Pregnancy Week 28 vs Week 40
Complete comparison of baby development, mom's symptoms, and changes between these weeks
📊
Time Difference
12 weeks apart
🔄
Trimester
Both in 3rd trimester
Baby Size Comparison
Growth Progress
Week 28Eggplant
Week 40Small pumpkin
Your baby is approximately 85% through pregnancy
Week 28
📏
Length
14.8 inches
⚖️
Weight
2.2 pounds
🍎
Size Comparison
Eggplant
Week 40
📏
Length
20.2 inches
⚖️
Weight
7.6 pounds
🍎
Size Comparison
Small pumpkin
What Changes Between Week 28 and 40?
👶New Baby Developments
- ✓Baby is ready to meet you and fully prepared for life outside!
- ✓All organs are functioning perfectly
- ✓Baby has strong survival reflexes including sucking, rooting, and grasping
- ✓Coordination is fully developed
- ✓Baby is at complete development
🤰New or Changing Symptoms
- ✓Emotionally and physically ready to meet your baby
- ✓Possible increased contractions that may start and stop
- ✓Feeling anxious, impatient, or frustrated if not in labor yet
- ✓Labor could start at any time - today, tomorrow, or in 2 weeks
- ✓Extreme discomfort and difficulty with daily activities
📈Key Changes Summary
Baby Growth: Your baby continues to grow rapidly, with organs developing and maturing each day.
Your Body: Your body adapts to support your growing baby with various physical and hormonal changes.
Baby Development Milestones
Week 28 Development
- •Welcome to the third trimester - the final stretch!
- •Eyes can open and close fully and baby blinks regularly
- •Baby can blink in response to light
- •Lungs are capable of breathing air with medical support if born now
- •Brain is developing billions of neurons with rapid growth in cerebral cortex
- •Baby is adding fat layers making skin less translucent
Week 40 Development
- •Baby is ready to meet you and fully prepared for life outside!
- •All organs are functioning perfectly
- •Baby has strong survival reflexes including sucking, rooting, and grasping
- •Coordination is fully developed
- •Baby is at complete development
- •Baby will continue gaining weight if they stay in longer
Common Symptoms
Week 28 Symptoms
- •Shortness of breath as uterus pushes up on diaphragm
- •Trouble sleeping due to size, discomfort, and frequent bathroom trips
- •Possible sciatic pain shooting down legs and buttocks
- •Frequent urination returns as baby drops lower into pelvis
- •More frequent and intense Braxton Hicks contractions
- •Swelling in feet, ankles, and hands
Week 40 Symptoms
- •Emotionally and physically ready to meet your baby
- •Possible increased contractions that may start and stop
- •Feeling anxious, impatient, or frustrated if not in labor yet
- •Labor could start at any time - today, tomorrow, or in 2 weeks
- •Extreme discomfort and difficulty with daily activities
- •Possible signs of labor beginning
Nutrition Tips
Week 28 Nutrition
- •Eat iron-rich foods (27mg daily) for increasing red blood cell production and baby's iron stores
- •Include 1000-1300mg of calcium daily for baby's rapidly hardening bones
- •Stay hydrated with 10-12 glasses of water despite frequent urination
- •Eat 75-100g of protein at every meal for fetal growth
- •Include vitamin D (600 IU daily) for calcium absorption
- •Eat small frequent meals to avoid heartburn and breathlessness
Week 40 Nutrition
- •Stay well hydrated with water throughout the day
- •Eat light, healthy, balanced meals
- •Keep energy-boosting foods readily available for early labor
- •Avoid overeating which could cause nausea during labor
- •Include foods rich in protein and complex carbs
- •Eat regularly to maintain energy
⚕️When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider
During weeks 28 to 40, contact your healthcare provider if you experience:
- •Severe abdominal pain or cramping
- •Heavy bleeding or passing clots
- •Severe headache with vision changes
- •Persistent fever over 100.4°F (38°C)
- •Sudden swelling of hands, face, or feet
- •Decreased fetal movement