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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.
For more information visit http://www.PregnancyHut.com
Article
Author: Ling Tong
Article
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/
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