Baby News at 27 Weeks

Head to heels, our baby now measures about 14 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga or an English hothouse cucumber. She's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if we could see it, we would now be able to discern its color and texture. Any guesses?

The network of nerves in her ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both of our voices as we chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she is born and takes that first gulp of air.

Just a minute a ago, as I was typing, I was sitting with a pillow on my lap and she kicked so hard the pillow moved.