Average weight gain for 26 weeks pregnant
Baby Development, Symptoms and Tips
Highlights at 26 Weeks Pregnant
- Did you fail the one-hour glucose screening? You’re probably scheduled for the more conclusive three-hour glucose tolerance test. You’ll drink that sweet concoction again and have your blood drawn multiple times. If you fail this one, your doctor will diagnose gestational diabetes. You may be able to control it with diet changes, or medication may become necessary. Either way, you’ll be watched more closely during the duration of your pregnancy.
- You may have gained close to 20 pounds at this point—give or take. What’s more, your belly will grow about a half an inch each week. (Basically, when you walk into a room, your bump leads the way!)
- Feel baby kicking and jumping and wiggling? Talk to them! They can hear you and may respond to the comforting sound of your voice.
Baby is interfering with your sleep, messing with your memory and even giving you a stress headache or two at 26 weeks pregnant. When they say moms-to-be have 40 weeks to get ready for baby, they don’t just mean buying gear. You also need to mentally prepare for a newborn to become the center of your attention. And at week 26 of pregnancy, baby is giving you some practice in that department.
Baby at Week 26
Baby is getting their immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up your antibodies. And baby's eyes are forming, and their eyes will soon start to open, if they haven’t already. Can you believe your 26-week fetus has already grown eyelashes? Soon, they’ll start batting them. (Aw!)
How big is baby at 26 weeks pregnant?
At 26 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a head of kale. Your 26-week fetus measures about 14 inches and weighs about 1.7 pounds. They’re developing senses, features and even talents. Wow!
What does baby look like at 26 weeks in the womb?
At 26 weeks pregnant, pictures of baby are probably not in the cards, so you’ll just have to imagine what baby looks like right now.
Baby is still working on putting on weight to get adorably chubby, and their eyes are looking around, though there’s not enough pigment in the iris to determine eye color quite yet. Baby is reacting more and more to stimulus, including reacting to bright lights, the sound of your voice (which they may now be able to recognize) and to pokes and prods through your belly. So even if you can’t take a peek inside your belly, you can still play with baby!
26 weeks pregnant is how many months?
Twenty-six weeks pregnant is six months pregnant, though pregnancy is generally tracked by week, not month. At 26 weeks pregnant, trimester two is nearly over. Get ready for the final stretch.
26 week ultrasound
You’ve probably got a couple weeks until your next prenatal appointment and typically there is no 26 weeks pregnant ultrasound, so you’re probably itching to find out what’s going on inside your 26 weeks pregnant belly. Here’s a look: Baby is taking breaths—of amniotic fluid, not air.
It’s good practice for those first moments after birth!
3D Views: My Baby, My Body
See their progress for yourself with our 3D interactive tool.
See My Baby in 3D
See My Body in 3D
Pregnancy Symptoms at Week 26
Your 26 weeks pregnant symptoms are mostly discomforts—and are steadily getting more uncomfortable as baby grows and your body begins to make changes to get ready for childbirth.
Trouble sleeping.
Yawn! The closer you get to your due date, the tougher it might be to get some rest. Watch your caffeine intake, stay hydrated and get a little exercise (take walks!) to help your body settle down at night.
Swelling
You might not like the puffiness, but it’s normal to have some mild swelling around week 26 of pregnancy. But it’s important to watch out for swelling that’s severe or sudden, which could be a sign of a dangerous condition called preeclampsia.
Call your doctor if your swelling seems worrisome.
Headaches
These are often due to hormone fluctuations or stress. But you can also get headaches if you’re hungry or dehydrated, so continue taking care of yourself and baby by eating at least every few hours and keeping a glass of water by your side for frequent sipping.
Pregnancy brain
Is it getting tricky to remember stuff? That may be a physiological symptom of hormone fluctuations, but it also might be because, well, you’ve got quite a bit on your mind.
Braxton Hicks contractions
Notice your belly occasionally feeling really tight? That’s a contraction. Yep, already. (Braxton Hicks might be more noticeable for women who are 26 weeks pregnant with twins.) Don’t freak out though—your muscles are flexing to practice for labor. As long as the contractions aren’t steady or severe, they’re run-of-the-mill. Tell your doctor if the contractions are painful or don’t stop; those are signs of preterm labor.
Higher blood pressure
A slight boost in blood pressure is normal at 26 weeks pregnant. If your doctor sees too high of a boost, though, they might have you monitored more closely. That’s because hypertension—a systolic reading of more than 140 mm Hg or diastolic reading of more than 90 mm Hg—could be a sign of preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome. These potentially dangerous pregnancy complications would need to be addressed right away.
