pregnancy week 27
27 weeks pregnant.
Welcome to the third trimester. The brain is more active than ever, and the baby is sleeping and waking in cycles.
Updated 29 July 2026 · Sources: NHS and ACOG
Your baby this week
Skin is still wrinkly because more fat is needed, but the face and limbs are fully formed and proportional.
- Third trimester begins
- Sleep-wake cycles regular
- Brain is highly active
- Hiccups feel frequent
What may be changing in your body
Your uterus reaches about 4–5 inches above the belly button. Fatigue may return as the body works harder. Heartburn and shortness of breath are common.
Shortness of breath on exertion
The uterus now crowds the diaphragm, so stairs and hills leave you puffing sooner. Pace yourself and stand tall to give your lungs room; breathlessness at rest or with chest pain needs urgent medical advice.
Fatigue returning
The second-trimester energy boost often fades as the third trimester approaches. Short naps, earlier nights, and lowering the bar on non-essential tasks are the honest fixes.
Leg and foot swelling
Standing all day makes fluid pool in the lower legs. Compression socks put on first thing in the morning work better than any remedy applied after swelling appears.
Vivid or anxious dreams about birth
Dreams about labour and the baby intensify for many people now. They reflect normal mental processing, not premonitions — talking them through often defuses them.
Skin tags and darkening patches
Small skin tags and patches of darker pigment (melasma) can appear with hormonal changes. Both are harmless; sunscreen limits melasma from deepening.
When to call
From now on, treat severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, pain under the ribs, bleeding, fluid leaking, or regular painful tightenings as same-day calls to your midwife or doctor.
Your week 27 checklist
- Note that appointments typically move to fortnightly from week 28 — check your schedule is booked ahead.
- Buy compression socks if evening leg swelling is bothering you.
- Decide who you want present at the birth and talk it through with them.
- Set up a simple system for tracking your baby's daily movement pattern, ready for week 28.
A useful partner move this week
Fatigue is coming back, so this is the week to quietly lower the household's expectations: simpler dinners, earlier nights, fewer social commitments. Ask her which appointments she would like you at for the fortnightly phase starting soon, and block them out at work now.
What comes next
From now until birth, prenatal visits become more frequent — every two weeks until week 36, then weekly.
Common questions
When does the third trimester officially start?
The third trimester is usually counted from week 28, though some sources place it at week 27 — either way, you are at the doorstep now. Practically, it means more frequent antenatal appointments, daily attention to your baby's movements, and a gradual shift toward birth preparation. The finish line is closer than the start.
How can I ease restless legs at night in pregnancy?
Restless legs syndrome peaks in the third trimester and is linked to iron levels, hormones, and tiredness. Practical steps include stretching and gentle walking in the evening, warm baths, reducing caffeine, and keeping a consistent bedtime; ask your midwife to check your iron, as supplementing a genuine deficiency often helps. Avoid any medication for it without speaking to your doctor first.
Does it matter if I wake up on my right side or my back?
What matters is the position you fall asleep in, because that is where you spend the most unbroken time — going to sleep on your side is the advice from 28 weeks. Waking up on your back happens to almost everyone and is not something to feel guilty about; just roll back onto your side. A pillow wedged behind your back can make rolling fully over less likely.
How many months is 27 weeks pregnant?
Pregnancy months do not divide evenly into weeks, so clinicians date pregnancy in weeks. At 27 weeks, you are in trimester two.