At 26 weeks pregnant, you're rounding the corner of the second trimester and you are almost to the third!
Your baby's beautiful eyes may open this week. And symptoms-wise, you may be struggling more with pregnancy insomnia and clumsiness as your tummy continues to grow. If you're 26 weeks pregnant, you're in month 6 of your pregnancy. Only 3 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy. What's up with your baby's growth this week? She now weighs a full 2 pounds and measures 14-plus inches long. Your baby will soon be feeling a little cramped in your uterus — but not to worry, there's still plenty of space in there to grow. It just means your tiny gymnast will have less room for those somersaults, cartwheels and other Olympic feats. Look who's looking! It's your baby! Those little eyes — which have been closed for the past few months so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop — are beginning to open at 26 weeks pregnant. That means your baby is able to see what's going on now, though unfortunately the view in your uterus isn't all that exciting. But do try this at home for kicks: Shine a flashlight at your stomach. Your little peanut might kick in response — as in: "Get that light out of my eyes!" Right now, the iris, which is the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have much pigmentation — that'll fill in over the next month or two — so it's too early to start guessing your little one's eye color. And even the color your baby is born with might not be the permanent shade. You may be kept guessing until she's a year old, with the most dramatic changes occurring by about 6 months. Look what else is going on this week: Your baby's brain-wave activity is gearing up at this stage in fetal development, which means your little one can not only hear noises but can now also respond to them. Not in so many words, of course, but with an increase in pulse rate or movement. At 26 weeks pregnant, you're two-thirds of the way through your pregnancy and your uterus is about 2½ inches above your belly button. And speaking of your navel, have you noticed that it's taken on a life of its own — a larger-than-life life? A newly outie belly button may not be your idea of forward fashion, especially when you have a navel piercing or when your once innie belly button now bulges through tight clothes, but it's de rigueur for the pregnant set. And it's easy to understand why. Beginning somewhere around the middle to end of your second trimester, your enlarging uterus swells enough to push your abdomen forward, making your navel pop out like a timer on a well-done turkey — even though you have a way to go before your baby is "well done." Your belly button should revert back to its regular position a few months after delivery — though it may have that stretched-out, "lived in" look. While you may need to take out your belly button piercing if it gets too tight, try to look on the bright side: It gives you a chance to clean out all the lint that's accumulated there since you were a kid. If a full night's rest has become elusive, welcome to the (sleepless) world of pregnancy insomnia. Between heartburn and leg cramps, bathroom runs and that big beach ball — with its protruding navel! — beneath your nightie, it's no wonder your body's having trouble calming down and drifting off. But there are lots of tactics to try that should help keep you in bed instead of pacing the floor, including daytime exercise, a daily dose of fresh air and limiting fluids before you hit the hay. Feel like you're carrying the Karate Kid with all the kicking going on? Your baby is actually practicing all kinds of movements that will eventually be used in life on the outside — including pedaling against your belly, a sort of pre-walking skill. As your baby's nervous system becomes more developed, fetal movements will become much more coordinated. And as she gets bigger and stronger, those movements will become much more powerful...and occasionally, even painful to you. If your baby lands a good one, that tiny left hook might hurt — a lot. Another trick she may try — stretching that leg out so far that the foot becomes lodged between your ribs. Next time you come under attack, try changing positions or doing some stretches of your own. You can also gently push your baby back with your hand when your knee-jerker jerks a little too hard. You just might be able to send your little slugger back into the corner of the ring! If frequent trips to the bathroom are standing between you and a good night's sleep, cut back on the amount you drink after dinnertime (just get enough fluids before then). Drink if you're thirsty, but don't guzzle a 16-ounce bottle of water right before bed. When it comes to meat, fish or poultry, half-baked isn't baked enough for you. Pierce your cooked chicken with a fork — if the juice comes out red, it's undercooked, so put it back in the oven and let it heat up till the fluid runs clear. Cut through the thickest part of cooked meat and chops to make sure the middle is gray or brown with no rare spots. And instead of searing fish and serving it rare or medium, bake, broil, grill or poach it until it's cooked through. Better still, check the temperature with a quality meat thermometer. Remember these "fully cooked" temps of some family favorites: Whole chicken and turkey: 165 degrees Fahrenheit Beef, veal, lamb and pork roasts, chops and steaks: 145 degrees F Chicken breasts: 165 degrees F Ground chicken and turkey: 165 degrees F Ground beef, veal, lamb and pork: 160 degrees F Fish: 145 degrees F Precooked ham: 140 degrees F Putting the nursery together is super exciting, but remember: safety first. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sets strict standards for crib manufacturers and retailers. These requirements include stronger mattress supports and crib slats, extremely durable crib hardware and rigorous safety testing. Also, the CPSC put an end to manufacturing and selling dangerous drop-side cribs. So avoid buying that vintage (read: discontinued) drop-side crib — it poses a risk to your newborn. You know that getting light to moderate exercise throughout pregnancy is good for you (assuming your doctor has given you the green light). But once you start feeling baby kick, you may find yourself with a little workout buddy every time you go for a walk, do some laps in the pool or hit the gym. Be aware that every baby in utero responds differently to Mom's exercise routine, however. Some may be lulled to sleep by the movement, while others might seem to start a workout of their own — "Look, I can kickbox too!" Talk to your practitioner about what intensity level is right for you and your tiny fitness partner, and what kind of fetal movement you can expect during and after your exercise session. Feeling festive? Even if you can’t pour one out yet, you can still cheers to to a good time with a mocktail — a cocktail minus the alcohol. For a double dose of vitamin C, combine a handful of ice with ? cup of grapefruit juice, juice from half of a lime,¼ cup of chilled filtered water, and 1 teaspoon of maple syrup in a cocktail shaker and shake well. To serve, add five to six ice cubes to a glass, pour in the mocktail, and garnish with a slice of lime. Between your burgeoning belly and your aching back, it isn't always easy to stand up … never mind stand up straight. But try to resist the tendency to thrust your hips and stomach forward and throw your shoulders back when you're walking, as that could exacerbate those pregnancy pains. Instead, aim for a straight line between your shoulders and your hips when you're up and about — and to see what that feels like, back up against a wall. While you're at it, do some standing pelvic tilts. Sit smart by putting a pillow behind your lower back for support. As your bump grows, you’ll likely have more lower back and pelvic pain. Belly support bands can really help, though you might have to experiment to find the right one. Later in pregnancy, you might even benefit from one with shoulder straps. Pregnancy can cause some pretty wacky complexion complexities (thank you, hormones!) — from excessive oiliness to excessive dryness (or both at the same time), acne to blotchiness, and most strangely, melasma, a patchy skin discoloration. If pimples are the problem, wash your face two to three times a day with a thorough but gentle cleanser — harsh ones will only leave skin more open to irritation. Exfoliate very gently too, around once a week, and finish off with an oil-free moisturizer. Overly stripped skin is more prone to breakouts.Your Baby at Week 26
At a Glance
26 weeks pregnant is how many months?
How big is my baby at 26 weeks?
Baby’s eyes open
Brain-wave activity kicks in
Your Body at Week 26
Protruding navel
Insomnia
Baby's movements in the womb
Pregnancy Symptoms Week 26
Tips for You This Week
Reviewed October 5, 2023 From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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