27 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby is the size of a Rutabaga 🫛

🥗 Nutrition Tips

• DHA omega-3 for brain and eye development
• Continue vitamin D
• Eat light dinners to improve sleep

🏃‍♀️ Exercise Tips

• Leg stretches before bed for restless legs
• Birth ball sitting for pelvic relief
• Early bedtime for fatigue management

Week 27 is the final week of the second trimester — take a moment to appreciate how far you have come. Your baby's brain is now very active, with regular sleep and wake cycles, and the lungs and immune system keep maturing with every passing day.

From next week you enter the third trimester, when prenatal visits become more frequent and preparations shift into higher gear. Many parents use this transition week to finalize the nursery, pack early hospital-bag essentials, and lock in a pediatrician.

Your baby is gaining weight steadily — about half a pound a week from here on — and you will likely feel the difference in the strength and frequency of movements.

👶Baby Development at Week 27

Your baby is about 36 to 37 centimeters long and weighs roughly 875 grams — nearly two pounds, about the size of a cauliflower. The brain is now highly active: neurons are forming complex networks, and your baby cycles through recognizable states of sleep and wakefulness. You may notice that active periods follow a pattern — often in the evening when you are resting.

The lungs are continuing to mature, producing more surfactant each week, and the immune system is strengthening as antibodies pass from you to your baby through the placenta. Your baby can now open and close the eyes, suck the thumb with coordination, and even grasp with intent rather than pure reflex.

If your baby were born now, the chances of survival with neonatal intensive care would be quite good and improve with every additional week — but the ideal is still to keep growing. The brain, lungs, and liver all benefit enormously from the remaining weeks, which is why providers work hard to prevent preterm birth.

🩺Your Body: Common Symptoms at Week 27

The end of the second trimester often brings a mix of lingering comfort and previews of third-trimester intensity. Be generous with rest.

▸ Stronger, more frequent kicks

Your baby is bigger and stronger, so movements can feel forceful — even startling. Enjoy the acrobatics; they are a great sign.

▸ Backaches and pelvic pressure

The added weight strains the lower back and pelvis. Support belts, warm baths, and side-lying rest help.

▸ Hemorrhoids

Pressure from the uterus plus constipation can cause or worsen hemorrhoids. Fiber, fluids, and not straining are key; witch hazel pads soothe discomfort.

▸ Varicose veins

Leg veins may become more prominent. Elevate your legs, avoid crossing them, and walk regularly to keep blood moving.

▸ Shortness of breath

Your uterus is now well above your navel, crowding the diaphragm. Slow down, breathe deeply, and sleep propped up if needed.

▸ Trouble sleeping

A bigger bump, vivid dreams, and bathroom trips disrupt rest. A calming bedtime routine and a supportive pillow setup help.

▸ Swelling

Mild swelling of feet and ankles, worse by evening, is typical. Sudden or severe swelling — especially of the face or hands — warrants a call.

🏥Medical Tests & Checkups at Week 27

Your glucose screening window closes at week 28, so any remaining testing should be wrapped up now. If gestational diabetes was diagnosed, you should be settling into your monitoring and meal routine — ask for a dietitian referral if you have not received one.

This week also opens the window for the Tdap vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis), recommended during each pregnancy ideally between weeks 27 and 36. The vaccine passes protective antibodies to your baby, guarding against whooping cough in the vulnerable first months. It is safe and strongly recommended — ask your provider to administer it.

Your prenatal visit continues the standard checks, and visits will soon increase to every two weeks. If you are Rh-negative, confirm your RhoGAM injection is scheduled for week 28. Discuss kick counting with your provider so you are ready to start next week.

🥗Nutrition & Movement Tips

As the third trimester approaches, your calorie needs rise slightly to about 450 extra per day. Keep meals nutrient-dense: lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats — your baby is gaining half a pound a week and needs quality fuel.

If you have gestational diabetes, consistency is everything: eat at regular times, measure carbohydrate portions, and never skip meals. Your care team can fine-tune the plan as pregnancy progresses.

Continue prioritizing iron, calcium, and DHA. Small frequent meals help with heartburn and keep energy steady through the day. Keep taking your prenatal vitamin.

Movement remains valuable: walking, swimming, and prenatal yoga ease back pain, improve sleep, and support healthy blood sugar. Start practicing the breathing and relaxation techniques you will use in labor — slow rhythmic breathing, visualization, and position changes. Daily Kegels continue to pay dividends for pelvic floor strength.

✅Week 27 Checklist

📌When to Call Your Doctor

Contact your provider promptly for any of these warning signs.