Week 27

Carola Felchner is a freelance writer in the medical department and a certified training and nutrition advisor. She worked for various specialist magazines and online portals before becoming a freelance journalist in 2015. Before starting her internship, she studied translation and interpreting in Kempten and Munich.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

While the baby's skin becomes smoother and smoother, the brain gets the characteristic furrows in the 27th week of pregnancy. Read here why your child still feels very comfortable in their amniotic sac, while liquids in the 27th week of pregnancy are far less enjoyable and how you can support your offspring now without overdoing it.

27 weeks of gestation: This is how your baby is developing

The youngsters still have enough space in their "playroom" to turn around - and they do that extensively. You may well feel the feet one day in your lower abdomen and the next day in your upper abdomen.

The baby can produce its own blood cells around the 27th week of pregnancy - blood formation in the bone marrow has started. The brain also continues to mature at an enormous pace. Its previously smooth surface is now getting the typical furrows and twists.

Many organs are now mature, but the lungs still need a little. In the 27th week of pregnancy, the child could not breathe on its own outside the womb. Premature babies up to the age of 28When they are born at the week of pregnancy, they usually have to be artificially ventilated.

27th week of pregnancy ultrasound: That can be seen

Another two centimeters more for your baby: The 27th week of pregnancy lets it grow to a length of 34 centimeters. The child weighs around 1,000 grams (one kilogram) in the 27th week of pregnancy. The weight gain of 200 grams is slightly higher than in the previous weeks.

27th week of pregnancy: That will change for you

Not only is your baby getting heavier: You too are now gaining around 400 to 500 grams per week. It is mainly a matter of stored liquid. You can recognize this by the fact that your legs and fingers swell around the 27th week of pregnancy if this has not already happened before. To be on the safe side, take off your rings - it would be a shame if you had to have the pieces of jewelry cut open because you can no longer get them off.

The deposits can also press on the carpal tunnel on the inside of the wrist. The result: hands that have fallen asleep that tingle and feel numb. While this is not dangerous, it is annoying - mainly because the phenomenon often occurs at night and can rob you of sleep. Massage or gentle movement can usually make the tingling go away. In stubborn cases, a special splint that keeps the wrist straight can also help.

In addition to the stored fluid, you will also have to deal with leaking fluid around the 27th week of pregnancy and generally in the last trimester of pregnancy: Because the little one is already quite large in the 27th week of pregnancy and, among other things, presses quite a bit on the bladder, it can happen "Shaking" movements such as laughing, coughing or sneezing allow you to escape a few droplets of urine. Pelvic floor exercises can help against incontinence during pregnancy, and postnatal exercise can help.

By the way: Maybe you can no longer lie on your back in the 27th week of pregnancy. Your stomach bothers you or you feel sick ... there are various reasons. In this case, lie on your left side. This takes the pressure off the inferior vena cava, improves blood flow, and takes pressure off your organs.

27th week of pregnancy: That is important now

You can also take advantage of the fact that your baby is already aware of a lot in the 27th week of pregnancy: For example, you and your partner should talk to the baby a lot. It remembers your voices - and recognizes them again after the birth. Likewise, caressing the abdominal wall and soft music (especially classical music) do the child good and calm them down.

Turn more often when lying down. In this way the baby has to move with it and refines its sense of balance. However, you should not overdo it with the so-called prenatal support, neither in the 27th week of pregnancy nor later.

And don't be too strict with yourself: your child will of course be happy if you are satisfied and in a good mood. But if you have a bad day, it's no reason to feel guilty.

Midwife tip

Talking to your child in their tummy and singing to them is a nice thing to strengthen the bond between parent and child at this early stage. However, you shouldn't expect too much from your baby. Studies show that babies react to music boxes while they are in their tummy and recognize the melodies after birth. And children clearly hear all sorts of things in their mothers' wombs. However, it is questionable whether the child's later abilities will be influenced by this as early as the 27th week of gestation, or during the entire pregnancy.