Second trimester
26 weeks pregnant
Your baby is about the size of a red cabbage
- First trimester1st trimester weeks 1–12
- Second trimester2nd trimester weeks 13–26
- Third trimester3rd trimester weeks 27–40+
By Clever Mum Parenting · Parenting guides
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How big is the baby at 26 weeks pregnant?
At 26 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a red cabbage, roughly 35.6cm and around 760g. The baby's eyes begin to open and they can now blink. They respond to sound with a faster heartbeat or movement, and brain activity increases sharply. These are typical averages — your midwife's measurements are the ones that matter for your pregnancy.
What might you feel at 26 weeks?
Most people at 26 weeks notice some mix of the symptoms below — and plenty notice none of them. You're approaching the third trimester. Backache, rib pain and breathlessness can increase as the baby takes up more room. Blood pressure is monitored at appointments. None of this is a diagnosis; contact your midwife if something worries you.
Common symptoms this week
- Backache and rib ache
- Breathlessness on stairs
- Blood pressure checked more attentively
Symptom lists are typical, never exhaustive — and having none of them is normal too.
What should you do at 26 weeks pregnant?
The useful job this week is practical, not medical. A good week to sort maternity pay paperwork — your MATB1 certificate is usually issued from around week 20 and unlocks Statutory Maternity Pay. Pair it with the NHS week-by-week guide if you want a second description of the same stage.
Week 26 checklist
- Sort maternity pay paperwork with your employer — MATB1 in, start date agreed
- Plan your maternity leave start date (any time from 11 weeks before the due date)
What antenatal care is due around 26 weeks?
These appointments, vaccines and deadlines fall around this stage. Your maternity team will confirm your own dates.
- Whooping cough vaccine (from 16 weeks). Offered in every pregnancy from 16 weeks, usually around 20 weeks. Antibodies pass to your baby before they can have their own vaccines at 8 weeks. Pregnancy and baby vaccines
- Maternity Allowance claims open at 26 weeks. If you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, you can apply for Maternity Allowance once you have been pregnant for 26 weeks. Maternity leave and pay guide
What else is useful at 26 weeks?
Use the week page for size and symptoms; use the guides below for the decisions that actually sit in this window — pay, packing, car seats, labour signs.
26 weeks pregnant: common questions
When should I start maternity leave?
You can start any time from 11 weeks before your due date; many people work until 36–38 weeks to bank more paid leave for after the birth, but there's no right answer — commuting, physical work and how you feel all matter. It starts automatically if you're off sick with a pregnancy-related illness in the final 4 weeks.
How big is my baby at 26 weeks pregnant?
At 26 weeks, your baby is approximately the size of a red cabbage, about 35.6cm and around 760g. These are approximate averages — every baby grows at its own pace.
What's happening at 26 weeks pregnant?
The baby's eyes begin to open and they can now blink. They respond to sound with a faster heartbeat or movement, and brain activity increases sharply. For you: you're approaching the third trimester. backache, rib pain and breathlessness can increase as the baby takes up more room. blood pressure is monitored at appointments.
What appointments or vaccines are due at 26 weeks pregnant?
Around 26 weeks: whooping cough vaccine; Maternity Allowance claims open at 26 weeks. Your maternity team will confirm the dates that apply to you.
Which trimester is 26 weeks?
26 weeks pregnant is in the second trimester. The first trimester runs to the end of week 12, the second from weeks 13 to 26, and the third from week 27 to birth.
Sources & further reading
This is general information, not medical advice — every pregnancy is different. For anything that worries you, and for all your antenatal care, speak to your midwife or GP. If your baby's movements ever slow down or change, contact your maternity unit immediately, day or night.