26 Weeks Pregnant
Here's what's happening during Week 26 of your pregnancy:
Your Growing Baby
The eyelids separate and the eyes are starting to open. Lungs are beginning to develop surfactant, which allows them to inflate. The fetus begins to sleep for longer periods, often when you do. Length: 14 inches; weight: almost 2 pounds.
This week marks a major milestone in your baby's hearing and sight. Your baby's hearing system (cochlea and peripheral sensory end organs), which began fine development during week eighteen, is now completely formed, and over the next few weeks, she'll become increasingly sensitive to sound. In about a month, you'll feel her jump if she hears a sudden loud noise. Sound passes easily into your uterus, which helps her ears develop. Her eyes are almost fully formed. Did you know that all babies have blue eyes in the womb, no matter what their genetic inheritance is? A baby's eyes don't get their final color until a few months after they are born. The air sacs of the lungs, called alveoli, will be developed by the end of this week and will begin to secrete a substance called surfactant that keeps the lung tissue from sticking together.
Your Growing Belly
Sleeping is definitely getting uncomfortable. Try sleeping on your left side. Your baby has to battle with your backbone when you're lying on your back, and sleeping on your back will also position your uterus over a major artery, cutting off blood flow. Our trimester-by-trimester sleep guide will help you get the rest you need now >>Tips & To-Do's
GDM Screening
Between 24-28 weeks, you may be tested for gestational diabetes with a glucose tolerance test. At your doctor’s office, you drink a bottle of super-sweet soda—think Mountain Dew spiked with pancake syrup—and an hour later, your blood is drawn. Who's most at risk for gestational diabetes >>
Things to think about this week: A friend from the office offers you the car seat that her son has outgrown. Should you accept? The lowdown on hand-me downs >>