What to expect at 26 weeks pregnant
At 26 weeks pregnant, you’re hopefully still feeling pretty good physically and able to enjoy interacting with baby inside your belly. You might be starting to feel a little anxious about birth, though. If you are, start thinking seriously about what you hope for your birth experience. Remember that you can’t plan exactly what will happen, but you can make plans for many of the possibilities.
Your Pregnant Belly at 26 Weeks
By 26 weeks pregnant, you’ve probably gained about 16 to 22 pounds—or about 27 to 42 pounds if you’re 26 weeks pregnant with twins.
When you touch your 26 weeks pregnant belly, you’ll notice the top of your uterus is about 2.5 inches above your belly button. Your belly will keep growing about a half inch each week for the rest of your pregnancy. At 26 weeks, baby size and belly size are likely starting to feel unwieldy, so don’t forget to take it slow.
Why does baby move so much at night?
It’s not uncommon to hear people say that their 26-week fetus is most active at night. In fact, the majority of babies in utero are active in the evening or at night! Though it’s not exactly clear why this is, scientists believe that fetuses are working on developing circadian rhythms, even in the womb. So if baby has decided that bedtime = partytime, take heart in knowing you’re not the only one being kept awake by their own baby.
"You may be wondering if there’s a way for you to get ready for those 28 week labs that include the glucose test. Some of my patients ask if there is a diet they should follow before taking the test, and my simple answer is no—we want to know how your body responds to your actual diet to know how it’s affecting the baby.
Everyone has different genetics, body makeup and risk factors, so take a deep breath." - Christine Greves, MD, an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies
Tips for 26 Weeks Pregnant
Here are some things you can do this week to take action to live your best life.
Start asking loved ones to get vaccinated
Any loved ones who will be in close contact with baby need to get an updated Tdap vaccination. You might find that older loved ones may brush this off, saying that they never did that when you were little, but hold firm. Things change, and this is important.
Time for a safety check
You may be enjoying a baby shower sometime soon, or gifts may start to roll in from friends and family. Yay! Just keep in mind that people aren’t always savvy about checking updated safety standards, so you may have to go through to make sure gifts (and especially hand-me-downs) are safe for baby. Graciously return or exchange anything that doesn’t pass muster.
Start talking
If you haven’t started talking to baby yet, now’s the time to get chatty. You can read books, sing songs or just narrate your day so baby has a chance to enjoy your voice. Loved ones can also talk to your belly so baby can learn their voices too.
Keep up with exercise
In all honesty, getting your exercise is only going to get harder as your belly grows. For now, you’re probably still feeling pretty spritely, so use that energy while you have it and get whatever exercise you can.
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Pregnancy Checklist at 26 Weeks Pregnant
Reminders for the week:
- Take an in-person or virtual tour of your maternity ward
- Preregister with the hospital
- Communicate with baby
How much weight should I gain in pregnancy?
Tommy's PregnancyHub
Everyone is different, but the amount of weight you should gain may depend on how much you weighed before you became pregnant.
Every pregnant woman gains weight differently so there are no official guidelines for how much weight you should gain. The most important thing is to keep your weight gain to a safe and healthy level for you and your baby.
Only some of the weight you gain in pregnancy will be body fat. The other things causing weight gain will include:
- your baby
- the placenta
- the amniotic fluid (the water surrounding your baby)
- your growing breasts
- the increased blood you need
- natural fluid retention.
Some women may even lose weight during the first few months, especially if they have morning sickness, and that is absolutely normal. But don't try to lose weight while you're pregnant as this is not healthy for you or your baby.
You probably won’t be weighed at each antenatal visit if you are within a healthy weight range. But if you have an underweight or overweight body mass index (BMI) your doctor or midwife may weigh you more often because there are more potential risks for you and your baby.
Most women put on between 10kg (22lb) and 12.5kg (28lb) during their pregnancy.
Your healthy weight gain during pregnancy may depend on the weight you were before you got pregnant. There are no official guidelines in the UK but the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists say that:
- women who are underweight (BMI under 18.5) are recommended to put on between 28-40 lbs (13-18kg)
- women in the normal weight range (BMI of 18.5-24.9) are recommended to put on between 25-35lbs (11-16kg)
- women who are overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9) are recommended to put on between 15-25lbs (7-11kg)
- women who are affected by obesity (BMI of 30 or more), are recommended to put on between 11-20 lbs (5-9kg).
