Your baby has gone from a microscopic cluster of cells to someone who can kick, stretch, respond to sound and make their presence known at inconvenient moments.

This week, focus on movement, breathing and practical preparation. Your baby’s movements are important now. Get to know your baby’s usual pattern of activity and quiet times. If movements reduce, stop, or feel significantly different from your baby’s usual pattern, contact your maternity unit or midwife straight away. Do not wait until the next day. 

For breathlessness:

Third-trimester tasks to start: