you're 28 weeks pregnant.
last revised · baby is about 37.6 cm (14.8") · 1000 g (35.3 oz)
At 28 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 37.6 cm and 1000 g — Your baby weighs about a kilogram now.
about the size of a…
Your baby weighs about a kilogram now. They blink, dream, and respond to your voice with movement.
this week's highlights
- Crosses the 1 kg mark
- Blinking begins
- Dreams (REM sleep) start
- Reacts to voices
how your baby looks
Plumper now with fat-padded cheeks and limbs. The baby can blink and open the eyes wider when awake.
body in focus
- head
- Eyes open and blink; the baby reacts to your voice.
- body
- Body fat percentage rises — chubby cheeks appear.
- hands
- Hands grip and release rhythmically.
- feet
- Kicks may be felt during quiet moments, especially after meals.
what's happening in your body
Belly is rounded and high. Sleep may be hard — find a comfortable side-sleeping setup. Watch for swelling.
symptoms at 28 weeks
- Changing movement patterns
- By now your baby has a recognisable daily rhythm of active and quiet spells. Get to know it — if movements ever slow down or stop, contact your maternity unit immediately, at any hour. Never wait until the next day.
- Sciatica
- Pressure on the sciatic nerve can send shooting pain from the buttock down the leg. Warmth, gentle stretches, and avoiding long sitting help; persistent pain merits a physiotherapy referral.
- Breathlessness climbing stairs
- The uterus sits high against the diaphragm now. Take stairs at your own pace and rest at the top — this eases once the baby drops later on.
- Leaky bladder with sneezes
- Pressure on the pelvic floor makes small leaks with coughing or laughing common. Daily pelvic floor exercises now genuinely improve both late pregnancy and recovery.
- Trouble sleeping
- Between bathroom trips, a busy baby, and finding a comfortable position, broken sleep becomes the norm. A pillow between the knees and one under the bump helps more than most gadgets.
- Swelling and headaches — stay alert
- Third-trimester pre-eclampsia risk means sudden swelling, severe headache, vision changes, or pain under the ribs are same-day calls to your midwife or doctor.
gentle tips
- Drink plenty of water — swelling worsens with dehydration.
- Elevate feet when possible to ease swelling.
- Sleep with extra pillows for support.
- Take iron with vitamin C for better absorption (e.g. citrus + spinach).
- Discuss any persistent swelling, headaches, or vision changes ASAP.
your week 28 checklist
- Start paying deliberate daily attention to your baby's movements — know their normal pattern from today.
- Attend your 28-week appointment; blood tests here often check iron, and anti-D is offered if you are rhesus negative.
- Save your maternity unit's triage phone number in your phone favourites, and your partner's.
- Book any remaining antenatal classes now so they finish before week 36.
what to expect next
The next month brings rapid weight gain. Movements become very visible and the baby will start positioning head-down soon.
common questions at week 28
How big is the baby at 28 weeks?
At 28 weeks, the baby measures about 37.6 cm and weighs approximately 1000 g (37.6 cm (14.8") · 1000 g (35.3 oz)).
What is developing at 28 weeks?
Plumper now with fat-padded cheeks and limbs. Eyes open and blink; the baby reacts to your voice. Key milestones this week include: Crosses the 1 kg mark; Blinking begins; Dreams (REM sleep) start; Reacts to voices.
What symptoms are common at 28 weeks pregnant?
Belly is rounded and high. Sleep may be hard — find a comfortable side-sleeping setup. Watch for swelling.
What should I do at 28 weeks pregnant?
The next month brings rapid weight gain. Drink plenty of water — swelling worsens with dehydration. Elevate feet when possible to ease swelling. Sleep with extra pillows for support.
How many kicks per hour should I feel at 28 weeks?
There is no universal magic number — modern guidance has moved away from fixed kick counts because every baby has an individual pattern of movement. What matters is knowing your baby's normal rhythm and acting on any change: if movements slow, weaken, or stop, contact your maternity unit immediately, whatever the hour. Do not use a home doppler for reassurance or wait to see if things pick up.
What actually happens if I report reduced movements?
The maternity unit will usually ask you to come in for monitoring, typically listening to the baby's heartbeat and running a CTG trace, sometimes followed by a scan. Most of the time everything is fine and you will be home within hours — and staff genuinely prefer checking a hundred healthy babies to missing one who needs help. Never feel you are wasting anyone's time; this is exactly what the service is for.
What is the anti-D injection and do I need it?
If your blood group is rhesus negative, small amounts of a rhesus-positive baby's blood entering your circulation could cause your body to make antibodies that affect future pregnancies. The anti-D injection, routinely offered around week 28, prevents this sensitisation and is very safe. Your midwife will only offer it if your blood tests show you are rhesus negative, and it is worth accepting.
helpful tools
- Kick Counter
Daily kick counts are an important reassurance in the third trimester.
- Contraction Timer
Time contractions and track frequency when the moment comes.
- Hospital Bag
Curated packing checklist for labor and delivery.
Medically aligned with guidance from WHO, NHS and ACOG. How we write.