The recommended weight gain for women expecting twins is:
- women in the normal weight range (BMI of 18.5-24.9) are recommended to put on between 37-54 lbs (16.
8-24.5kg) - women who are overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9) are recommended to put on between 31-50 lbs (14.1-22.7kg)
- women who are affected by obesity (BMI of 30 or more), are recommended to put on between 25-42 lbs (11.3-19.1kg).
Work out your BMI with our calculator.
Try not to get too concerned about these guidelines. The most important thing is to keep your weight gain to a safe and healthy level for you and your baby.
Your doctor or midwife will be able to advise and reassure you about what is right for you. If you are underweight or overweight, you should get extra care and support during your pregnancy.
How can I manage how much weight I put on during my pregnancy?For most women, if you have always been active, continuing to exercise at the same level during pregnancy is safe and healthy.
If you are not used to being active, try doing some gentle exercise for about 15 minutes a day, three times a week before building up slowly to 30 minutes a day.
Remember, you’re not trying to get as fit as possible, you just need to stay physically active. You can do most types of exercises in pregnancy so there are lots of things you can try.
If doing physical activities is difficult, just try not to stay sitting down for long periods of time. Try to walk as much as you can and make small changes to increase your daily physical activity. For example, take the stairs instead of the lift at work, or get off the bus a stop earlier.
Find out more about exercising in pregnancy.
Try to eat well, too. There is no need to 'eat for two' [or todrink full-fat milk. You do not need extra calories until the third trimester (at which point you only need an extra 200 calories).
You can find out more about healthy eating and get some great tips for easy meals and snacks in our section about eating well in pregnancy.
The key is to make small changes gradually to improve your diet and the amount of activity you do. There are some tips to help you set goals here.
Don’t forget to ask your midwife or doctor for support if you need it. They are there to help and won’t judge you.
Review dates
Reviewed: 25 October 2018 | Next review: 25 October 2021
This content is currently being reviewed by our team. Updated information will be coming soon.
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Weight during pregnancy. What increase is considered optimal?
Why is excessive weight gain during pregnancy particularly harmful? What should be the calorie content of the diet? How to build your diet so that you can eat varied (and tasty), but at the same time not gain too much? Let's figure it out.
What makes up weight gain during pregnancy?
An increase in the subcutaneous fat layer during pregnancy is a normal and natural process.
While the baby is growing inside you, he needs energy and external protection. But during pregnancy, weight increases not only and not so much due to the adipose tissue of the mother: there is more fluid in the body, the uterus grows, the fetus and placenta develop, and the breasts increase in preparation for the feeding process.
Interestingly, weight loss during the period of toxicosis can later provoke its increase: the body will try to regain what was lost.
Expectant mothers especially actively gain weight in the second trimester and the beginning of the third, but closer to childbirth, a pregnant woman can even lose 1-2 kilograms.
As long as the weight increases more or less evenly and does not go beyond the upper limit of the norm, there is nothing to worry about. But if your weight is rapidly going up, you should be wary.
How to correctly calculate the weight, and what increase is considered optimal?
In Russian obstetric practice, it is generally accepted that the total gain should not exceed 12 kg. for the entire pregnancy. Of these 12 kg. 5-6 accounts for the fetus, placenta, amniotic fluid, another 1.5-2 - for an increase in the uterus and mammary glands, and only 3-3.5 - for the fat mass of a woman.
But this is a general indicator, a kind of "average temperature in the hospital.
" The optimal increase is calculated individually and depends on the initial weight of the pregnant woman, her age, the number of fetuses and the size of the child (children), physical activity.
WHO recommends that optimal weight gain be calculated based on Body Mass Index (BMI).
It is determined by the formula: body weight (kg) / height squared (m).
| BMI | Recommended weight gain |
|---|---|
| 19.8-26 (normal body weight) | 12.5-15 kg |
| 26.1-29 (overweight) | 11.5 - 14 kg |
| over 29 (obese) | 7-9 kg |
How to calculate the optimal weight gain?
To do this, use the following chart:
- Calculate your BMI: divide your initial weight in kg. for height in meters squared.
For example, your "pre-pregnancy" weight was 60 kg with a height of 170 cm.
BMI = 60: (170 x 170) = 20.76.
- A BMI of less than 18.5 indicates underweight. Indicators from 18.5 to 25 are within the norm, from 25 to 30 are above the norm, and a figure greater than 30 indicates obesity.
