26 weeks pregnant: how the fetus develops and what happens in the body
The second trimester is coming to an end and there are only a couple of months left before maternity leave. The organs of the crumbs have almost completely developed and he is rapidly gaining weight. Now the size of the abdomen can only be compared with a watermelon, which interferes with doing household and just everyday chores, but nothing, there is very little left. The closer to the date of delivery, the more attention you need to pay to your health, since any infection and other defect can spread to the baby.
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26 weeks pregnant - what happens to the baby
This week, the baby has already acquired those facial features that will be characteristic only of him alone. In their places, there are eyebrows with cilia, the ears are beautifully formed on the sides of the head and even protruded a little. At this stage, the external design of the ear comes to an end, which gives the baby the opportunity to listen and hear not only intrauterine sounds, but also those that come from the external environment. Little by little, the eyes begin to open. All this suggests that it is necessary to avoid, if possible, bright harsh light and sharp loud sounds, so as not to frighten the baby. Ideally, from this period you need to turn on and listen to classical music, this will have a beneficial effect on the development of the child. According to experts, from this age, the baby can almost accurately distinguish voices, especially of mom and dad.
Bones continue to develop, the rudiments of future milk and molar teeth have formed, the rudiments of permanent teeth have already become ossified. The respiratory system continues to improve: the lungs become normal in shape and fall into place. Now the baby can breathe immediately after birth.
The skin continues to brighten and smooth. As long as she is still wrinkled, given that the baby spends all the time in the water, this is quite normal. She will fully return to normal a few weeks before delivery. The arms and legs of the crumbs are rounded, and where the elbows form beautiful folds that all newborns have.
The brain of the crumbs is working all over, it has already established a connection with the adrenal glands, which becomes an impetus for the production of a special hormone by the pituitary gland, which is responsible for growth. Other hormones begin to form and be produced.
Touching upon the topic of parameters: the weight of the crumb is about 750 g, and the height is about 35-36 cm. Now the child spends a lot of time in sleep, this is about 16-20 hours a day, and the rest of the time it takes him to stay awake. Now others can observe his movements, which are visible through the mother's belly.
26 weeks pregnant - what happens to mom
Now mommy feels the jolts of her baby much stronger. Everyone who wants to, putting his hand to his stomach, can feel the baby's blows. In addition, if someone kisses his ear, he will be able to hear the little heart beating without any problems.
It is recommended to carefully listen to the activity of the baby, and in case of changes, seek medical advice. The child is already at this stage individual, so everyone will have their own degree of activity: someone is a real fidget, someone is the embodiment of calmness. By the way, it has been observed empirically that mothers already now understand what kind of temperament the baby will have and so it will really be.
The uterus, of course, continues to grow, but not as much as it happened at the very beginning. This suggests that now with each week the baby will become more and more cramped, and the child's activity will sometimes even bring painful sensations to the mother herself. The epicenter of pain will more often fall on the ribs and lower abdomen. But the main reason for the pain will be in the new hormones produced, which help to soften the ligaments that hold the uterus and joints. The pressure on nearby organs also increases, which also provokes unpleasant sensations. Regular rest helps to relieve such pain, only you need to lie on your side.
May resume headaches, leg cramps appear, which is explained by the increased load. In any case, the safest medicine is good sleep and regular rest. When sitting and lying down, try to put various objects under your feet so that your feet are on an easy hill. Ventilate the room, and in case of a headache, apply a towel soaked in cool water to your forehead.
It is worth preparing for back pain and lower back pain, if it was not there before, now it is likely to appear. Due to the increased size of the abdomen and the weight of the child, the center of gravity shifts, the back leans back. The best assistant in this matter is exercise for expectant mothers. Correct posture and strong back muscles will reduce and prevent pain. Purchase a bandage, if there are no contraindications, orthopedic shoes or at least insoles - this will greatly help ease the load.
At 26 weeks of the perinatal period, the volume of discharge may increase, which is mainly due to the formation of a mucous plug. In a normal state, they should have a moderate character, have a whitish, light shade and a uniform structure.
When there is secretions unusual color (green, purulent, cheesy) - urgently consult a doctor. Delivery is coming soon, and such a signal indicates the development of an infection or thrush... Both must be cured before delivery so that the baby does not become infected. The presence of blood in the discharge should be alerted, especially when it is accompanied by abdominal pain. This may indicate a detachment of the placenta. The presence of discharge that resembles water signals the leakage of amniotic fluid - you also need to urgently go to the clinic.
