26 weeks pregnant
At 26 weeks you are in the second trimester, and your baby measures about 36 cm from head to heel and weighs about 760 g, roughly the length of a head of cos lettuce. The 26 to 28-week blood tests and the glucose tolerance test are usually done together around now, and the Parental Leave Pay claim can be lodged from next week.
Weighs about 760 g, like a jar of pasta sauce. Averages from standard growth tables; your scan gives your baby's own numbers.
Your baby at 26 weeks
The eyes open and the baby responds to sound and light. Curled in the fetal position and filling out with fat; the eyes open from about week 26.
How you might feel
Stronger kicks, back pain and trouble finding a comfortable sleeping position are common, and some people notice swelling in the hands and feet.
Book the OGTT and 28-week bloods if not done.
Call the maternity unit today for bleeding, fluid loss, a severe headache or vision changes. 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) in Queensland; 000 in an emergency.
What's due this week in Australia
Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine
Free under the National Immunisation Program in every pregnancy.
Book antenatal classes and a hospital tour
Public hospitals run free or low-cost childbirth, breastfeeding and early-parenting classes, in person or online.
Put your name on childcare waitlists
If you plan to use childcare in the first year, many centres have waitlists of 6–12 months.
24–25-week antenatal visit (first pregnancy)
Blood pressure, fundal height, the baby’s movements, and the request forms for the glucose test and 28-week bloods.
Gestational diabetes test (OGTT)
A fasting 75 g oral glucose tolerance test at a pathology collection centre: a fasting blood sample, the drink, then samples at 1 and 2 hours.
26–28-week blood tests
Full blood count (iron) and blood-group antibodies, usually drawn with the glucose test.
Coming up: Lodge the Parental Leave Pay and Family Tax Benefit claims
You can lodge up to 3 months before the due date through myGov → Centrelink.
Coming up: 28-week antenatal visit
Blood pressure, fundal height, the glucose and blood results, and the start of the third trimester.
Checklist for the week
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Questions about 26 weeks
How many months is 26 weeks pregnant?
About six months.
What trimester is 26 weeks?
Week 26 is in the second trimester. In the Australian guidelines Hello Bub follows, the first trimester runs to 13 weeks, the second from 14 to 27 and the third from 28 weeks.
When can I claim Parental Leave Pay?
From 13 weeks before your due date, through Centrelink in myGov. Claiming early means the payment starts promptly once you provide proof of birth.
Written by the Hello Bub team; medical schedule follows the Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines; last reviewed 3 November 2026.