26. WOP

Your baby opens his eyes for the first time in the 26th week. Like all babies, his eye color is blue at the beginning. It can take until the 18th month of life for the color to finally develop. We have compiled a list of other things that happen during the 26th week of pregnancy.

Important facts about the 26th week: What you should know

Your baby is about 35 cm long and weighs 900 g. It opens its eyes for the first time in the 26th week. The eyes of all babies are blue before birth.

You are experiencing more pregnancy discomfort and your contractions are increasing.

The baby’s movements also become stronger and your back is increasingly strained by the increasing load.

This happens to you

Child movements

During this week, you will develop a very secure feeling for your baby’s movements and well-being. If you are worried because your baby hasn’t moved for a while or doesn’t react to your touch, you should listen to your gut feeling.

It is usually advised to wait 24 hours and then contact your doctor if the baby does not move.

If your gut tells you something different, you should follow it. It is better to go to the doctor once too often than once too little and endanger your baby.

Weight gain

On average, most pregnant women gain between 7 and 11 kg by the 26th week.

However, the weight develops very individually. In addition, weight fluctuations can occur due to water retention, which is quite normal during pregnancy.

If you are worried about your weight, talk to your gynecologist or midwife about your concerns.

If you want to prevent unnecessary pregnancy kilos, a healthy diet and physical exercise are the best measures.

Uterus grows

Your uterus grows along with your baby from week to week to provide it with enough space. The fundus of the uterus is now about 6 cm above your belly button.

The weight of the uterus causes the organs to shift a little. This is not a cause for concern, because they will all be back in their original places after the birth.

Stretch marks

Stretching skin creates small fibrous tears that cause unsightly stretch marks. The delicate connective tissue is individual in every woman, which is why stretch marks often vary greatly.

Stretch marks in general can unfortunately not be avoided, but gentle creams or nourishing lotions as well as oil help against itching and the feeling of tension.

Tip for expectant fathers

If you already have a child or more, now is a good time to think about how you will tell about the sibling. Many parents rely on books that use lots of pictures to talk about what happens during pregnancy and afterwards.

Pregnancy symptoms in the 26th week of pregnancy and what you can do about them

In the 26th week of gestation, pregnancy discomforts increase again due to the increasing stress on the body.

Exercise contractions

increase

With the 26th WOP, the exercise contra ctions become increasingly stronger and the body prepares for the birth. The exercise contractions are also called Braxton-Hicks contractions.

You will notice them by a slight pulling in your abdomen, but they can also occur with almost no noticeable discomfort. During an exercise contraction, the abdomen becomes hard because the muscles of the uterus contract and practice contractions for the birth.

Practice contractions do not pose any danger to your baby. On the contrary, your body is practicing the processes of birth so that your baby can be delivered without complications.

In the 26th week of pregnancy, all women have practice contractions. You may not notice them as such, but think they are abdominal pain.

Real contractions make themselves felt with severe pain, several times a day and usually for hours. The pain and frequency of real contractions becomes increasingly stronger.

This may be accompanied by a dull ache in the lower back, as well as discharge and cramping in the bowels, and diarrhea.

Listen to your body’s signals and contact your midwife or doctor immediately if you notice irregularities in your labor contractions and feel that something is wrong.

Back problems

Due to the increasing weight of the baby and uterus, you may experience severe back pain, sciatic nerve discomfort and heavy legs.

You can relieve your back and prevent the discomfort if you adopt the correct posture when walking and lifting. The more you arch your back, the more problems your back will experience. Try to keep yourself as straight as possible and thus relieve the spine.

Avoid standing for long periods of time as much as possible and take regular breaks.

Against heavy legs it helps to put your legs up at every opportunity and to shower your calves hot and cold alternately. Massages will also alleviate your discomfort.

Long walks, gentle yoga or swimming can provide you with additional relief from discomfort and keep you fit for the birth.

Have a look at the service program of your midwife. Many offer various treatments for pregnancy discomforts and there is one that can help you.

What happens with the baby

In the 26th week of pregnancy your baby is about 35 cm long and 900 g heavy. It is about the size of a cucumber.

He still likes to move around a lot. He enjoys stretching his arms and legs and regularly sucks his thumb. This helps your offspring train its sucking reflex. After all, it’s essential for survival.

Through the movements and play sessions, your baby trains its grasping reflexes and, by drinking amniotic fluid, its swallowing reflex. This allows the urinary and digestive systems to practice their tasks. At birth, your baby will have more than 70 reflexes.

How your baby develops in the 26th week of gestation

Your baby opens its eyes for the first time in the 26th week and looks around curiously in the belly. From now on, the iris changes color more often and takes on different shades of blue.

Your baby will not develop its own eye color until after birth. Even then, the pigmentation of the iris continues to change for some time. Only at the age of 18 months will the eye color of your darling no longer change.

The nerve pathways are now so developed that the eyes are already connected to the cerebral cortex in the 26th week. Therefore, your baby can not only see, but also recognize colors and shapes.

For several weeks of pregnancy, your baby has also been able to feel when your belly is touched. Now it is reacting more and more strongly to these touches.

If you stroke your belly while your little treasure is active, a strong kick may come back.