- Now that you know your BMI, find the optimal weekly increase in the table and compare it with yours.
| Week of pregnancy | Underweight before pregnancy (BMI less than 18.5) | Normal pre-pregnancy weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9) | Overweight before pregnancy (BMI over 30) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0-0.9 kg | 0-0.7 kg | 0-0.5 kg |
| 6 | 0-1.4 kg | 0-1 kg | 0-0.6 kg |
| 8 | 0-1.6 kg | 0-1.2 kg | 0-0.7 kg |
| 10 | 0-1.8 kg | 0-1.3 kg | 0-0.8 kg |
| 12 | 0-2 kg | 0-1. 5 kg | 0-1 kg |
| 14 | 0.5-2.7 kg | 0.5-2 kg | 0.5-1.2 kg |
| 16 | up to 3.6 kg | up to 3 kg | up to 1.4 kg |
| 18 | up to 4.6 kg | up to 4 kg | up to 2.3 kg |
| 20 | up to 6 kg | up to 5.9 kg | up to 2.9 kg |
| 22 | up to 7.2 kg | up to 7 kg | up to 3.4 kg |
| 24 | up to 8.6 kg | up to 8.5 kg | up to 3.9 kg |
| 26 | up to 10 kg | up to 10 kg | up to 5 kg |
| 28 | up to 13 kg | up to 11 kg | up to 5.4 kg |
| 30 | up to 14 kg | up to 12 kg | up to 5.9 kg |
| 32 | up to 15 kg | up to 13 kg | up to 6. 4 kg |
| 34 | up to 16 kg | up to 14 kg | up to 7.3 kg |
| 36 | up to 17 kg | up to 15 kg | up to 7.9 kg |
| 38 | up to 18 kg | up to 16 kg | up to 8.6 kg |
| 40 | up to 18 kg | up to 16 kg | up to 9.1 kg |
Recently, doctors are increasingly talking about an individual approach and urge not to panic if the increase is slightly beyond the normal range. When assessing the state of health of a pregnant woman, the doctor focuses not only on weight, but also takes into account the results of tests and examinations and other important indicators.
Why is excessive weight gain dangerous?
Gaining extra pounds can lead to gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, or cause a caesarean section.
In addition, excessive weight gain during pregnancy may increase the risk of obesity and related cardiovascular disease.
What can I do to keep my weight within normal limits during pregnancy?
First of all, consult a nutritionist. If there is no such doctor in the antenatal clinic, it makes sense to contact a specialist on a commercial basis. He will develop an individual diet, which will contain all the useful elements, and will offer to keep a food diary. It will also tell you how to eat right and weigh yourself.
To prevent excessive weight gain during pregnancy, it is enough to follow simple rules of a healthy diet:
- Eat often and in small portions;
- Always have a “healthy snack” on hand: fresh apple wedges, unsweetened crackers, dried fruit, or sugar-free yogurt;
- Refuse soda, chips, sausages and sausages;
- Minimize sweets;
- Avoid fast food;
- Limit the use of condiments, especially salt, which retains water in the body;
- Choose steamed dishes;
- Eat more fiber-rich foods such as whole grain bread, bran, vegetables;
The diet of a pregnant woman should be varied.
Include grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat and fish, legumes, or nuts.
It must be remembered that expectant mothers should never starve and adhere to extreme diets.
How many calories per day do you need during pregnancy?
It is difficult to calculate the energy value per day on your own, and then strictly adhere to a certain number of calories, and it is not necessary, unless it is recommended by a nutritionist or endocrinologist. On average, you can aim for 2000-2500 calories per day, but it is important to understand that the need for calories depends on many factors: age, initial weight, health status and level of physical activity.
When should I be on the alert?
Strictly speaking, it is better for a pregnant woman not to worry and entrust her condition to a doctor who will control the development of pregnancy, analyzes and monitor weight. It is important to take tests to determine the level of fasting blood glucose once a trimester.
The appearance of glucosuria, an increase in fasting blood glucose (more than 5.5 mmol / l) or an hour after a meal (more than 7.7 mmol / l) indicate the possible development of "diabetes in pregnancy", in connection with which the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment . In addition, a sharp increase in body weight can cause preeclampsia.
These and other diseases can be dangerous, which is why you need to carefully monitor the body weight during the gestation period, but remember that pregnancy is not the time for strict diets.
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What increase is considered optimal? - Nutriclub
Weight gain during pregnancy - how not to gain weight?
Contents:
- What are the optimal weight limits?
