This is the third part of a 3 part series on your baby’s development during pregnancy. If you missed it, you can find out about your baby’s development in the first trimester and second trimester.
What do I need to know?
The late part of your pregnancy is about 3 months long and is also known as the third trimester. Your baby’s organs can function by 37 weeks and will continue to develop and mature until 40 weeks. Learn the signs of preterm labour to avoid the problems that preterm babies may experience.
What’s happening and when?
|
Week |
Highlights of Development |
|
| 27 | Taste buds are developed |  |
| 28 | Pupils can react to light | |
| 29 | Sense of taste is present | |
| 30 | Baby can hear sounds outside of your body | |
| 31 | Your immunities are passed to your baby to help fight off infections after birth | |
| 32 | Babies usually move into a head-down position at this time | |
| 33 | Lanugo on the body starts to disappear
You may feel your baby hiccup |
 |
| 34 | Skin is smooth, pink, and thickly covered with vernix | |
| 35 | Baby is putting on fat to help adjust to the cooler temperatures outside of the uterus | |
| 36 | Baby has established a sleep-wake pattern | |
| 37 | Your baby is full term but is still maturing |  |
| 38 | There is about 1 litre of amniotic fluid in your uterus | |
| 39 | The lungs are mature now | |
| 40 | Your baby is ready to be born | |
By the end of 40 weeks in pregnancy, your baby is approximately 50 cm long and weighs about 3.2 to 3.6 kg.
Fetal development follows a predictable course but it’s important to note that the measurements mentioned here may vary from your baby’s actual length and weight. If you have any questions or concerns about your baby’s development, be sure to speak with your health care provider.
