26 weeks pregnant symptoms and the development of your baby

26 weeks pregnant in months: Since the pregnancy journey is counted in weeks, you may be wondering how many months 26 weeks pregnant is. In this article, we got the answer to your question.

26 weeks pregnant how many months? 26 weeks pregnant in months is 6 months. So, if you are 26 weeks pregnant, that means, you are on your 6th week of pregnancy and definitely nearing the end of your second trimester. Just 3 more months and you are going to deliver your baby into this world. Are you excited? Read more to know more of what to expect now that you are 26 weeks pregnant.

26 weeks pregnant: How big is your baby?

Most babies, when a mom is 26 weeks pregnant, start to store fats and gain some weight. Your baby now is probably 12 inches long and weighs about half a pound. According to Healthline, your baby at the 26th week of pregnancy is about the size of a head of cabbage. While NHS UK stated that your baby at this stage is about the weight of 6 large carrots.

26 weeks pregnant ultrasound

At this point, you can see a lot of amazing things in 26 weeks pregnant ultrasound. You may see your baby put their hands towards their face. According to flo.health, you may also see that your baby is sticking their tongue out. If you are 26 weeks pregnant, the fetal movement coordination improves and the baby’s movements improve too.

In addition, if you want to know the accurate gender of your baby, then at week 26, your doctor is able to tell you this with accuracy.

Your baby’s development

In this week-by-week pregnancy guide, you’ll learn that:

• You won’t be able to tell your baby’s eye color until they are six months out of your womb. But now that they can open their eyes, there is nothing much to see inside the uterus.
• Their hearing system (cochlea and peripheral sensory organs), which started developing in the 18th week, is now completely formed.
• The air sacs of the lungs, called alveoli, will be completely developed by the end of this week.

At this stage, your baby’s blood cells, taste buds, eyebrows, and eyelashes are now developing. Aside from that, its hair begins to grow, while its lungs start to form. And one of the most amazing parts is that your baby now has footprints and fingerprints.

Furthermore, your baby at 26 weeks of pregnancy, will be opening its eyes for the first time. And of course, the next thing they’ll learn is how to blink. You may hear from other people that all babies are born with blue eyes, then you should know that it is just a myth. The color of your baby’s eyes will depend on you and your partner’s genetics. You will not know the permanent color of your baby’s eyes until they reach the age of 3 years old.

26 weeks pregnant symptoms

You should also be prepared for 26 weeks pregnant symptoms that you may experience in this course of your pregnancy.

• You will see an extremely protruding bump. Your uterus will be about 6.35 cm above the belly button.
• You are an insomniac because you are (and have been) working your way through backaches, heartburn, and leg cramps. These make it difficult to drift off peacefully.
• You are experiencing high blood pressure. It is probably still lower than before you conceived, but you may have to check for preeclampsia. It is a condition characterized by high blood pressure.
• You are experiencing round ligament pain, which is caused by your expanding uterus.
• Is your vision becoming blurry? This is probably because hormones decrease tear production, and this leads to dry eyes. 

Braxton Hicks contractions or false labor will be more frequent and stronger at week 26. You need to know the difference between true labor and Braxton Hicks contractions to avoid worrying.

According to Cleveland Clinic, you will know if what you are experiencing is a real contraction or not by monitoring the intervals between contractions. Braxton Hicks contractions are irregular, and not intensely painful. It goes away on its own when you change position or change the activity you are doing when the contractions happen.

Meanwhile, real labor contractions will come at more regular intervals and it does not go away easier even if you change positions. In addition, it comes intensely painful.

Other 26 weeks pregnant symptoms that you may experience are:

• Stretchmarks
• Swollen and bleeding gums
• Nosebleeds
• Indigestion
• Bloating and constipation
• Thicker and shinier hair
• Vaginal and urine infections

Gestational diabetes

Because of your fluctuating hormones, you may also experience gestational diabetes during your 26 weeks of pregnancy. It occurs when your body shows a degree of glucose intolerance during pregnancy.

There are two kinds of gestational diabetes. The first type of gestational diabetes can be controlled by changing your lifestyle such as sticking to a diet, having regular exercise, and nutritional counseling.

On the other hand, the second type of gestational diabetes needs medication and insulin to control the symptoms. That is why it is important to let your doctor check your blood sugar during this stage.

You should also monitor any signs of gestational diabetes and consult your doctor right away if you experience the following symptoms. According to NHS UK, the following are the common symptoms of gestational diabetes:

• Dry mouth
• Tiredness or fatigue
• Frequent need to urinate
• Increased thirst

The said symptoms may be normal for a pregnant woman, however, if those symptoms cause you to worry then better consult a doctor. Remember, prevention is always better than cure. It’s better to consult your doctor to be sure if what you are experiencing is really a sign of gestational diabetes or not. To diagnose gestational diabetes, your doctor may ask you to undergo a glucose tolerance test.

Gestational diabetes, if not treated, may result in pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, larger-than-expected infant size, and an increased risk of cesarean delivery.

Belly size at 26 weeks pregnant

The belly size at 26 weeks pregnant differs from woman to woman. However, commonly, at 26 weeks of pregnancy, your uterus is about 2 ½ inches above your belly button. The skin of your baby bump may feel tight and itchy. Make sure to moisturize and hydrate your skin to give it more elasticity.

26 weeks pregnant baby position

Since you are now nearing the end of your second trimester and the beginning of your third trimester, your baby at 26 weeks pregnant will start to find a position for birth.

26 weeks pregnant baby position: At this stage, your baby will turn to head face down position. It is also important to know that if your baby positions horizontally across your belly, it is perfectly normal and there’s nothing to worry about. It is just preparing to position for birth.

Pregnancy care

• Keep a check on your food and exercise to strengthen the walls of your uterus in preparation for the birth.  Make sure to maintain a nutritious diet that contains protein, iron, calcium, folic acid, and calories. These are the nutrients you highly need during pregnancy. Remember that the food you eat will be your baby’s primary source of nutrition. So, never eat anything that may harm your baby. Make sure to eat only what is healthy for you and your baby. In addition, you still need to do light exercises. These can help you with your sleeping problems or insomnia. Light exercise can help you sleep better at night.
• If you are experiencing round ligament pain, try to do some gentle exercises to prepare the pelvic bone.
• Now, that your baby can actually hear you from your womb, then it’s a perfect time to talk to your baby. Shower them with loving words and affirmation. The parent-child relationship can start now that you are 26 weeks pregnant. Bond with your baby by talking to them lovingly.

Your checklist

• Fix up a time for a maternity photoshoot.
• It is time to go shopping, again! Yes, you have to dress that bump and the protruding belly from prying eyes.
• Set up a maternity tour of your hospital.

Your next week: 27 weeks pregnant

Your previous week: 25 weeks pregnant

Additional information from Jobelle Macayan

Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.