- Pregnancy Weight Chart
- How to weigh yourself correctly during pregnancy
- Why does weight gain occur?
During pregnancy, it is important for a woman to eat a varied diet so as not to deprive the unborn baby of essential minerals and nutrients. Both excessive weight gain and weight loss are equally dangerous. But evidence suggests that more than half of European and American women gain more weight during pregnancy than recommended 1 . So now is the time to give up what does not bring any benefit, but only extra pounds: sweet, fatty, fast food. Being overweight can cause problems during pregnancy and childbirth.
What are the optimal weight limits?
Average weight gain during pregnancy is about 10-12.5 kilograms 2 .
But a child is born weighing 3-4 kilograms, where does everything else come from and when does the excess go away?
In addition to the fetus itself, the uterus and breasts become larger in preparation for feeding. Muscle and fat increase - the body stores energy.
This is how the kilograms gained by a woman during pregnancy are distributed 3 :
2.7-3.6 kg - muscles and fat, they give the expectant mother an additional source of energy,
0.45-1.4 kg - breasts in anticipation of feeding,
0.9 kg - amniotic fluid,
1, 4-1.8 kg - blood and organic fluids, thanks to which the child receives the necessary oxygen,
0.9 kg - the uterus (20 times more than its usual weight),
0.7 kg - the placenta, the main element through which the fetus receives nutrients.
Add the weight of the unborn baby, and you get the approximate mass that a woman gains in nine months.
Doctors say that everyone is individual and there are no uniform standards for how many kilograms to gain during pregnancy.
But let things take their course, there is something horrible and you can’t completely forget about the scales. Watch your weight - you will avoid many problems during pregnancy and childbirth and easily return to your previous weight. You will have "strategic reserves" for feeding the baby. Don't worry, those extra pounds will go away as quickly as they appeared. But only on the condition that you eat right during pregnancy and lactation.
Pregnancy weight chart
The recommended weight gain during pregnancy for women with a normal body mass index is 11.5-16 kilograms. Those who are overweight during pregnancy are advised to gain a little less - from 7 to 11.5 kilograms. Those who are expecting twins or triplets, on the contrary, should score more. For example, in a multiple pregnancy with twins for a woman of normal weight, the recommended weight gain is from 16.8 to 24.5 kilograms 3 .
Trimester weight gain during pregnancy varies 3 .
A woman gains the least during the first trimester - from 1.6 to 2.3 kg. Nausea in the first trimester usually causes loss of appetite and some weight loss may occur.
In the second and third trimesters, a woman gains an average of 200 to 500 g per week.
Weight gain during pregnancy: weekly chart, weight in kilograms
| Week | Minimum | Average weight | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
| 15 | 1.6 | 2 | 2.4 |
| 16 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.8 |
| 17 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 3.4 |
| 18 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.4 |
| 19 | 3 | 3.7 | 4.5 |
| 20 | 3. 5 | 4.2 | 5 |
| 21 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5.6 |
| 22 | 4.2 | 5.2 | 6.2 |
| 23 | 4.6 | 5.7 | 6.9 |
| 24 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 7.4 |
| 25 | 5.3 | 6.6 | 8 |
| 26 | 5.6 | 7 | 8.5 |
| 27 | 6 | 7.5 | 9 |
| 28 | 6.3 | 7.9 | 9.5 |
| 29 | 6.7 | 8.3 | 9.9 |
| 30 | 7 | 8.7 | 10.4 |
| 31 | 7.3 | 9 | 10.8 |
| 32 | 7.5 | 9.4 | 11.3 |
| 33 | 7.8 | 9.7 | 11.7 |
| 34 | 8.1 | 10.1 | 12. 1 |
| 35 | 8.4 | 10.5 | 12.6 |
| 36 | 8.6 | 10.8 | 13 |
| 37 | 9 | 11.2 | 13.5 |
| 38 | 9.3 | 11.6 | 14 |
| 39 | 9.4 | 11.7 | 14.1 |
| 40 | 9.5 | 11.8 | 14.2 |
How to weigh yourself correctly during pregnancy
Doctors do not recommend weighing yourself daily, it is not always informative, fluctuations are not always noticeable, the error is large, and in general this can lead to unnecessary worries. The correct option: control the weight once a week, in the morning, on an empty stomach. It is important to use the same scales, now the priority is “dynamics”. Weigh yourself only at home or in the office of your gynecologist.
Why does weight gain occur?
The cause of excess weight is hormonal changes in the body, which is why the expectant mother constantly feels hungry.
