Pregnancy calendar - Week 26

You're 26 weeks pregnant and your baby is about to embark on a major growth spurt. Between now and 29 weeks, there will be all sorts of changes. Right now, your baby is about 36cm long and weighs approximately 1lb 7oz – so you should feel their movements every day. If your baby was born early, their lungs would be ready to breathe but still have a lot of developing to do, and their heart-rate is on average around 150bpm – a little higher for boys and a little lower for girls.

Doing some exercise during pregnancy will help you adapt to your changing shape and weight. And the really good news is that it’ll help you during labour and get you back into shape after the baby’s born.

Remember never to exhaust yourself, and you may need to take it easier as you get bigger – but exercise needn’t be too strenuous for you to feel the benefit. Doing a daily amount of low-impact exercise like walking can help you stay active. Swimming is also a great idea, as the water can support your increased weight. Some pools also offer special ‘aquanatal’ pregnancy classes.

As ever, you need to be aware that you can’t always do what you used to be able to do, so avoid strenuous exercise in hot weather, always take on plenty of fluids – and make sure that your instructor knows how pregnant you are! If you’re in any doubt about how much exercise you should be doing, talk to your midwife or doctor.