Pregnancy Week 26: Baby's First Kicks and Third Trimester Prep

8 min read

Quick answer: At 26 weeks your baby measures about 35.6cm from crown to heel and weighs around 760 grams, with movements growing stronger and more regular. The brain is developing rapidly and the lungs are producing surfactant. You may notice Braxton Hicks tightenings, which are normal, but call your maternity unit immediately if tightenings become regular or painful, as before 37 weeks this can be a sign of premature labour. The third trimester begins at week 27.

What parents need to know

You're almost at the end of your second trimester, and week 26 brings some exciting new developments. Your baby is becoming increasingly active, and those kicks and movements are growing stronger and more regular. You may even be able to see your bump moving from the outside now!

The Crib

Your baby at 26 weeks

Baby's weight and the key figures for this week of pregnancy

Baby's weight: around 760 grams

Roughly the weight of a scone

Fundal height: approximately 26cm

Third trimester starts: week 27

Glucose tolerance test: offered between weeks 24 and 28 if higher risk

Sources: NHS, Tommy's, NCT. General information, not medical advice.

How big is your baby at 26 weeks?

Your baby now measures approximately 35.6cm from crown to heel and weighs around 760 grams, roughly the weight of a scone. They're still quite lean but will start gaining weight more rapidly over the coming weeks.

What's happening with your baby?

Your baby's brain is developing rapidly this week, and the number of brain cells is increasing dramatically. The lungs are producing surfactant — a substance that helps the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs open and stay open after birth. This is critically important for breathing independently. Your baby is inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid in practise breathing movements. Their eyes, which opened for the first time last week, are now beginning to respond to light. The irises are still developing their final colour, which won't be fully established until a few months after birth.

Artistic black and white close-up of a baby's feet, capturing innocence.

What's happening in your body?

With just one more week until the third trimester, you may be experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions — irregular, painless tightenings of the uterus that are sometimes called 'practice contractions'. These are perfectly normal and help prepare the uterus for labour. They are usually irregular and short-lived, and do not get progressively stronger or closer together like true labour contractions. If tightenings become regular or painful, or you have any bleeding, spotting or fluid leaking from your vagina, call your maternity unit immediately, as regular tightenings before 37 weeks can be a sign of premature labour. If the pain or bleeding is severe, call 999.

Your fundal height (the measurement from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus) is now approximately 26cm, which aligns with the general rule that fundal height in centimetres roughly matches the number of weeks of pregnancy at this stage.

Preparing for the third trimester

The third trimester begins at week 27, and this is an excellent time to start preparing for it. Consider booking your hospital or birthing centre tour if you haven't already. Most units offer tours that help you feel familiar and confident with your birth environment. If you're planning a home birth, speak to your midwife about what equipment will be provided and what you'll need to prepare.

Start thinking about your birth plan. This is not a rigid set of instructions but rather a way to communicate your preferences to your care team. Consider your preferences around pain relief, environment, who you want present, and what happens immediately after birth (skin-to-skin contact, delayed cord clamping, vitamin K injection for your baby). Your midwife can help you create a birth plan that reflects your wishes while remaining flexible.

The glucose tolerance test

Between weeks 24 and 28, women at higher risk of gestational diabetes are offered a glucose tolerance test (GTT). Risk factors include a BMI above 30, a previous baby weighing 4.5kg or more, gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, a parent or sibling with diabetes, being over 40, having had weight-loss surgery, or being of south Asian, Black, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern origin. If you haven't been offered a GTT and feel you may be at risk, speak to your midwife.

When to get help

Some symptoms in pregnancy can be a sign of something serious and need checking quickly. This is who to contact, and how soon.

Call 999 if:

you're bleeding from your vagina and the bleeding is heavy (soaking a period pad soon after putting it on), or you also have severe pain in your tummy, pain in your shoulder, or feel sick, faint, dizzy or lose consciousness
you think your baby is coming now and you have a strong urge to push (ask for an ambulance)
you have severe difficulty breathing (you're gasping, choking or not able to get words out) or your chest feels tight or heavy
you have pain and swelling in one leg and you also feel short of breath or have chest pain. A blood clot in the leg can travel to your lungs, which can be life-threatening
you have possible signs of sepsis, such as breathing very fast, being confused or having slurred speech, blue, pale or blotchy skin, a rash that does not fade when you press it, or a very high or very low temperature. Being pregnant makes sepsis more likely
you do not feel you can keep yourself safe (a mental health emergency is as serious as a physical one)

Always call 999 if you think it's a life-threatening emergency, no matter what stage of pregnancy you are.

Call your midwife or maternity unit now if:

your baby is moving less than usual, you cannot feel your baby moving anymore, or there is a change to your baby's usual pattern of movements
you have light bleeding or spotting, even if you have no pain or only mild tummy pain
you have stomach pain that is severe or does not go away after you've rested for 30 to 60 minutes, or stomach pain with regular cramping or tightenings, lower back pain, or pain when you pee
you're less than 37 weeks pregnant and you have a gush or trickle of fluid from your vagina (this could be your waters breaking), regular contractions or tightenings, period-type pains, or backache that's not usual for you
you have signs of pre-eclampsia: a severe headache that does not go away with simple painkillers, vision problems (such as blurred vision or seeing flashing lights), pain below the ribs, sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet, feeling very unwell, heartburn that does not go away with heartburn medicines, or being sick (vomiting)
your skin is very itchy (for example, it keeps you awake at night), the palms of your hands or soles of your feet are itchy, or the itching is worse at night. This can be a sign of a liver condition called intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) that needs urgent treatment
your breathlessness comes on suddenly, you're out of breath when you're lying down, or you're breathless and also have chest pain or feel dizzy
you have pain or swelling in one leg, usually in the calf or thigh. This could be a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT), which is more likely when you're pregnant
you have a high temperature (38C or above), or you feel hotter than usual or shivery. A high temperature can be a sign of an infection, so it's important to get it checked

Also call your maternity unit immediately if you have stomach pain and:

vaginal discharge that's unusual for you or fluid leaking from your vagina
your pee looks cloudy, pink, red or brown

If your baby's movements change, do not wait until the next day: call immediately, even if it's the middle of the night. Do not use a home doppler to check the heartbeat yourself. Even if you hear a heartbeat, this does not mean your baby is well.

If you cannot reach them, or you're not sure what to do, call NHS 111.

Speak to your midwife or GP if:

you have not felt your baby move by 24 weeks. Most people start to feel movements between 16 and 24 weeks. If this is your first baby, you might not feel them until after 20 weeks
you're worried about your mental health, or stress, anxiety or low mood are affecting your day-to-day life. If you need urgent help for your mental health, call 111 and select the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment

Your week 26 checklist

This week:

Note your baby's movements and familiarise yourself with their usual pattern.
Start thinking about your birth preferences.
Book a hospital or birth centre tour.
Ask your midwife about the GTT if you are at risk.
Enjoy the last few days of your second trimester.

Sources & further reading

General information, not individual medical advice. Speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor about your baby’s needs.