At 26 weeks pregnant, your baby weighs an astonishing 1.7 pounds, and he or she is roughly 14 inches from head to heel, which is comparable to the length of a cucumber.
Your baby is getting plumber and rounder. At 26 weeks pregnant, your little one is starting to add a little fat to his or her bones. He or she will gain the most weight in the final weeks of pregnancy.
Fun Fact: If your baby is born prematurely at 26 weeks pregnant, his or her survival rate is 60 percent in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
The brain continues to develop during pregnant 26 weeks. Right now, your one's brain is smooth, and the nerve cells on the surface of your child's brain don't have neutral connections with one another. This will change in the next few weeks. Eventually, the nerve cells will make a myriad of connections with each other.
At 26 weeks pregnant, your baby's heart continues to beat strong, and you might even get to hear his or her heartbeat if you place a traditional stethoscope on your stomach. (Not every woman can do this; so don't get too bummed if you can't find your baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope. The Doppler ultrasound is much more effective in picking up your little one's heart beat.)
Helpful Tip: Spend some quality time with your baby this week. Talk to your little one, read a book, or play relaxing music for him or her. He or she may respond to you by moving or gently tapping on your womb.
The nerve pathways in your baby's ears continue to develop at 26 weeks pregnant. This allows your little bundle of joy to respond to your voice and external noises with more consistency. For example, you may find that loud noises startle your baby and cause him or her to jump.
At 26 weeks pregnant, your baby has the ability to make coordinated movements. Right now, in your womb, your little bundle of joy could be sucking on his thumb, or even his foot. There's still plenty of room to move around in the uterus, so your baby might be trying out all kinds of movements and positions.
At 26 weeks pregnant, your uterus is roughly 2.5 inches above your belly button. With each passing week, your uterus will grow about one centimeter more. If you haven't already, you should document your growing belly and snap photos of yourself week to week.
You are probably feeling your baby's movements more often now. Since your baby still has lots of room to move in the womb, he or she may be quite active, especially at night when you're trying to wind down. Enjoy these quiet moments with your baby; they won't last forever.
If you haven't already, you'll want to sign up for a childbirth preparation class. Bradley and Lamaze are the two most popular in the United States, though HynoBirthing is also gaining in popularity. You can also find birthing classes at your local hospital. Make it a priority to talk to your healthcare provider this week about what classes he or she recommends.
At 26 weeks pregnant, spend some private time with your significant other. Sometimes, in the excitement of pregnancy, we can neglect aspects of our personal relationships. Why don't you allow your partner or husband to spend time rubbing and touching your stomach? He might just get to feel your baby kick. This is a wonderful bonding experience for the two of you.
At 26 weeks pregnant, as your uterus continues to expand, you are definitely feeling the aches and pains of pregnancy. The "honeymoon" that you've had from all those uncomfortable symptoms is nearly over, and physical discomforts are becoming a way of life.
Lower back discomfort and achiness is a common pregnancy symptom at 26 weeks pregnant, as a result of physical and hormonal changes. Your growing uterus shifts your center of gravity, which will weaken and stretch out your abdominal muscles. In addition, your hormones, especially a hormone called relaxin, relax all the joints and ligaments in your body. With more weight to carry around, this can add more stress on your muscles and joints. As a result, lower back discomfort is worse at the end of the day.
Leg cramps are also normal at 26 weeks pregnant. If you had leg cramps earlier in your pregnancy weeks, this symptom is probably worse now. Researchers don't fully understand why pregnant women experience leg cramps, but it may be due to the strain of leg muscles having to carry around your extra weight, or the pressure of a heavy uterus on the blood vessels that transport blood from your legs to the heart.
Helpful Tip: Pay attention to your posture. Bad pasture can make back pain and discomfort even worse. Try to stand as straight as you can.
Whatever the cause of leg cramps, you can minimize your discomfort by stretching frequently during the day. Make sure that you don't get overly tired. Rest and elevate your feet whenever you can, since this can improve blood circulation. A relaxing massage and a warm bath may also help with pregnancy leg cramps.
Rib pain and discomfort is a pregnancy symptom you may experience at 26 weeks pregnant. As your uterus expands, it will press against your internal organs and give you some discomfort. It's also not uncommon for pregnant women to feel pressure, or a sharp, stabbing pain underneath their ribs. You may also have rib pain if your baby moves in the wrong way. When rib discomfort strikes, try to lie down or switch positions. This may give you some relief.
You have probably put on some weight at this point in time, up to 23 pounds for some women. Your weight may fluctuate from day to day due to water retention so try not to weight yourself every day, as this could prove discouraging during your pregnancy.
Boy or Girl? Old Wives' Tales for Gender Prediction
By pregnancy 26 weeks, you probably already know whether you're having a little boy or girl. Your ultrasound scan at 20 weeks pregnant revealed this information to you. However, if you are one of the couples who want their baby's gender kept a secret, you may be asking, "Boy or Girl?" Guessing your baby's gender is always fun, since you have a 50-50 chance of being right.
There are a number of old wives tale related to gender prediction. One old wives tale says that how you "carry" your baby indicates whether you're having a son or daughter. Women who are carrying their babies high in their abdomen are believed to be pregnant with a girl baby. If you're carrying your little one low (your bump is closer o your hips), it's believed you're having a boy.
Old wives tales are always fun, but they're not very accurate. You have the same probability of being correct by flipping a coin. How you carry your bump is determined by a number of physical factors, including how your baby is sitting in the womb, as well as your muscle and uterine tone.
For some women, thyroid problems can sometimes complicate pregnancy. Your thyroid gland is the area of the body that controls your metabolism. It makes and releases a hormone, which ensure that your metabolism stays at a steady pace.
In the first trimester, your thyroid plays a critical role in your baby's brain and nervous system development. It is not until week 10 or week 12 of pregnancy that your baby's thyroid begins to function on its own. Throughout your pregnancy, your little one gets his supply of iodine, which is produced by the thyroid gland, from your diet. If you have thyroid problems that are not controlled, your baby can face certain problems.
Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy
If your thyroid gland does not produce enough of hormone, you have hypothyroidism (or an underactive thyroid) and your metabolism will slow down. This condition is treated with medication that contains the thyroid hormone. Often, people with hypothyroidism have to take medication for the rest of their lives.
During pregnancy, hypothyroidism can increase your risk for miscarriage, preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, placental abruption (the placenta starts to separate from the inner wall of the uterus before the baby is born), and pre-term births (before week 37 of pregnancy). Your baby faces low birth weight and decreased mental ability, among other things.
If you have hypothyroidism, you should continue to take your medication throughout pregnancy and have your thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) measured at least once a trimester. Talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns and the best treatment route.
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At 26 weeks pregnant, your uterus is roughly 2.5 inches above your belly button. With each passing week, your uterus will grow about one centimeter more. If you haven't already, you should document your growing belly and snap photos of yourself week to week. 
At 26 weeks pregnant, as your uterus continues to expand, you are definitely feeling the aches and pains of pregnancy. The "honeymoon" that you've had from all those uncomfortable symptoms is nearly over, and physical discomforts are becoming a way of life. 
By pregnancy 26 weeks, you probably already know whether you're having a little boy or girl. Your ultrasound scan at 20 weeks pregnant revealed this information to you. However, if you are one of the couples who want their baby's gender kept a secret, you may be asking, "Boy or Girl?" Guessing your baby's gender is always fun, since you have a 50-50 chance of being right.
For some women, thyroid problems can sometimes complicate pregnancy. Your thyroid gland is the area of the body that controls your metabolism. It makes and releases a hormone, which ensure that your metabolism stays at a steady pace. 