fetal development weight and height. What does a baby look like

26 weeks is the 24th week from conception and the end of the sixth month on the standard calendar. It’s already a stone’s throw to childbirth, two-thirds of the way has been covered.

There are only two weeks left before maternity leave, and, of course, the woman at the workplace is already more of an outside observer. They try not to bother her, do not demand too much and do not entrust difficult and responsible tasks.

The content of the article:

Feelings of a mother

Now all the thoughts of the expectant mother are busy preparing for childbirth and meeting with the baby. It is necessary to transfer your affairs and leave your workplace for three years with the prospect of returning, prepare everything for the appearance of a child in the house, and much more.

At this time, the woman is already dependent on others. And, of course, now what is important is the absence of stress, only light physical activity, support of loved ones, good sleep and nutrition.

• It becomes difficult to put on shoes yourself
• When walking, you can hardly see your legs
• You have to walk twice more carefully, because falling now is a risk of premature birth and a threat to the baby.

Reviews from forums and instagram:

Marina:

And we will have a son!)) In my opinion, the kid even talks to us! Feels our touch and responds with jerks!)

Victoria:

And we are waiting for the daughter.) Pushes three or four times a day, I sleep perfectly well at night. The husband constantly puts his ears to his stomach – he listens to the baby’s heartbeat))

Olga:

I gained eight and a half kg in six months. At first, the weight was gaining so quickly, they even wanted to put on preservation. Now it seems like nothing, normal. It does not hurt, does not press, does not press – it is good and calm at home))

Maria:
Can anyone suggest? I wake up at night from the screams of my wife, it’s already scary! She has convulsions. What to do with it? Probably, and the daughter in the stomach scares … Maybe your wife to feed the eggshell?

Irina:

)) I, too, scared my husband at night. Now everything is fine. Just eat foods that contain potassium and magnesium. And we must not forget about calcium. Curd is a must!

Ekaterina:

I don’t know, I didn’t have any problems. I was lucky to see))) I drink vitamins, I am recovering steadily. Is that swelling … But it remains to wait – almost soon!)))

What happens in the mother’s body?

• Due to raising the abdomen 6 cm above the navel, appears dyspnea and a regular urge to take deep breaths;
• By this time, the expectant mother gains about 9 kg of weight;
• Arises nausea and heartburn due to an enlarged uterus:
  1. amniotic fluid – 700 ml;
  2. placenta – 300 g;
  3. baby – about a kilogram;
  4. the uterus itself, the wall of which has already gained the maximum thickness – 500 g.

• Back pain and pulling pains in the abdomen – the uterus is toned, which is caused by painless training contractions (read how to relieve the tone of the uterus);
• Uterus from the second half of the term rises every week by 1 cm;
• Total weight gain (with a rational diet) is from 7.2 to 10 kg;
• The pressure is rising, returning to the indicators that were even before pregnancy;
• Swelling of the feet and legs may be accompanied by swelling face and fingers, which is associated with the accumulated and timely not excreted fluid in the body;
• Can appear numbness and tingling – possible symptoms of circulatory disorders;
• Available dark spots (moles, freckles) become brighter and more noticeable;
• Intensifies flatulence and heartburn;
• A period of 26 weeks can also be accompanied the appearance of nodes in the anus and on the legs (varicose veins);
• Uterusgrowing and stretching presses on internal organs, thereby complicating their activities:
• The diaphragm is supported by the uterus, which prevents full breathing;
• The load on the heart increases;
• Constipation, bloating, and other digestive problems appear;
• In connection with the stretching of the uterine ligaments, pain in the pelvic region and in the back increases.

• Frequent for this period and vision problems…

Causes of vision problems:

• A large amount of fluid in the body of the expectant mother (as a result – swelling of the eyelids);
• An increase in blood volumes (as a result – a load on blood vessels, eye vessels in particular, and microbleeds);
• Syndrome of “dry eye” – a sensation in the eye of a foreign body and dryness, redness.

Fetal development at 26 weeks

• The child becomes active, and his movements are painful for the mother;
• Mostly lies head down, although its position can change many times;
• Baby’s weight is mainly gained through muscle development and fat deposition;
• The skin is still red and thin, the cheeks are getting better;
• The child is already able to see, and lives in the world of sensations. For the time being, the formed vision allows him to see only blurry colored spots;
• The taste of amniotic fluid, which the baby already feels, directly depends on the food of his mother;
• The baby gets used to the beating of the mother’s heart. That is why, after his birth, the baby immediately calms down, you just have to press him to the chest;
• The kid remembers sounds – the voices of his mother and relatives, music. If you sing lullabies to your child now, then after childbirth he will quickly fall asleep to them;
• The baby’s lungs continue to develop – he is already preparing for his first breath, swallowing amniotic fluid. The lungs take the shape of a triangle and are located with their apex up;
• In boys, the testicles descend into the scrotum
• The baby still has an “old age” – his skin is wrinkled, but the subcutaneous fat continues to develop, and the legs and arms are smoothed out;
• The cartilage of the child’s nose and ears is still soft, the nails still do not reach the fingertips
• Heart rate – from 120 to 160 beats per minute;
• The ears are slightly protruding, the eyes are able to close completely;
• The pituitary gland begins to synthesize its own growth hormone;
• Connections are established between the brain and the adrenal cortex – the formation of hormonal levels occurs;
• The laying of permanent teeth takes place, which remain in the depths of the soft jaw tissues until their change of milk teeth at the age of 5-6 years;
• The bone apparatus is strengthened;

Fetal development weight and height at 26 weeks gestation:

Weight – about 800-1000 g;
Length – about 32.5-34 cm;
Head diameter – about 65.1 mm;
Chest diameter – about 65.8 mm;
The diameter of the abdomen is 67.4 mm.

Dangerous symptoms

• Pregnancy is often accompanied by a disease such as cholelithiasis (This is especially true for lovers of fatty foods). Severity in the right hypochondrium can be a symptom of bile stagnation and the formation of gallstones.
• Heaviness at the very bottom of the abdomen may be a symptom of ICI (ischemic-cervical insufficiency). It is characterized by premature opening of the cervical canal and, as a result, infection of the membranes. Which, in turn, can cause premature birth. An infection that reaches the child can cause illness.
• Swelling in the arms and legs, as well as on the anterior abdominal wall, high blood pressure, excess weight are possible symptoms of late toxicosis. This is a pathology that worsens the condition of the baby and threatens the health of the woman. It does not cause painful sensations, therefore, expectant mothers often ignore these symptoms, not suspecting that their appearance may be an indicator of the neglect of the disease.
• Allocations from the genital tract can be a symptom of an infection if they:
  1. mucous membranes;
  2. mucopurulent;
  3. curdled.

This is the reason for microflora research, for smears and tests. If the fetal membranes are damaged by microorganisms, there is a risk of infection of the fetus, its subsequent growth retardation, and even death.

• Discharge of a bloody nature – signal for an urgent ambulance call. This can be placental abruption or its presentation. Going to a doctor on your own is absolutely contraindicated in order to avoid heavy bleeding.
• Watery discharge – a symptom of amniotic fluid effusion. At even the slightest suspicion of them, an ambulance should be called.

Photo of the fetus, photo of the abdomen, ultrasound and video about the development of the child

Ultrasound at the 26th week allows you to see the formed features of the baby’s face – ears, nose, mouth, eyebrows and cilia.

Video. What happens to a baby at 26 weeks of gestation

Uzi video

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