How many months is 26 weeks pregnant?

26 weeks pregnant puts you in month 6 of pregnancy. Month 6 covers weeks 23 to 27. Providers count in weeks; months are approximate.

How big is the baby at 26 weeks?

At 26 weeks, the baby is about the size of a lettuce, roughly 35.6 cm long and around 760 g. That is an average; healthy babies vary.

What happens if a baby is born at 26 weeks?

Most babies born at 26 weeks survive with care in a neonatal unit. In a large US study of babies born from 2013 to 2018, 87.6% of those born alive at 26 weeks survived to go home. If early labour starts, you may be offered steroid injections to help the baby's lungs, and a magnesium sulphate drip to help protect its brain. After birth, the baby will need help to breathe, feed, stay warm and fight infection. Health problems are still more common than in babies born later.

What symptoms should I not ignore at 26 weeks pregnant?

Contact your maternity unit or provider straight away, even at night, if your baby is moving less than usual or the pattern changes. Bleeding, a leak of fluid, or tightenings that follow a regular pattern also need a prompt call. A bad headache, vision problems, pain below the ribs or sudden swelling can be signs of pre-eclampsia. Very itchy skin, especially on the palms or soles, needs an urgent call too. Belly pain with or without bleeding can mean the placenta is coming away from the womb. If pain or bleeding is severe, call emergency services.

Are there symptoms of a girl at 26 weeks pregnant?

No. Carrying high, craving sweet food, clear or spotty skin and heart rate are not reliable signs. The only link researchers have found is weak. In a Washington State study of 2,110 women admitted to hospital with severe sickness in the first trimester, the odds of a girl were 1.5 times those in women without severe sickness. Many of those women still had boys, so the link is no use for predicting your own baby's sex. A scan or a cell-free DNA blood test is the reliable way to find out.

What position is the baby in at 26 weeks?

Any position is fine at 26 weeks. The baby still has room to move and changes position often, so head-up, head-down and sideways are all normal. Babies may start turning head-down from around 28 weeks, and most are head-down by the time labour begins. At checkups from about 36 weeks, your bump will be felt to check which way the baby is lying. So the way your baby lies now doesn't tell you much about how it will lie at birth.

Is it normal to have diarrhoea or cramps at 26 weeks pregnant?

Mild cramps from stretching ligaments, constipation or wind are common. Diarrhoea is often caused by a stomach bug and should stop in a few days. Sip plenty of fluids so you don't get dehydrated. But period-like cramps, whether or not you have diarrhoea, can also mean early labour. Phone your provider or maternity unit at once if cramps or tightenings keep coming at regular times, or if you notice a dull ache low in your back, pressure in your pelvis, or fluid or blood from your vagina. Blood in your poo also needs a call.

26 Weeks Pregnant

At 26 weeks pregnant, your baby is roughly 35.6 cm from head to heel. Eyebrows and eyelashes are well formed, all parts of the eyes have developed, and the baby is starting to make melanin, the pigment that will colour its skin and eyes. The lungs now have tiny air sacs but still can't work on their own. You may be feeling more tired and a bit clumsy as your shape changes, and leg cramps at night are common. This page covers what a scan can show now, your bump and balance, what happens if a baby is born this week, and the symptoms you shouldn't ignore.

What trimester is 26 weeks?

Week 26 is in the second trimester, which runs from week 13 to week 27 (NHS). It is week 14 of 15 in this trimester, and the third trimester starts at week 28.

Week 26 — second trimester, month 6; 14 weeks to go until your due date.
Baby's size — about a lettuce, ~35.6 cm.

Not sure it's 26 weeks? Try our due date calculator.

How big is your baby at 26 weeks?

Size of a

lettuce

Length, head to heel

~35.6 cm

Weight

~760 g

Up from a cauliflower last week to a lettuce now.

Baby development at week 26

The eyes begin to open around now. The lungs are forming tiny air sacs and have started to make surfactant, and breathing movements continue as practice. Brain activity is increasing, with responses to sounds becoming more consistent. Nerve pathways in the ears are now well-developed. About the size of a head of lettuce.

What an ultrasound shows at 26 weeks

Scans aren't routine at 26 weeks, but some people have one, for example to check growth or to follow twins. The eyes open for the first time around now, though learning to blink comes a little later. The baby can also startle: a loud noise may make it jump.

Inside, the lungs are forming air sacs and have started to make surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs fill with air after birth. They still aren't ready to work outside the womb, which is why a baby born now needs help to breathe.

