27 Weeks Pregnant - what to expect
Now you're 27 weeks pregnant, this week is all about uncomfortable loo trips, blurry vision, spiritual baby names and nutty watercress pesto!
Watch our video to see what your baby looks like this week
Those tastebuds are super-sensitive now: eat some spicy food and, a couple of hours later, your baby may give you the thumbs up (or down, perhaps?) with a little bout of hiccups.
So what's happening to your body this week?
It’s a right bummer but we do need to talk piles. The stuff of many of schoolgirl (ok, pre-pregnant woman) snigger, piles – or haemorrhoids, to use their less smirky medical name – are varicose veins in your back passage and they can be itchy, bulgy and basically bloomin’ uncomfortable.
And your baby, lovely as it is, is responsible for them, as the weight of your bump puts extra pressure on your rectal wall and makes things swell up.
Whether you have piles not or not (about half of us will at some point in pregnancy), do everything you can not to get constipated, as the more ‘loo-straining’ you do, the more pressure you’ll put those veins under and the more swollen they’ll get.
Our MFMer's 27-week bump of the week
Are you keeping track of your bump with weekly pics? Check out other MFMers' belfies in our 27 week bump gallery.
Did you know? Your baby's now the length of... a multipack of crisps
This week, you can tell people you've got a 6-pack as your baby measures 36.6cm - the length of a multipack bag of crisps.
And is around the weight of... a pineapple
Your baby now weighs around 2lb (900g)!
4 things you might need to know this week
- What you need to know about anti-D
- Bodhi to Nevaeh... 17 spiritual baby names
- Did you know? Pregnancy can affect your eyesight
- Is it safe to get a fake tan?
Tip of the week from our community
“I was a fully paid up member of the insomnia club by about 27 weeks! I woke up every hour, but only once for a wee; the rest of the time I was just wide awake! The one thing I found that was good was a pregnancy cream that's lavender-scented: I rubbed it on my belly and the smell helped me doze off," said Naomi, a member of our MadeForMums community.
Is it safe... to have hot baths?
OK, hot is not good but a luxuriously warm bath is definitely on the menu. Basically, you don't want to overheat (because that's not good for your baby) and although there's no agreed ‘safe' temperature, it's best to keep the water around body temp (37°C).
If that's a wee bit chilly for you, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends hauling yourself out after 10 minutes. And no hot tub fun for you right now – that comes once your child's been born... oh and grows up and leaves home.
Our preg recipe for week 27 - Nutty watercress pesto
Why munching on brazil nuts is great for your growing baby
We used to be warned off nuts in pregnancy for fear it would give our baby allergies but now experts say eating nuts can actually help prevent your baby having allergies (except if you have a nut allergy yourself, in which case it’s obviously not wise to eat them).
Brazil nuts are particularly good nut choices because they can help boost your body’s levels of selenium and magnesium – two minerals pregnancy women can all too easily become deficient in.
See the full recipe and get cooking...
Baby namer - what do you think of these unconventional names?
You're in your 3rd trimester so baby names may well be on your mind now. For something less conventional, what about these little legend names?
Hero
It's a big name to live up to but this heroic name can be traced back to Ancient Greece where Hero was a priestess for the goddess of love. Hero is also a love interest in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing.
Celeb baby-name-check: Myleene Klass named her 2nd daughter Hero.
Buddy
Meaning brother, Buddy is often shortened to Bud. It means friendship and could be a symbol of the relationship your baby will have with brothers and sisters.
Celeb baby-name-check: Jamie Oliver named his 4th child and 1st son Buddy.
Check out our dedicated Baby Names section for more inspiration.
So that's plenty for this week, want to take a peek at what lies ahead - or look back at last week?
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