26 Weeks Pregnant? Here’s What No One Tells You (But You Need to Know!)

EP 97:

This week on the podcast, we're diving into everything you really need to know about being 26 weeks pregnant. Spoiler alert: your baby is blinking, your milk-making hormones are secretly turning on, and your body is training for labor — even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.

Stephanie (your doula, lactation consultant, and birth prep bestie) breaks it all down in a fun, relatable way that leaves you feeling way more confident about what’s happening and what to do next.

In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• The surprising things your baby is doing right now (yes, blinking!)
• Why 26 weeks is the perfect time to prep for breastfeeding
• 3 things you can start doing today to support your body + birth
• Real-talk symptoms (back pain, rib aches, leaky boobs, oh my!)
• The 26-week “Thrive Checklist” to prep for labor + postpartum

Links & Resources:
🎓 Grab the Bump to Bundle Blueprint Course
👶 Join me on YouTube
📩 Grab your FREE Hospital Bag Checklist here

Let’s Connect!
If this episode made you feel more prepared or just a little more normal, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your pregnant bestie!

Transcript

0:05

Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founder and CEO of Birth Prep Academy. I'm on a mission to help pregnant moms prepare for their first hospital birth. I'm sharing revealing conversations about what it really takes to successfully transition into motherhood. So join me. Here to discover things like what to expect in childbirth, how to prepare for your birth. We'll also talk about breastfeeding and so much more. I'm so grateful to share it all with you right here on Oh Baby, the podcast created for pregnant moms preparing for their first hospital birth. Let's get started. All right, mama. You're 26 weeks pregnant, and if it feels like you just blinked and suddenly your belly popped outta nowhere, you are not alone. But here's the thing. This week isn't just another week. It's a turning point. Your baby's doing some wild stuff in there like blinking. We're gonna get into it, so just hold tight. Your body is officially in the third trimester training mode. Ooh. And if you are planning to breastfeed later, now is gonna be the perfect time to start prepping your body. And your brain. In this episode, I'm sharing some surprising facts about your baby's development, some real deal symptoms to watch for. Plus, three things that you can start doing right now that'll set you up for a smoother birth and a better breastfeeding journey. So grab your lemon water or whatever it is that keeps you nice and hydrated. Get cozy. And let's talk all things 26 weeks. Okay. Quick baby update At 26 weeks, your little one is about the size of a head of a kale. And if you're like me and you're kind of visual with it, just picture this. A long zucchini doing somersaults in a water balloon.'cause that's pretty much what's going on inside your body right now. But here's the cool thing. Your baby's lungs are actually developing branches and surfactant. That's the stuff that helps them breathe after birth. They can also inhale and exhale amniotic fluid now, because they're practicing for their first big cry. Oh, and they're blinking. You know I mentioned that in the intro. well, their eyelashes are in, and they're even starting to react to light and sound. So if you shine a flashlight on your belly, you might actually get a little kick back, literally. While your baby's prepping to breathe air, your body's doing something you probably weren't warned about. Let's talk about the less glamorous stuff, your symptoms, because around 26 weeks, things can start feeling well, just different. So first up, symptom number one that we're gonna talk about is back pain and rib aches. Your uterus is growing up, not just out. So that means that your ribs, your lungs, and spine are getting nudged and it is not cute. Try a warm, compress, or switch to a pregnancy support pillow when you're sleeping. That should help. All right, symptom number two, leaky boobs. yep. Some mamas notice colostrum leaking vis early, which is totally normal. It doesn't mean that you're ready or not ready, it's just your body rehearsing. All right. Symptom number three, heartburn. Your baby's getting bigger and your digestive system is like, hold up, wait a minute, wait, wait, wait. It's getting stuffy in here. So you may wanna try smaller meals and skip the spicy stuff at dinner. Now let's talk about how some moms feel dizzy or out of breath. Just walking to the fridge. That's because your blood volume has increased by 40 to 50%. And your heart, well, it's working overtime, so take it slow, drink up, and never be afraid to rest. Okay, but here's where it gets juicy, because if you are planning to breastfeed, this might just blow your mind. I know your baby isn't even here yet, and I'm over here talking about breastfeeding. But here's the deal. Your milk factory is already under construction. Did you know that your milk making hormones are already active by 26 weeks? That's prolactin, oxytocin and more. They're all doing work behind the scenes, but just like labor, how you prepare actually matters. Here's how to give yourself a head start. First up, I want you to learn how your baby actually latches, and here's a hint, it is not nipple to mouth. All right. Number two, I want you to understand between colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk, let me say that again. Understand the difference between colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk. And lastly, I want you to know the signs of a deep latch versus a shallow one before you're up in pain at 2:00 AM Now, in case you're wondering, I teach all of this inside of Bump Tob bundle blueprint. It's my full pregnancy to postpartum prep course, and it's basically like having a doula, lactation consultant and your bestie in your pocket. All right. Here's your 26 weeks and thriving checklist. Number one, practice daily belly breathing. This helps with core strength and stress. Just five minutes can help oxygenate your body and prep your pelvic floor for labor. Also, I want you to start watching breastfeeding videos, not just birthing ones. See your brain learns through repetition. So seeing real babies latch now really helps you decode what to do later. All right. The last thing I want you to do to thrive this week is to talk to your partner or support person about your postpartum needs. It's never too early to say, I need help with food, or I need to really take some time to rest, and someone to protect my naps, really. And yes, that's your permission to delegate like a queen. All right. 26 weeks is no joke, but you, my friend, are doing an incredible job. If today's episode made you feel more confident, more prepared, or at least a little bit more normal, then go ahead and hit that like button so that YouTube knows to show this video to other expecting moms. Two. And don't forget, if you're ready to prep for birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding without piecing together 200 random YouTube videos, then come on in my friend, check out Bump to bundle blueprint. It's everything you need in one place from contractions to colostrum, and I'll be right there with you every step of the way. Hit that link below and I'll see you in the next video. You got this mama.