Week 27

Congratulations! You've reached the final week of your 2nd trimester and are two-thirds of the way through your pregnancy.

Next week you'll start the 3rd and final trimester.

What's happening in my body?

You're probably putting on a few pounds now, and may be feeling bloated and constipated.

This is partly because your stomach is being squeezed by your growing baby, and partly due to the pregnancy hormone, progesterone.

It might help to drink lots of water, choose high-fibre options (like brown bread and wholewheat pasta, rather than white) and eat lots of fresh fruit and veg.

Whooping cough vaccination

Have you had the whooping cough vaccine? It's usually offered to pregnant women at around week 20 but you can have it from week 16 to week 32.

Whooping cough is on the rise – but you can protect your baby from this dangerous condition by having a vaccination. If you have not had it yet, speak to your midwife or a GP.

The best sleeping positions during pregnancy

Should you sleep on your back or side? The NHS guidance says that sleeping on either side is better than sleeping on your back.

That's because after week 28, research suggests that sleeping on your back can double the risk of stillbirth. It's also more likely to give you backache, constipation and piles.

Here are some tips for a safe and sound night's sleep:

support your baby bump with a pillow
keep your knees and legs bent
put another pillow between your legs
do not worry if you roll onto your back – just roll onto your side again

Fit to fly?

This is probably the last week you can fly anywhere without a "fitness to fly note".

If you need to fly after this week, you will need a note from your midwife or doctor to confirm that your pregnancy is uncomplicated. Check the cut-off dates with your airline.

2nd trimester pregnancy symptoms (at 27 weeks)

You may be feeling tired now, so nap when you can.

You might be snoring more. Snoring is very common in pregnancy as your nasal passages are more likely to become swollen and blocked.

Your signs of pregnancy could include:

tiredness and sleeping problems (week 19 has information about feeling tired)
stretch marks (read about stretch marks on week 17's page)
swollen and bleeding gums (week 13 has information about gum health during pregnancy)
pains on the side of your baby bump, caused by your expanding womb ("round ligament pains")
piles (read about piles on week 22's page)
headaches (read about headaches in pregnancy on NHS.uk)
backache
nosebleeds
indigestion and heartburn (week 25 talks about digestive problems)
bloating and constipation (read about bloating on week 10's page)
leg cramps (week 20 explains how to deal with cramp)
feeling hot
dizziness
swollen hands and feet
urine infections
vaginal infections (see week 15 for vaginal health)
darkened skin on your face or brown patches – this is known as chloasma or the "mask of pregnancy"
greasier, spotty skin
thicker and shinier hair

You may also experience symptoms from earlier weeks, such as:

mood swings (week 8's page has information on mood swings)
morning sickness (read about dealing with morning sickness on week 6's page)
weird pregnancy cravings (read about pregnancy cravings on week 5's page)
a heightened sense of smell
sore or leaky breasts (read about breast pain on week 14's page) - a white milky pregnancy discharge from your vagina and light spotting (seek medical advice for any bleeding)

Read Tommy's guide to common pregnancy symptoms.

What does my baby look like?

Your baby, or foetus, is around 36.6cm long from head to heel. That's approximately size of a head of cauliflower.

Your baby's lungs are now capable of breathing, and your baby is also getting plumper by the day.

A few weeks ago, your baby looked a bit like a wrinkled prune. Now the folds of skin are being filled out by fat, and all their organs are maturing, as your baby prepares for life outside the uterus (womb).

Composite. One side shows a foetus attached to the placenta by the umbilical cord. The foetus is recognisable as a baby. Other side shows a person holding a head of cauliflower in two hands. — Your baby is about the size of a head of cauliflower

Action stations

Do you know where you would like to give birth? This is a great time to start thinking about it.

If you're concerned about how COVID-19 might affect your birth plan, visit the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for the most up-to-date advice.

This week you could also…

Think about telling your work

You have maternity rights. You can ask for a risk assessment of your work place to ensure that you're working in a safe environment.

You should not be lifting heavy things and you may need extra breaks and somewhere to sit.

You can also attend antenatal appointments during paid work time.

Start doing pelvic floor exercises

It's a good time to tone up your pelvic floor muscles. Gentle exercises can help to prevent leakage when you laugh, sneeze or cough.

Get the muscles going by pretending that you're having a pee and then stopping midflow.

Visit Tommy's for more information on pelvic floor exercises.

Antenatal classes

Ask your midwife or doctor about online antenatal classes – they may be able to recommend one. The charity Tommy's has lots of useful information on antenatal classes and preparing you for birth.

Ask your partner if they would like to take part in the antenatal classes. Even if you've had children before, antenatal classes are still worth going to as you can meet other parents-to-be.

The NCT offers online antenatal classes with small groups of people that live locally to you.

Smoking, drinking and caffeine in pregnancy

Do your best to stop smoking, give up alcohol, and go easy on the tea, coffee and anything else with caffeine.

Ask your midwife or GP for support.

Vitamins in pregnancy

To keep bones and muscles healthy, we need vitamin D.

From late March/early April to the end of September, most people make enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin. However, between October and early March, you should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement because we cannot make enough from sunlight.

Some people should take a vitamin D supplement all year round, find out if this applies to you on the NHS website.

You just need 10 micrograms (it's the same for grown-ups and kids). Check if you're entitled to free vitamins.

Exercising in pregnancy

It's recommended that you do 150 minutes of exercise a week while pregnant.

You could start off with just 10 minutes of daily exercise – perhaps take a brisk walk outside.

Listen to your body and do what feels right for you.

Healthy eating

There's no need to eat for 2. You do not need any extra calories until the third trimester, which starts in week 28.

You just need to eat a healthy balanced diet, with a variety of different foods every day, including plenty of fruit and veg. Have a look at our guide to healthy eating in pregnancy.

You may be able to get free milk, fruit and veg through the Healthy Start scheme.

Emotional and mental wellbeing

How are you today?

If you're feeling anxious or low, talk to your doctor or midwife who can point you in the right direction to get all the support that you need. You could also discuss your worries with your partner, friends and family.

You may be worried about your relationship, or money, or having somewhere permanent to live.

Don't keep it to yourself – it's important that you ask for help if you need it.

Contraception

Getting pregnant again is probably the last thing on your mind right now. However, now is a good time to start planning what type of contraception you would like to use after your baby is born.

Getting pregnant again could happen sooner than you realise and too short a gap between babies is known to cause problems.

Talk to your GP or midwife to help you decide.

More in week-by-week

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Week 27

What's happening in my body?

Whooping cough vaccination

The best sleeping positions during pregnancy

Fit to fly?

2nd trimester pregnancy symptoms (at 27 weeks)

What does my baby look like?

Action stations

More in week-by-week

Week 28 – the 3rd trimester

Week 29

Week 26

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