BABYCENTER UPDATES...28 WEEKS

You are now 28 weeks pregnant (or in your 29th week if that's how you prefer to count it).

How your baby's growing

Your baby can now open his eyes and will turn his head towards the source of any continuous bright light. His fingernails are budding, and fat layers are beginning to form as he gets ready for life outside the womb. If you like the thought of interacting with your baby while he's still in the womb, then singing and reading to your baby is a good way to do it - but don't worry if you feel uncomfortable - it's not for everyone. By this week, your baby weighs nearly 2.3 pounds / a little over 1 kilogram and may measure 14.8 inches / 38 centimetres from top to toe.

You may notice about now, that your baby moves around a lot more when you have a bath or shower. She's responding to the light and noise. Your breasts may begin to produce colostrum, the concentrated early milk, so don't be surprised if they leak a little.

How your life's changing

There's not long to go now. The final trimester starts this week and lasts until the end of your pregnancy - usually week 40 or beyond. Most women gain an average of 5 kg/11 lb during this time. You may see your doctor more often from now on but you don't have to wait for an appointment if you want to discuss anything - just ring.

You're in the home stretch. The third trimester typically starts at week 29 and lasts until week 40 and sometimes even beyond. (Don't worry - 42 weeks is the maximum! After that, a woman usually is induced to give birth.) Most women gain an average of 11 pounds / 5 kilograms during this trimester.

You're probably vacillating between two feelings: "I've been pregnant forever" and "Help, I'm not ready for this." Don't worry, you're not the only one. Swapping experiences with other women in your antenatal class can be reassuring. Try to arrange a tour of your hospital's labour and delivery ward so you know what to expect. Your antenatal class may organise one or the hospital may have an open evening, so ring to check. You could also read some of our birth stories to help you prepare for the big day. Checking off things on your to-do list can help. Start selecting possible baby names and begin thinking about life after the birth as well.

If you're a dad, you may be beginning to worry about having to watch your wife go through childbirth and wondering how helpful you'll be. Knowing the different stages of labour is a good place to start, then read up about labour partners to find out what you can do. Make sure you know what to expect if things don't go straightforwardly. Your baby may need help to be born so find out about assisted deliveries and caesarean section.

You'll probably be seeing your doctor more often in these last few weeks!!!