What’s Happening With Mom?
Your uterus is planning. It knows that that thing kicking away inside isn’t a permanent resident, and it’s plotting how to get it out. The way babies are born is, by the uterus muscles making powerful, rhythmic contractions that push the occupant out. So, to practice for the big day, your uterus has painless, sporadic contractions called Braxton-Hicks contractions. Some moms don’t even notice them, some moms can feel their muscles tighten briefly then release.
If you feel Braxton-Hicks contractions, you might worry that it’s actually labor contractions. Braxton-Hicks contractions are random, occasional, and painless. Contractions of labor are frequent (maybe four an hour), regular (perhaps every five minutes) and are not painless (“Not painless” means anywhere from aching to intensely painful).
If you are having contractions that could be pre-term labor, you need to call your doctor or midwife immediately. It’s far too early for your baby to be born safely, so your doctor will administer medication, prescribe bed rest, or both, to delay labor.
What’s Happening With Baby?
Your baby has footprints, and fingerprints. When your baby is born, the hospital will take footprints for identification. Make sure you ask for your own set of footprints to take home with you, and a couple for other family members too.
Baby’s eyes have fully formed this week, and are so delicate this week that baby’s eyelids are closed to protect them. If baby could open those eyes, your baby could see very blurred shapes, and tell the difference between light and dark. At birth, your baby can focus on objects about 12 inches away. And as your baby grows, their vision will become clearer every day.
At 26 weeks, your baby weights between 1.5 and 2 pounds.
Tags: braxton-hicks contractions, contractions, eye development, fingerprint development, labor contractions, pre-term labor, Second Trimester