This is important now

Plan birth

In the 26th week of pregnancy it is time to start planning the birth. Your partner should already talk to his employer about a leave when the baby comes.

Make a plan together about what is important before, during and after the birth. Then you won’t have to deal with certain things in stressful and highly emotional moments, but can make quick decisions.

Premature birth

About 85% ofpremature babies have a great chance of remaining without a physical or mental disability after birth from the 26th week of gestation

There have always been premature births. But compared to earlier times, medical standards are much higher today. This means that the chance of survival in the event of a premature birth increases greatly.

The reasons for premature births are very different and for most of them it cannot be determined why premature birth occurs.

They range from health problems of the mother, to the family situation, to the lifestyle during pregnancy or the general attitude to life of the expectant mother.

To minimize the risk of premature birth, routine check-ups with your gynecologist are very important. There, your health and that of your baby will be checked regularly.

The signs of pre term birth are those of a normal birth. Rhythmic contractions associated with pain, discharge, bleeding and a dull ache in the back or the breaking of the water are clear indications of the beginning of the birth.

If the signs intensify and the contractions last longer than an hour, it is important that you see your gynecologist immediately.

If the contractions are real, but the amniotic sac is still intact, your doctor can try to stop the contractions with contraceptives . Then your baby can stay in your protective uterus as long as possible. In addition, you will be given cortisone to help your baby’s lungs mature faster.

However, if your water breaks, the birth is imminent and your baby will be born in the 26th week of pregnancy.

This is how you can support your body in the 26th week of pregnancy

Prevent pregnancy poisoning

If there is a very strong weight gain during pregnancy, disturbances in vision, a strong increase in blood pressure and protein in the urine as well as swelling of the feet and hands due to water retention, then these are alarm signs of pregnancy poisoning.

It is known as preeclampsia. It does not occur before the 20th week of gestation and if it is detected early, it does not lead to any complications. An exact cause of pre-eclampsia is not known.

Your gynecologist will always check you for symptoms of pre-eclampsia at your check-up appointments.

Pregnancy bandage

To relieve back pain by supporting the abdomen, a pregnancy bandage can work wonders. Especially in view of the fact that the abdomen will become even heavier as the pregnancy progresses, it makes perfect sense to think about purchasing a pregnancy bandage.

Aqua gymnastics

Nothing is more pleasant for expectant mothers than to release the burden of extra weight for a short time and relax the muscles.

Exercise in the water is the optimal way and gives the high load a time out.

Many pools offer pregnancy aerobics or other light exercise options in the water – find out what works for you. A bath can also be very beneficial and loosen up the muscles to relax

Midwife Tip

If you suffer from severe back problems due to the increasing strain of the uterus and your baby, swimming can provide relief.

Many women go swimming during pregnancy because the weightless movement and floating in the water relieves the body.

Try it out and feel how the strain on your body disappears as you glide through the water.

FAQ

26th week: How big is the baby?

In the 26th week, the baby is about the size of a cucumber and measures about 35 cm from crown to heel.

What happens in the 26th WOP?

In the 26th week, the baby opens its eyes for the first time and continues to train its movements and reflexes diligently. The expectant mother increasingly notices pregnancy discomfort and exercise contractions increase.

What does my baby look like at 26 weeks pregnancy?

In the 26th week, your baby looks like a miniature version of the newborn you will hold in your arms in a few weeks. The body parts are fully developed on the outside and your baby continues to grow in size and weight.

WOP 26: How often do you feel fetal movements?

The baby’s movements can be felt every day in the 26th week of gestation. The baby is very active. It plays in the belly, exercises its reflexes and stretches. The movements can now not only be felt, but also seen and felt on the abdominal wall.

What month are you in at 26 weeks pregnancy?

At 26 weeks pregnancy, you are in the middle of your 7th month of pregnancy.

WOP 26 video

Learn even more about the 26th WOP in this video.

The best products for you and your baby.

Baby monitor

With a baby monitor, you can use your time flexibly, sleep peacefully at night and still know at all times that your baby is doing well.

Nursing pillow

A good breastfeeding pillow has several advantages, because it helps you not only to breastfeed, but also to fall asleep and is also suitable as a nest.

Diaper bags

A diaper bag offers you a lot of storage space, so that you have everything you need for your baby on the go - from the changing pad to the bottle.

Pucksack

A pucksack gives your baby the feeling of security, like in the womb, and thus supports a peaceful and restful sleep.

Bicycle trailer

Bicycle trailers can be used in combination with a baby seat shortly after birth. They are not only safer than child seats but also more comfortable.

Playpen

A playpen can be very practical in everyday life! Which model is suitable for your needs, you can read in my guide.

Baby bed

The first bed accompanies your child for years. Fortunately, there are beds that grow with your child. I have made for you on the search for the best baby beds.

Stroller

A stroller is a worthwhile purchase. But there are the most diverse models on the market. Find out which is the right one.

Radiant heater

Radiant heaters provide your child with the necessary warmth when changing diapers or after bathing.

Extra bed

Side beds are very practical and offer both mother and baby a lot of advantages, because for babies, especially in the first months of life, it is reassuring to be able to sleep next to their parents.

Our latest articles

Read all articlesRead all articles