Your Pregnancy: Week 26

If that second trimester honeymoon feeling is starting to wear off, you’re definitely not alone! The symptoms that you experienced in the beginning of your pregnancy, like nausea, might be gone by now, but they may have been replaced by symptoms like these:

Lower Back Pain
Now that your bump is of a certain size, there’s a good chance that the back pain has set in. Make sure you get off your feet whenever possible, and check with your OB-GYN to find out what medication might be safe if you need it.

Headaches
All those hormones are still wreaking havoc on your body, and that can cause headaches. All the stress you’re feeling about your impending life changes might have a little something to do with it, too.

Swelling
If you feel a bit puffier these days, that’s normal — though if the swelling ramps up quickly or seems unusual, it’s a good time to ask the doc about it. In the meantime, you might want to ditch any rings at this point before you’re unable to get them off your fingers!

Insomnia
Some pregnant people will start having a hard time falling asleep (and staying asleep) around this time, no matter how tired they might feel during the day. If you haven’t already invested in a pregnancy pillow, now might be the time!

In week 26 of pregnancy, how many months along are you? You’re still six months pregnant.

You probably aren’t getting an ultrasound this week, but if you did, you’d see a baby who spends most of their time sleeping — that’s the life! At this point, they’re continuing to grow, put on weight, and maybe even opening their eyes, and you might even notice that they’re interacting with you when you poke your tummy.

Now that you’ve reached week 26, you’ve probably got a pretty sizeable bump that looks super cute in maternity clothes! And your baby is becoming pretty solid, too. At this point, they’re about 14 inches long and weigh almost two pounds, if not more — that’s some impressive growth!

Have you pre-registered at the hospital you’re planning to give birth at yet? It’s a good time to start getting those wheels in motion if not — the third trimester will be a busy (and occasionally uncomfortable) time, so the more you can get done now, the better.

Some hospitals will allow you to register online, so do some digging and find out what you need to do. If you’re planning on taking any childbirth or newborn classes at the hospital, it’s also a good time to get those done. By checking things like this off your list, you’ll feel even more prepared to take on motherhood, and every little bit helps!

Here’s what you might want to work on this week:

• Book maternity photos and newborn photos, if you’re planning on taking them
• Work on assembling the nursery and decorating (so much fun!)
• Start researching what you want to put in your hospital bag, and place any online orders you might need to make
• Communicate with your baby — talk to them, sing to them, touch your belly. They might surprise you by responding!

Week 26 is a great time to focus on making sure you’re getting enough selenium in your diet. Selenium helps regulate your immune system and your thyroid, and you should be aiming to get around 60 mcg a day. Selenium can be found in these foods:

• Tuna
• Brazil nuts
• Ham
• Mushrooms
• Bananas
• Oatmeal

While you should definitely call your OB-GYN anytime you feel something might be amiss, any unusual bleeding or cramping are both reasons to get a visit in ASAP, as well as experiencing symptoms like painful urination. And if that lightheadness you might be feeling leads to actual fainting or passing out, it’s important to call or stop into your emergency room, too.

Keep an eye out for any unusual swelling, since that could be a sign of preeclampsia, and it’s important to call your doctor if you have itchy palms or feet, which might mean that you’re experiencing cholestasis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pregnant women are at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and death compared to non-pregnant women. Furthermore, pregnant people with COVID-19 are at increased risk of delivering a baby before 37 weeks (preterm birth) and other adverse ramifications.

Note: If you are visiting a medical professional during COVID, make sure to ask about the facility’s safety measures and confirm that they are following COVID protocols as indicated by the CDC.

It can be hard to make the non-carrying partner feel as involved as the pregnant partner in any relationship, but this can be especially true for queer expectant parents. Now that you’re well past the halfway point in your pregnancy, help your partner experience the bond you’re feeling with baby by reading and talking to them every day. They’ll grow to recognize their voice just as much as they recognize yours, and the closeness can really help your partner feel more of a part of your pregnancy.