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Trimester 2 · Week 26 of 40

Week 26 of pregnancy: Eyes Opening

Your baby's eyelids begin to open, tiredness may return, and it is a good week to check in honestly on your mood and ask for support.

Last updated 28 September 2026

What's happening this week?

Somewhere between 26 and 28 weeks your baby's eyelids unseal for the first time. For you, the extra energy many people feel in mid-pregnancy may start to fade, with tiredness returning as the bump grows and sleep gets lighter. This page puts emotional health first. Low mood and anxiety in pregnancy are common, treatable and nothing to be ashamed of. If you have not felt like yourself for a while, raise it at your next visit, and let the people close to you share the load.

Baby's development

Your baby's eyelids fused shut at around 9 to 10 weeks to protect the developing eyes. Between about 22 and 26 weeks they begin to separate on the inside, and from about 26 to 28 weeks they start to open. Once open, the eyes can blink and make slow movements. Sources differ on the exact week, so think of it as a window rather than a date. Vision is still very basic and there is little light in the womb, so your baby cannot see you.

Inside the chest, tiny air sacs are beginning to form and the lungs are producing surfactant, but only in immature amounts. Surfactant is what lets tiny air sacs stay open between breaths, and without enough of it breathing is hard work. A baby born now would need breathing support and specialist neonatal care; the lungs usually mature at around 34 to 36 weeks.

Fingerprint and footprint patterns, set in their basic form by mid-pregnancy, are now close to final. Your baby continues to respond to sound more often, and the nervous system and fat stores keep developing week by week.

Your baby's size

About the size of a head of lettuce

35.6 cm

14.0 in · Length

760 g

Weight

Week 26

Gestational age

Crown-to-heel length is typically about 35 to 36 cm. The 760 g figure is lower than the roughly 910 g middle value on the widely used Hadlock chart, which is based on Western babies; Indian babies are often smaller, and a normal estimate can sit about a quarter either side of the middle. The lettuce is only a rough visual.

Your body this week

Tiredness often returns late in the second trimester. The bump is heavier, sleep is lighter and more broken, and your heart is working harder as blood volume keeps rising. Anaemia can add to it, so tiredness that feels out of proportion is worth mentioning.

Emotionally this can be a mixed time. Worries about the birth, money, work or family can surface as the pregnancy feels more real, and mood swings that come and go are common. Antenatal depression affects around 1 in 10 pregnant women according to the NHS, and Indian studies suggest it may be more common here, with a wide range of estimates. Anxiety, including repetitive, intrusive worries that are hard to switch off, is common too.

You may also notice occasional painless tightenings of the bump, known as Braxton Hicks, and backache as your posture shifts. Heartburn and leg cramps can interrupt sleep too, which feeds back into daytime tiredness.

Symptoms you may notice

Every pregnancy is different - you may have some, all or none of these.

Low mood: Feeling flat, tearful or hopeless, or losing interest in things you usually enjoy, most days for two weeks or more is more than ordinary mood swings. Tell your doctor or midwife; treatment works and can be chosen to suit pregnancy.
Anxiety: Constant worry, panic, a racing mind at night or intrusive thoughts you cannot switch off. Slow breathing can help in the moment, but anxiety that persists deserves the same attention as a physical symptom.
Tiredness: A heavier bump, broken sleep and a harder-working heart all play a part. Rest when you can, keep meals regular and ask what your last haemoglobin showed.
Braxton Hicks tightenings: Irregular, usually painless tightenings that ease with rest, a change of position or a drink of water. Tightenings that become regular or painful before 37 weeks are different and need checking.
Backache: Your changing posture strains the lower back. Sitting with support and wearing low heels help.

Medical care and tests

Mood and mental health check
Varies by provider
Any visit; asked at 25 weeks in the UK
In the UK, first-time mothers are asked about mental health at the 25-week appointment, and many doctors in India ask at routine visits. You do not need to wait to be asked. If you have had depression, anxiety or another mental health condition before, tell your doctor early so support can be planned.
Treatment for depression or anxiety
Only if needed
Whenever needed
Talking therapies are often the first step, and medicines are used when needed, with options chosen to be suitable in pregnancy. If you already take medicine for your mental health, do not stop it suddenly; talk to your doctor first.
Second antenatal visit
Routine
14–26 weeks in India; WHO contact at 26 weeks
India's minimum schedule includes a visit in this window, and the WHO model includes a contact at 26 weeks. If you have not been seen since your first visit, book now. Blood pressure, weight, urine and haemoglobin are usually checked.
Second glucose test
Routine
24–28 weeks
If your second gestational diabetes test is still pending, about two weeks of the recommended window remain.

