27

weeks
pregnant

26 28

By Kate Marple

Medically reviewed by Judith Venuti, Ph.D., embryologist

July 22, 2020

Baby Development
Pregnancy Symptoms Week 27
Pregnancy Checklist

Highlights this week

Blink, blink

Your baby's eyes are open! If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, you may feel her respond with a burst of wiggles.

Have you been doing your Kegels?

Kegels can help you avoid hemorrhoids and leaking urine when you sneeze. Learn know how to do them right.

Go shoe shopping

Yes, your feet are spreading due to fluid retention and looser ligaments. So buy a few pairs of comfortable, roomy shoes.

27 weeks is how many months?

You're in your sixth month!

Baby development at 27 weeks

Eyes wide open

Your baby's eyelids, which have been fused shut, can now open and close, and she may blink in response to light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, you may feel her respond with a burst of flutters and wiggles.

Hic, hic

Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

Your baby at 27 weeks Tap the plus for more details

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Your baby is about the size of a head of cauliflower

LENGTH

14.41

inches

head to toe

WEIGHT

2.33

pounds

Pregnancy symptoms during week 27

Extra body hair

Your facial and body hair may grow faster when you're pregnant, possibly because of an increase in hormones called androgens.

Restless legs

Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome.

Don't see your symptom?
Wondering about a symptom you have? Find it on our pregnancy symptoms page.

baby in womb pushing against stomach at 27 weeks

Your body at 27 weeks Tap the plus for more details

Pregnancy checklist at 27 weeks

Get ready for more prenatal visits

In the third trimester you'll be seeing your caregiver more often. Find out what you can expect at each visit.

Get our third-trimester shopping checklist

These must-haves for you and your baby will make the end of pregnancy and the beginning of parenting more manageable.

Keep track of your baby's movements

Pay attention to your baby's kicks, twitches, and rolls – and let your doctor or midwife know right away if you notice a decrease in movement. Your provider may recommend that you spend some time each day counting your baby's kicks.

27 weeks pregnant bellies

This week's video

Show transcript

27 weeks pregnant: Fast facts

Your baby weighs almost 2 lbs – about as much as a head of cauliflower – and is around 14 1/2 inches long.

At this stage, babies sleep and wake at regular intervals, opening and closing their eyes and maybe even sucking their fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now.

Call your provider if you have signs of preterm labor such as unusual (or increased) vaginal discharge, bleeding or spotting, abdominal pain or cramps, low-back pain, pressure as if your baby is pushing down, or more than four contractions in an hour (even if they don't hurt).

In the 3rd trimester, you'll probably see your provider every two weeks until 36 weeks, then once a week until you deliver.

To watch other women's birth experiences, search BabyCenter for "live birth videos."

Do you plan to breastfeed? In a BabyCenter poll, 89% of expecting moms said yes.

Video production by SALT Project.

Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

ACOG. 2015. FAQ156. Prenatal development: How your baby grows during pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Prenatal-Development-How-Your-Baby-Grows-During-Pregnancy#one [Accessed May 2019]

La Leche League International. 2016. All about La Leche League. http://www.llli.org/ab.html?m=1 [Accessed May 2019]

Mayo Clinic. 2015. Fetal development: The 2nd trimester. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20046151 [Accessed May 2019]

MedlinePlus (ADAM). 2015. Fetal development. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002398.htm [Accessed May 2019]

OWH. 2010. Pregnancy complications. U.S. Office on Women’s Health. http://womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/you-are-pregnant/pregnancy-complications.html [Accessed May 2019]

Kate Marple

Kate Marple is a writer and editor who specializes in health, pregnancy, and parenting content. She's passionate about translating complicated medical information into helpful pregnancy and parenting advice that's easy to understand. She lives in San Francisco with her family.