Fetal development in pregnancy week 26
14 in | 35.5 cm
1.7 lbs | 770 g
At long last your little swimmer can see!
For the first time ever, your wee babe's eyelids have finally opened (remember: they were fused shut previously) and they’re probably having their first moments of sight as you read this (or maybe it already happened while you were brushing your teeth or browsing the internet or something).
In addition to taking in their first visual impressions of their comfy amniotic-filled studio, your little human-bean recently acquired the ability to move their head around.
That's right, if your child were clever enough (which they're not - yet), they could engage in that most basic of non-verbal communication - the head shake/nod. Not to mention, gawking!
In further anti-alien developments: your little super star’s head hair is starting to grow in!
Who knows, maybe a cute little cowlick or two is springing into position right now - the first of years of cute-but-stubborn bed-head.
Your wee piggy's toenails have recently grown in and they're still slowly piling up fat beneath their still-loose-n-wrinkly skin.
Most importantly, their brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace, increasing their (genius-level?) brain activity, which will continue to function at accelerated levels for the first eight years of childhood!
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Hoorah! This is the final week of your second trimester! You're almost there!!!If you just got back from the restroom, we're sure you're aware that you’ve finally reached that infamous “live-on-the-toilet” phase of pregnancy where everything's bigger (boobs, butt, baby, belly) but your bladder
We won't go on and on about the joys of constipation, but if you’re curious why you’ve got to put up with this much-less-than-fun blockage, it’s because you’re producing higher levels of progesterone, which relaxes muscle tissue throughout your entire body, including your gastrointestinal tract and ultimately slows digestion down… waaaay down.
Not to fear, there are easy natural remedies for the joys of constipation:
Increase your standard fiber intake with more fresh fruits and veggies, oatmeal, or whole grains.
Get moving - your poop moves more the more you move!
Drink more water! (Not soda - sugar helps dehydrate you.)
If you haven’t been very active (tsk tsk!), try some brisk walking or swimming.
Increasing your general activity levels often inspires a bowel movement without requiring a suppository.
In a similar vein, many women experience jittery legs during the second half of pregnancy, which is a common condition known as Restless Leg Syndrome. This is caused by circulation issues due to the increased blood volume that has your heart working harder than it's ever had to before.
Although it's irritating, it's pretty much harmless as far as pregnancy symptoms go.
Cutting out caffeine, stretching your calf muscles slowly, and some nice and deep muscle massages are generally effective ways to help deal with RLS.
If you just got back from the restroom, we're sure you're aware that you’ve finally reached that infamous “live-on-the-toilet” phase of pregnancy where everything's bigger (boobs, butt, baby, belly) but your bladder.
Your best strategy is to accept the fact you’re going to need to pee every 15 minutes or so. If you manage to go for an hour or longer, count yourself amongst the lucky iron-bladdered few.
Are you ready to rock this last trimester?!
