At 26 weeks pregnant (26+0 to 26+6 weeks from the first day of your last period) you are about 5 months and 30 days along, moving from the 6th into the 7th month. According to the NHS, your baby opens their eyes for the first time around now. You may feel more tired and a little clumsy, and get leg cramps at night.
Counted from your last period, 26 weeks pregnant is about 5 months and 30 days: the end of the 6th month and the start of the 7th. This week covers days 182 to 188, with about 98 days to your due date.
According to the NHS, your baby is about 35.6 cm long from head to heel. Around now your baby's eyes open for the first time, and the next trick is learning to blink. ACOG also says the eyelids can open and close during weeks 25 to 28.
It is a myth that all babies are born with blue eyes; eye colour depends on the parents' genes, and brown is very common. The colour can keep changing into adulthood, but has usually settled by the age of 3 (NHS).
ACOG says that during weeks 25 to 28 loud sounds can make your baby startle and pull in their arms and legs; the lungs are fully formed but not yet ready to work outside the womb, and they begin to make surfactant, which is needed for breathing after birth.
As you approach the third trimester you may feel more tired, clumsy and off balance: you are carrying extra weight and your centre of gravity has shifted. Give yourself more time for everyday tasks, keep active, and be patient with yourself (NHS).
Leg cramps may become more frequent, especially at night. Foot and ankle exercises, pulling your toes upwards or rubbing the muscle can help (NHS).
If you keep losing your keys, you may have what some call "baby brain". The NHS says this is not a medical condition or scientifically proven; tiredness and having a lot on your mind may explain it.
If you work, you should not be lifting heavy things, and you may need extra breaks and somewhere to sit (NHS).
There is a lot of activity in your bump. If you are worried that the movements have slowed down or stopped, contact your midwife or maternity unit straight away (NHS).
If you are rhesus (Rh) negative: anti-D is coming up.
Glucose tolerance test. You are within the 24 to 28 week window; the Turkish high-risk pregnancy guideline asks for the test in every pregnancy, while NICE offers it only to women at risk.
Whooping cough (Tdap) vaccine. The Turkish guideline recommends the first dose at 18 to 24 weeks; if you have not had it, one dose can be given until the end of week 32. The NHS gives weeks 16 to 32, and the US recommendation described by UpToDate gives 27 to 36 weeks as the ideal window.
The Turkish Ministry of Health's third antenatal visit falls between 28 and 32 weeks.
How much does the baby weigh? In the reference table of the World Health Organization's fetal growth study across 10 countries (2017), the median (50th percentile) estimated weight at 26 weeks is about 902 g; the 10th percentile is 780 g and the 90th percentile 1,038 g. These are reference values, not your own baby's measurement. The study notes differences between countries, maternal characteristics and the baby's sex, so these charts may need adjusting for local use. The growth trend matters more than a single measurement.
| Symptom | Usually | Seek care if |
|---|---|---|
| Leg cramps at night | Can increase now, especially at night; foot and ankle exercises, pulling your toes up or rubbing the muscle help. | Get help straight away for pain, redness or swelling in your calf (Turkish Ministry of Health guideline, 2026). |
| Tiredness and clumsiness | Expected with the extra weight and shifted centre of gravity. | See a doctor if you feel too unwell to manage daily activities, or if you are short of breath (Turkish Ministry of Health guideline, 2026). |
| Forgetfulness | Some pregnant women describe this; the NHS says it is not a medical condition and may be due to tiredness. | Tell your midwife or doctor if you feel anxious or low much of the time (NHS). |
Contact your midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away if you have:
Most of these are danger signs or emergency referral criteria in the Turkish Ministry of Health Antenatal Care Management Guideline (2026); tightenings, cramps, backache and pelvic pressure are on UpToDate's list of preterm labour signs. Headache, vision problems, facial swelling, pain below the ribs and high blood pressure can be signs of pre-eclampsia (NHS, UpToDate). The NHS says to call if your baby's movements reduce, stop or change, without waiting until the next day, even at night. The RCOG says that between 24 and 28 weeks your baby's heartbeat, womb size, blood pressure and urine are then checked; do not rely on a home doppler.
The NHS says babies open their eyes for the first time around now, and the next trick is learning to blink. ACOG also says the eyelids can open and close during weeks 25 to 28.
Under the Turkish guideline, if the mother is Rh negative and the father Rh positive, the indirect Coombs test is repeated at 28 weeks and anti-D can be given from 28 weeks if it is negative. NICE offers anti-D at the 28-week appointment. UpToDate notes a single dose at 28 weeks in the US and two doses at 28 and 34 weeks in some countries. Rh-negative women who have bleeding should also be assessed for anti-D (NICE).
Yes, the NHS says they are common now, especially at night, and foot and ankle exercises can help. Pain, redness or swelling in your calf is different from a cramp and needs checking straight away.
There is no set number; what matters is knowing your own baby's pattern (RCOG, NHS). The RCOG says movements increase until 32 weeks, and that the baby's sleep periods mostly last 20 to 40 minutes and are rarely longer than 90 minutes. If movements slow down or change, get help without delay.
In the reference table of the World Health Organization fetal growth study (2017), the median estimated weight at 26 weeks is about 902 g, with the 10th percentile at 780 g and the 90th at 1,038 g. These are reference values; an ultrasound weight is itself an estimate with a margin of error, so the growth trend matters more than a single measurement.
Last updated: . All sources have been confirmed with their latest versions. This content is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for a doctor's examination.