Week 27: CLEAN ALL THE THINGS

It’s pregnancy week 5, and here’s what’s going on…

MIND

Yup, the baby might not be here yet, but your maternal instincts are in full force. You’ll find yourself being more vocal when it comes to having your needs met, especially in terms of health and safety — suddenly you’re a lot less shy about asking strangers to put out their cigarette or scream-lecturing the guy who almost hit you with his car on the crosswalk. Good for you, Mama Bear, you’ll put that gumption to good use when it comes to protecting your little one!

BODY

3 out of 4 women experience edema or swelling of the feet and hands. It can be perfectly normal — just be sure to remove your rings and wear comfortable shoes. Sometimes, however, it can be a sign of preeclampsia, which is marked by high blood pressure and can cause pregnancy complications. Your doctor will probably be on the lookout for any of these symptoms. In the meantime, put your feet up mama! You’ve still got plenty of pregnancy to go.

BABY

Evidence indicates your baby can cry now, which might be linked to the fact that they can finally open their eyes and are probably (we’re guessing) wondering how they got trapped in this weird dark squishy place filled with liquid that smells vaguely like the eight slices of pizza you had for lunch. Your baby can also tell your voice apart from your partner’s, a skill that’s pretty useless since kids spend so much time pretending they can’t hear their parents at all anyway. Your little one is currently the size of a small kickball, though judging from the beating your insides are taking they might think you’re the kickball. Get used to it, Mama. And rest up!

NEST

Week 27 marks the beginning of the seventh month, when your nesting instinct to CLEAN ALL THE THINGS ironically coincides with a return of fatigue you’ll remember not-so-fondly from the first trimester. It’s ba-aa-ack! You’ll really appreciate those bursts of nesting energy, but do take it easy. Despite how you might feel, the baby’s clothes don’t really need to be laundered three times and folded neatly … after you’ve already scrubbed the baseboards in the nursery … AND alphabetized all the board books.