Your baby opens its eyes, When you are 26 weeks pregnant, you are almost at the end of pregnancy’s second trimester. From this week onward, you will see a rapid increase in your abdominal size, and your discomfort level may increase a little bit this week as well as in the coming weeks.
The increase in belly size means there is more room for your developing baby, and the baby can easily move inside your abdomen. As the baby’s movements increase, you cannot sleep, and the discomfort level also increases. A few weeks have passed since the arrival of those babies’ big movements. You’re probably getting ready for the arrival of your child right now. You might be busy with things like setting up the nursery, deciding on a name, and packing your travel bag. If you haven’t started these things yet, now is the best time to start. Even if you are busy with all these things, make sure to eat a healthy diet and regularly get some exercise.
Symptoms experienced by a 26 weeks pregnant woman:
With the increase in your weight and belly size, you may experience several discomforts, such as rib pain, heartburn, indigestion, or stitch-like pain along the sides of the abdomen as your uterine muscle stretches.
During pregnancy, your body produces greater amounts of progesterone, which helps to relax the muscle tissues throughout the body, including the GI tract. This increase in hormone production slows down your digestive process, so you may experience constipation during pregnancy. Discuss the treatments for constipation with your healthcare provider.
Braxton Hicks contractions are becoming more common as time goes on. Though such contractions are painless, they are similar to menstrual cramps. You may notice these contractions at regular intervals. The incidence of Braxton Hicks contractions means your body is planning for delivery, and this will help tone the uterus for labor.
You are more likely to get back pain during this time, and this condition is due to the softening of the ligaments that prepare you for birth.
During the second trimester of pregnancy, most pregnant women notice nervous and restless legs, a very common condition identified as restless leg syndrome. To decrease the severity of this condition, reduce caffeine intake, gradually stretch the calf muscles, and consider a deep muscle massage.
As there is a great increase in your weight and belly size, it is common to experience some problems such as headaches, back pain, pelvic pain, and leg cramps. Some women may also notice high blood pressure, so it is essential to take additional care to overcome such conditions.
Some women may also experience dry eyes and clumsiness. As the ligaments are relaxing, it is more common to become clumsy than usual. So, it is very important to take precautions to avoid falling on your belly. If you have more discomfort with your eyes, you can use eye drops with your doctor’s prescription. A serious vision problem during pregnancy indicates diabetes or high blood pressure. If this is the case with you, make sure to consult your doctor. Pregnancy
Physical changes that occur:
Your uterus is now the size of a volleyball and is about 2 1/2 inches above the belly button during pregnancy week 26. So, it is very common for pregnant women to experience sudden relaxing and tightening of the uterus. From this week on, you will gain about a pound per week.
You may observe more vaginal discharge during this week. Instead of using special wipes to keep the vagina clean and odor-free, it is better to take frequent baths and wear pantyliners to stay hygienic and dry.
In the meantime, your hair may be fuller and thicker. You may also observe more stray hairs elsewhere on your body, but most of those will be gone 3-6 months after you give birth. Breast pain
Fetal changes that occur in a 26-week pregnant woman:
When you are 26 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 14 inches from head to toe and weighs 1 pound, 12 ounces to 2 pounds, 3 ounces. The baby is now approximately the size of three oranges. 50% of the babies that get to this age will survive if delivered. Remember that these measurements are just averages, and each baby has unique height and weight patterns.
By this week, your baby will have the ability to see and hear the sounds. Though your baby has been able to sense the bright light for the past few weeks, all this has been experienced with closed eyelids. The baby’s eyelashes and eyebrows are detectable. Also, your baby is practicing exhaling and inhaling the amniotic fluid this week, which is very important because it prepares your baby for life outside your womb.
Because your baby can hear clearly, spend quality time talking to him. Also, remind your partner to do the same.
This time, your baby’s movements are much more pronounced. As the baby’s nervous system becomes more developed, then his/her movements will become much more coordinated. When the baby increases in height and weight, movements will become more powerful and sometimes painful.
This week, the growth of hair on the baby’s head takes place, which you can identify during a 26-week pregnancy ultrasound scan.
By this time, the air sacs in the baby’s lungs are well developed, and the baby starts to secrete much more surfactant to keep the tissues stuck within the lungs.
Baby’s previously transparent skin becomes opaque and begins to take on the color it had at birth. Also, fat deposition under the baby’s skin continues this week, thus making the skin wrinkleless.
This week, there will be rapid development in organs and brain tissues. Activity levels of the baby’s brain continue to develop, and they also perform at accelerated stages for the first seven to eight years of childhood. Embryo transfer
What care should be taken by a 26 weeks pregnant woman?
As constipation during pregnancy is a common condition with many women, consuming a fiber-rich diet and eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help reduce the condition.
Make sure to get some fresh air every day and some physical exercise. These types of things can help reduce sleeplessness.
If you are not vaccinated, it will be a bit late at this time. Furthermore, from the seventh month onwards, air travel is not advised due to the possibility of going into labor. So, before planning your air travel, make sure to take your doctor’s advice.
You should be careful with your diet. Fatty foods should be avoided because they can cause stomach discomfort. Whenever you sit or lay down, make sure to maintain the correct posture.
As you get bigger each week, you should be careful with your feet. Don’t expose yourself to the sun or cold, and try to keep track of your vaginal discharges.
Have a wonderful pregnancy journey! Go on to know more about the exciting things during pregnancy week 27…
