Those lovely eyes

If a camera could be placed in the uterus, or you could look directly inside, you would be able to see your baby's eyes (2) . The eye colour is already established and, believe it or not, the baby may blink at you. By this week, the baby is beginning to open and close its eyes. Brain (1) development continues rapidly, and responses to sound have increased. The baby is nearly 25 centimetres long and weighs around 1000 grams. Nose (3), wrist (4), tongue (5), heart (6)

At 27 weeks, the end of the second trimester, you may experience breathing and sleep difficulties. Shortness of breath may be particularly noticeable when lying down. This does not harm your baby, but using more pillows at night may make you more comfortable. Many women find that sleep brings discomfort rather than rest at this stage. Underlying worries may appear as nightmares, and falling asleep may become difficult. Experienced mothers say that a half-hour walk before bedtime can be helpful.

Another point to watch is your blood pressure. Your doctor measures it at each appointment, but repeating the measurement every 3-4 days can also be useful. You have entered the period of increased risk for pre-eclampsia, sometimes referred to as pregnancy poisoning.

You may have noticed during routine ultrasound examinations that you can no longer see the entire baby at once. The baby is now examined in sections. Measurements allow an estimate of weight that is close to the actual value.

This week marks the end of your second trimester. You have completed most of the journey.

A baby born at 27 weeks