Welcome to week 26 of your pregnancy! This week, your baby is as big as a zucchini. Here's what else you can expect this week.
Your baby
By 26 weeks, your baby is about the size of a zucchini, weighing approximately 760 grams. Their little eyes are starting to open, and although vision is limited, they can detect light from outside your belly. Lung development continues, and the skin, once wrinkled and transparent, is becoming smoother as they accumulate more baby fat. Those tiny ears are becoming more sensitive too.
You
Your ever-expanding uterus may have pushed your “innie” belly button into an “outie” and those ribs are a bit sore. As your centre of gravity keeps shifting, your backache increases even when wearing your new favourite comfy flats. What’s that coming out of your nipples? Don’t be alarmed. It’s just colostrum, the first milk you produce. You may need to start using breast-pads.
You're making steady progress, but it mightn't feel like it... It can sometimes start to feel like it's dragging around now. Never fear, you're making sure that little cuteser is nicely plumped up for their earthly debut. Nothing much has changed for you in the past week, but your baby is making some improvements.
Anything else?
Some of the new joys you might face show up around now. Like extra trouble sleeping, for example. The closer you get to your due date, the tougher it might be to get some rest. Watch your caffeine intake, stay hydrated and get a little exercise to help your body settle down at night. It's also normal to have some mild swelling around week 26 of pregnancy. But it’s important to watch out for swelling that’s severe or sudden, which could be a sign of a dangerous condition called preeclampsia. Call your doctor if your swelling is concerning.
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