When you are 26 weeks pregnant, you are in the second trimester of the pregnancy and almost at the third trimester stage. By this time, you are noticeably pregnant and your normal clothes no longer fit properly. Your stomach is starting to protrude and you may even be having slight contractions in your uterus. These contractions are called Braxton-Hicks contractions, sometimes referred to as false labor, but you are nowhere near going into labor yet. You probably don't even notice the contractions unless you are sitting or lying down and are feeling relaxed.



Some of the other sensations that accompany this stage of the pregnancy include:

* Heartburn when you eat certain foods or you eat late at night

* Weight gain

* Cramps as your muscles start to stretch

You will likely feel an uncomfortable sensation under your ribs or you may have some pain. This is because at this stage the uterus is about 2.5 inches above your belly button.

You will be seeing your doctor on a regular basis every month. At this time, you may have to have an anti-tetanus shot or another vaccine. The doctor may also request another ultrasound just to see how the baby is progressing. You will also need to have blood tests to determine whether you have prenatal diabetes or to determine if there are any detectable genetic defects in the baby.

You will need to start relaxing more at 26 weeks. You can still engage in light workouts and you should continue to take walks on a regular basis. These activities will help prepare your body for labor and birth.

At 26 weeks into the pregnancy, the baby is about 9 or 10 inches long from the top of the head to the rump. It doesn't include the length of the legs. At this stage the baby weighs about 2 pounds. Although the eyelids have been developed prior to this, it is now that the baby will start to open and shut the eyes. All babies have blue eyes when they are in the womb and will change when the baby is born. The baby may look skinny, but from now on it will start putting on layers of fat.

It is at 26 weeks that the fetus starts to look like a baby. The heart is completely developed and is pumping blood throughout the body and the baby starts to make breathing movements. The lungs have not fully developed yet, but they are well along in the process. The umbilical cord starts to thicken as it fills with the nutrients the growing baby needs from now on. Fingernails and toenails are evident by this time and if the baby is a boy, the testicles will start to move down.

By this stage of the pregnancy, you may feel bloated on times due to water retention. You may even start to notice stretch marks across your abdomen. There are very good creams on the market that will help with this by making the skin soft and supple as the stomach gradually expands.