Your Nutrition Tips of This Week¹

Managing Heart Burn Through Eating Well
Heartburn or constipation may occur during your 26th week of pregnancy as a result of your expanding uterus and the impact of hormones on your digestive system. Try these tips for managing heartburn:

• Watch what you eat, but don’t give up the balanced nutrition your body needs.
• Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
• Eat slowly.
• Avoid eating late at night and don’t lie down for several hours after eating.
• Ask your doctor about antacids that are OK to take during pregnancy.

Your Wellness Tips This Week²

At 26 weeks pregnant, you are well into your second trimester. At your next doctor’s visit, he or she will conduct routine tests. Plus, your doctor might examine your readiness for labour and delivery. During your 26th week of pregnancy, you also might want to talk to your doctor about traveling.

The Doctor's Office
Your doctor will check your vitals as in previous visits. He or she also might do the following:

• Check the baby’s position in utero, which is likely to change throughout the rest of your pregnancy.
• Prescribe a glucose test for gestational diabetes, a temporary form of diabetes that can occur during pregnancy.
• Test for Rh antibodies, which can be treated during pregnancy.
• Test for anaemia caused by a lack of iron, which is treatable during pregnancy.

Travelling
Consider taking a trip. With early pregnancy symptoms behind you and energy in your favour, traveling during your second trimester might be just the ticket. Check with your doctor to make sure it’s OK and consider these travel tips when you go!

• Plan a trip that will be comfortable and restful for you.
• Know the location of the closest health care facility, just in case.
• You may be feeling great, but take it slow.

Your Baby's Development at Week 26^{3, 4}

At 26 weeks pregnant, it’s exciting to think about what your baby looks like as his appearance becomes more refined:

• By the 26th week of pregnancy, your baby weighs 0.7 to 1 kg, and is about the length of a small pineapple.
• Your baby’s eyebrows and eyelashes are well formed.
• His eyes are fully developed — he will start to open and close them at around 28 weeks.
• The hair on his head grows and thickens.
• Little footprints and fingerprints form.
• He starts using his lungs to mimic breathing. His lungs are beginning to produce surfactant, which is a substance that allows inflation of the air sacs inside the lungs and keeps them from collapsing.
• Essential fats accumulate under his skin.

Your Changing Body at Week 26⁵

During the 26th week of pregnancy and in the weeks that follow, you might face some side effects as a result of your changing body. These include heartburn, constipation, and hemorrhoids. However, women manage these by following the tips above.

Exercise Tip: Watch for Warning Signs⁶
It’s important to keep moving throughout your pregnancy. But, if you experience any of these symptoms, stop what you are doing. Speak with your doctor if symptoms are intense or do not subside.

• Chest pain
• Decreased fetal movements
• Difficulty walking

References:

¹ Healthline. Causes of Heartburn and Indigestion in Pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.healthline.com/health/gerd/pregnancy. Accessed on 26 August 2023.
² Fowler JR et al. Pregnancy. StatPearls Publishing. Jan 2023. Available [Online] at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448166/. Accessed on 26 August 2023.
³ ACOG. How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/how-your-fetus-grows-during-pregnancy. Accessed on 26 August 2023.
⁴ Verywellfamily. Week 26 of your pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.verywellfamily.com/26-weeks-pregnant-4159097. Accessed on 26 August 2023.
⁵ Vazquez J. C. BMJ clinical evidence. 2008;1411. Available [Online] at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907947/.
⁶ WebMD. When to Call Your Doctor During Pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://www.webmd.com/women/pregnancy-when-to-call-your-doctor. Accessed on 26 August 2023.
* Comparison among all maternal milk in Singapore as of January 2022, as declared on the label.

SG.2022.23689.SMM.1 (v1.1)