Pregnancy Week By Week: 26 Weeks Pregnant

You’re almost done with your second trimester! Well done! During your 26th week of pregnancy, there’s a lot to anticipate and the anxiousness of getting closer to the finish line can take its toll on you and overwhelm you. By knowing what to expect and breaking things down, you can be prepared and ease the situation. In this article, we’ll tell you what you need to know to help you on your journey during your 26th week of pregnancy:

26 weeks pregnant symptoms

Via: My Southern Health – 26 weeks pregnant

Understanding your symptoms will help reduce the anxiety that appears when something feels off. With pregnancy, everything is new, and not knowing whether this is ok or not can cause so much more anxiety that only adds to your stress. Here are the most common symptoms to expect during your 26th week of pregnancy.

• Fatigue
• Sleeping problems (Check Week 19 for information about feeling tired)
• Stretch marks
• Swollen and bleeding gums
• Pains on the side of your baby bump
• Piles
• Backache and pelvic pain
• Nosebleeds
• Indigestion and heartburn
• Bloating and constipation
• Leg cramps
• Feeling hot
• Dizziness
• Swollen limbs
• Thicker and shinier hair
• Braxton Hicks contractions
• Vivid dreams

26 weeks pregnant belly

During your 26th week of pregnancy, your baby is around 35 cm long and weighs almost 0.8 kg. That means your baby is around the size of a red cabbage. By now, their senses are working and they can hear, see, and even taste. You can even experience them moving in response to you pressing your hand around your belly which can be quite exciting. During this week, your baby starts growing fat and muscles, too.

26 weeks pregnant checklist

There comes a time during your pregnancy when things need to be checked in order to make sure that you and your baby are ok. During this week, it’s important to test your blood to find out your RH type. That’s because if you turn out to be RH-negative and your baby turns out to be Rh-positive, the risk of health problems for your baby increase.

Because there is no way of knowing your baby’s blood type until they are born, if you turn out to be RH-negative, there are a few precautions that need to be taken such as taking a special injection known as Anti-D. Here is your 26 weeks pregnancy checklist:

• Blood screenings (ask your doctor for what tests need to be done)
• Antibody screen for Rh negative (Rh Factor)
• Glucose tolerance test for diagnosing gestational diabetes
• Understand Postpartum diet and recovery
• Get familiar with Braxton-Hicks contractions
• Start preparing for your baby’s arrival

Further reading:

• Pregnancy Essentials Checklist Every Mom-to-be Needs
• Baby Names That Start With the Letter “M”
• Exercises for Back Pain During Pregnancy

Sources used in this article:

• Week by week guide to pregnancy – NHS
• 26 weeks pregnant – Raising children.au
• Pregnancy week 26 – American Pregnancy