Pregnancy: Weeks 27-30
In the seventh month, almost all the parts are in place. Your baby is very busy making faces, hiccuping, crying, kicking, and elbowing you.
 A human fetus at 30 weeks. At this time, your baby weighs about 3 pounds and is about 15 inches long. |
Week Number 27
- The network of nerves to the ear is completed.
- The fetus takes some breaths and although breathing in water, not air (in utero, babies breathe in amniotic fluid through the nose and it passes through the lungs and exits back into the amniotic sac), it is good practice for their lungs.
- Because the retinas of the eyes are not finished forming yet, an eye problem called retinopathy of prematurity can occur in babies born at this time.
Week Number 28
- Brain tissue continues to develop.
- The baby begins to dream.
- The eyes open and close.
- The baby sleeps and wakes at regular intervals.
- Although the lungs are still immature, they are capable of sustaining life in the event of a premature birth (often with the help of a respirator).
Week Number 29
- Your baby can turn his head to find the source of a bright light.
- The fat layers continue to form.
- Fingernails are budding.
Week Number 30
- In male babies, the testicles move from near the kidneys through the groin en route to the scrotum.
- In female babies, the clitoris appears large and exposed because it's not yet covered by the folds of skin called the labia.
- The baby's head is getting bigger.
The seventh month is both busy and long. There's so much to do, but there's still so long to wait. Your baby seems anxious to join the world, too, as her kicking and punching become stronger and more frequent.
| Back to Weeks 23-26 | Continue to Weeks 31-34 |
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth © 2004 by Michele Isaac Gliksman, M.D. and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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