Nutrition this week

Food does not treat depression, but long gaps without eating can leave you drained and irritable. Aim for three meals and two or three small snacks at roughly regular times, even when you do not feel like cooking.
Build each meal around a whole grain such as roti, brown rice, jowar or bajra, a protein such as dal, chana, paneer or dahi (or eggs and fish if you eat them), and vegetables, so energy lasts.
Keep easy snacks ready for tired days: roasted chana, a banana with a few nuts, dahi with fruit, or sprouts that have been steamed rather than eaten raw.
If your appetite has changed sharply along with your mood, mention both.
Keep caffeine under 200 mg a day, and avoid late-evening chai or coffee if your sleep is already broken.

Movement and exercise

Regular moderate activity in pregnancy is linked with less postnatal depression, and many people find a daily walk lifts their mood. Walking with a friend or your partner adds company too.
Prenatal yoga or breathing practice can help with stress; avoid breath-holding techniques and long periods lying flat on your back.
On very tired days, a short gentle walk or some stretching is enough. Rest is part of looking after yourself.

Things to keep in mind

Partners can help in concrete ways: coming to appointments, taking over heavy chores, managing visitors and noticing if you seem low.
If advice from relatives feels overwhelming, it is fine to say so, and to ask your doctor to explain things to the whole family.
Protect your sleep where you can, with a regular bedtime, a cool, dark room and less screen time late at night.
Before your next appointment, note down how you have felt over the past fortnight; it makes it easier to explain.

When to contact your doctor

Call your doctor or midwife the same day if you have

Low mood, anxiety or loss of interest most days for two weeks or more, or you are struggling to cope.
A fever of 38°C or more, or burning when you pass urine.
Light bleeding or spotting.
Pain, redness or swelling in one calf.
Sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet, or a headache that will not go away.

Get emergency care now if you have

Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, or of ending your life: get help today by telling someone you trust and contacting your doctor, or go to the nearest emergency department now if you feel unsafe.
Hearing or seeing things others do not.
A reduction or change in your baby's movements.
Heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain or leaking fluid.
Severe headache with vision changes, pain under the right ribs, or regular tightenings before 37 weeks.

In India, call 108 for an ambulance, 102 for free transport for pregnant women in many states, or 112 for any emergency - or go straight to your nearest hospital with a maternity unit.

If something feels wrong, trust that feeling and call - you never need to wait for your next appointment.

Questions to ask your doctor

I have been feeling low or anxious lately; what support is available here?
Is the medicine I take for my mental health suitable to continue in pregnancy?
Could my tiredness be anaemia, and what did my last haemoglobin show?
Can my partner come to the next appointment?

Week 26 checklist

Check in honestly on your mood over the past two weeks
Tell one person you trust how you are really feeling
Confirm your 14–26 week antenatal visit is done
Plan a short daily walk
List practical jobs your partner or family can take on

Frequently asked questions

Can my baby open their eyes at 26 weeks?

The eyelids begin to open somewhere between about 26 and 28 weeks, and sources give slightly different weeks. Once open, the eyes can blink and move, but vision is very basic and the womb is dim. Your baby cannot see you, and there is no need to shine lights at your bump.

Is it normal to feel depressed during pregnancy?

Mood swings and worry are common, but feeling low, hopeless or anxious most days for two weeks or more may be antenatal depression or anxiety. It affects many women, in India and elsewhere, and it is not a sign of weakness or of being a bad mother. Talking therapies and, when needed, medicines suitable for pregnancy help. Tell your doctor, midwife or ANM, and if you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, get help the same day.

How can my partner support me now?

Practical help matters most: coming to appointments, sharing housework, making sure you eat and rest, and backing you up when advice from relatives becomes too much. A partner can also notice signs that you are struggling and encourage you to speak to the doctor.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis or a substitute for care from your own doctor or midwife. Pregnancies differ, and timings here are typical ranges rather than deadlines. Read our medical disclaimer and editorial policy.