.You are 26 weeks pregnant! Check out what is happening this week how your 26 week fetus is developing and how your life is changing.
26 Weeks Pregnant
You have officially made it to week 26 of your pregnancy! By now you might be feeling tiny little feet in your rib cage and loving feeling your baby every day move about.
Remember these precious moments because in 14 short weeks they will be gone.
With that being said be sure you are getting plenty of selfies of your 26 weeks pregnant belly even if you are feeling huge.
Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, so embrace it, you are getting close to being done.
How Big Is Baby at 26 Weeks Pregnant?
At 26 weeks pregnant your baby is officially two pounds and is 14 inches long.
How Is My 26 Week Fetus Developing?
Your 26 week fetus is growing like a champ. You baby’s lungs are now starting to produce surfactant which allows his lungs to open and close easier with each breath taken.
Not only this, but your baby continues to move all over the place. Be sure you are monitoring kick counts to make sure your baby is continuing to move.
26 Weeks Pregnant Belly
Look at your 26 week pregnant belly. Can you believe how much it has changed in the last couple of months?
At 26 weeks pregnant your uterus is about 2 ½ inches above your uterus by now. Your belly will grow a ½ a week from now till the end of your pregnancy.
Clothes might be getting a little tighter as your pregnant belly keeps getting bigger. It might be time to go shopping again for some bigger sizes.
Don’t be ashamed I had to do this like three times in my pregnancy.
Be sure you are wearing comfy clothes that don’t restrict you.
I am sure your breasts are continuing to grow, so if you haven’t already, get a supportive bra. It might be helpful to go get fitted to make sure you are wearing the right size to give you the best support to get through your pregnancy.
Glucose Screening
At 26 weeks pregnant you should be visiting your OB for your monthly check-up. At that appointment, you will be going through your glucose screening.
This test usually happens between 26 and 28 weeks.
This is a test for potential gestational diabetes. There is no preparation needed for this test, but be sure you do not eat a lot of foods full of sugar. Eggs are a great choice for breakfast on glucose day.
You will be given a sweet drink to drink and a limited amount of time to drink it all. Then after one hour from drinking the last drop of your sweet drink your blood will be drawn.
When I say a sweet drink it is very sweet. I recall the orange one tasting like the sweetest orange soda I have ever had in my life. To this day I still can’t stomach orange soda in memories of the glucose orange.
If your glucose test comes back and you are in the normal range then you will not have anything else to worry about. You are smooth sailing!
If your glucose results are positive and you have elevated sugar levels then you will have to take another 3-hour test.
If you fail the three-hour test then you will be put on a modified diet for the rest of your pregnancy.
26 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
Edema
Edema is very common at this point in your pregnancy.
It is basically swelling which you are probably noticing every single day. You hands are swelling your feet are swelling and you feel like a balloon.
This is normal and not a fun side effect of pregnancy.
If you find your wedding ring not fitting, it is time to take it off for the remainder of your pregnancy.
Trust me, I am speaking from experience on this one.
My hands were swelling so bad so I had to remove my ring and then one day I tried it on and it fit. I was so proud of myself and I wanted my husband to notice, so I wore it all day long…
Yes, it got tighter, but I didn’t care it was on.
Well, fast forward to the end of the day and it was stuck on and nothing I did got it off. My finger was red and swollen and I was in pain.
I had to go to my husband and tell him I needed help that my ring was stuck on… Yes, we had to cut it off with pliers…
Don’t so this. Be smart. If you are swollen put your wedding ring away until after you are not swollen after your pregnancy.
And if you are wondering, my husband never noticed until I asked him to cut it off.
Sciatica
Is your sciatic nerve giving you trouble? You aren’t alone. As your uterus grows it adds more pressure on your sciatic nerve. You can expect this to continue for the rest of your pregnancy.
To help with the pain from your sciatic nerve apply ice packs to the area.
If the pain persists talk with your doctor because there might be some stretches you can do to help with the pain.
If you decide to take over the counter pain medicine consult your doctor first as to what is safe to take while pregnant.
How Many Months Is 26 Weeks Pregnant?
At 26 weeks pregnant you are 5 months! You are 2 weeks from entering your final trimester.
What to Do at 26 Weeks Pregnant?
Drink Plenty of Fluids
It might be getting harder to drink fluids because you might be feeling like you are running out of room, or that you spend most of your time in the bathroom, but it is so important to keep hydrated.
Exercise
At 26 weeks pregnant you don’t want to get complacent even though it is easy to not want to exercise.
Try to continue to exercise regularly, even if it is a walk around the neighborhood, 10 minutes of swimming in the pool, or prenatal yoga.
These moments of exercise help you destress and stay in shape which you will be grateful for once you deliver your baby.
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Our pregnancy calendar is researched & written by our Pregnancy Editor, Dara Duff-Bergeron. Although she rocks, she is not a health care professional. It’s just for entertainment purposes and any recommendations or information provided should not be used as a substitute for the real deal – a trained medical professional.