Eye colour is still to come. It's a myth that all babies are born with blue eyes, and brown is very common. The colour can keep changing for a while, but it has usually settled by about age 3.

Your body at 26 weeks

Pronounced movements and possible hiccups
Tiredness and clumsiness as your shape changes
Trouble sleeping
Backaches

Your belly at 26 weeks

At 26 weeks, the fundus (the top of the uterus) is well above your belly button, and most bumps measure 24 to 28 cm from the pubic bone. The extra weight at the front shifts your centre of gravity, which affects your balance. Many people feel clumsier and more tired around now. Give yourself more time for everyday things, like your walk to the bus stop. It's still important to stay active, so be patient with your changing body.

Leg cramps often get worse around now, especially at night. Pulling your toes up towards you, rubbing the tight muscle, and regular calf stretches can help. See your GP or provider if cramps last longer than 10 minutes or keep waking you, or if you also have swelling or numbness in your leg.

Tips for week 26

Feeling rhythmic twitches? Those are baby hiccups, which are normal
Keep prenatal appointments to monitor blood pressure
Support your back when sitting for long periods

26 Weeks Pregnant: your questions

What trimester is 26 weeks?: Week 26 is in the second trimester, which runs from week 13 to week 27 (NHS). It is week 14 of 15 in this trimester, and the third trimester starts at week 28.
How many months is 26 weeks pregnant?: 26 weeks pregnant puts you in month 6 of pregnancy. Month 6 covers weeks 23 to 27. Providers count in weeks; months are approximate.
How big is the baby at 26 weeks?: At 26 weeks, the baby is about the size of a lettuce, roughly 35.6 cm long and around 760 g. That is an average; healthy babies vary.
What happens if a baby is born at 26 weeks?: Most babies born at 26 weeks survive with care in a neonatal unit. In a large US study of babies born from 2013 to 2018, 87.6% of those born alive at 26 weeks survived to go home. If early labour starts, you may be offered steroid injections to help the baby's lungs, and a magnesium sulphate drip to help protect its brain. After birth, the baby will need help to breathe, feed, stay warm and fight infection. Health problems are still more common than in babies born later.
What symptoms should I not ignore at 26 weeks pregnant?: Contact your maternity unit or provider straight away, even at night, if your baby is moving less than usual or the pattern changes. Bleeding, a leak of fluid, or tightenings that follow a regular pattern also need a prompt call. A bad headache, vision problems, pain below the ribs or sudden swelling can be signs of pre-eclampsia. Very itchy skin, especially on the palms or soles, needs an urgent call too. Belly pain with or without bleeding can mean the placenta is coming away from the womb. If pain or bleeding is severe, call emergency services.
Are there symptoms of a girl at 26 weeks pregnant?: No. Carrying high, craving sweet food, clear or spotty skin and heart rate are not reliable signs. The only link researchers have found is weak. In a Washington State study of 2,110 women admitted to hospital with severe sickness in the first trimester, the odds of a girl were 1.5 times those in women without severe sickness. Many of those women still had boys, so the link is no use for predicting your own baby's sex. A scan or a cell-free DNA blood test is the reliable way to find out.
What position is the baby in at 26 weeks?: Any position is fine at 26 weeks. The baby still has room to move and changes position often, so head-up, head-down and sideways are all normal. Babies may start turning head-down from around 28 weeks, and most are head-down by the time labour begins. At checkups from about 36 weeks, your bump will be felt to check which way the baby is lying. So the way your baby lies now doesn't tell you much about how it will lie at birth.
Is it normal to have diarrhoea or cramps at 26 weeks pregnant?: Mild cramps from stretching ligaments, constipation or wind are common. Diarrhoea is often caused by a stomach bug and should stop in a few days. Sip plenty of fluids so you don't get dehydrated. But period-like cramps, whether or not you have diarrhoea, can also mean early labour. Phone your provider or maternity unit at once if cramps or tightenings keep coming at regular times, or if you notice a dull ache low in your back, pressure in your pelvis, or fluid or blood from your vagina. Blood in your poo also needs a call.

Useful at week 26

Fetal viability — why the odds climb so fast between 24 and 28 weeks
Baby eye color calculator — a playful guess at your baby's eye colour
Pregnancy discharge by trimester — what's normal now, and when discharge means a call
Massage in pregnancy — for sore legs and back as your shape changes
Pregnancy weeks to months — 26 weeks is in month 6 — see every week

← All weeks: the full pregnancy week-by-week guide

Sources

Checked against the following public guidance on October 2, 2026. Advice can differ between countries; your doctor, nurse or midwife can apply it to you.