Pregnancy Week 25
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Inside Pregnancy Week 25
Your baby is filling out more every week, with fat plumping up that wrinkly skin now. The baby is approximately 13" long and around 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds. It's possible that the baby's hair color and texture might be apparent now, although many still have white hair due to no pigment yet. The spine is getting more developed, with joints, ligaments and rings. The blood vessels of the lung continue to mature. The nerves around the mouth and lips have more sensitivity, which aids in the rooting reflex necessary for eating. Also the swallowing reflex is becoming stronger. The baby can grasp things in his or her palm now, although the only thing available now is the umbilical cord. Baby has probably begun to settle into a proper position for birth, but don't worry if yours has still not gotten head-down. Some take a little longer to make the journey. There is still plenty of time.
Pregnancy Symptoms You May Feel During Week 25
Your uterus is now roughly the size of a soccer ball, and that might be an apt way to think of it, as your little one might be kicking around that much now! All the weight and the relaxed muscles and ligaments due to progesterone will make back pain a distinct possibility at this point. You will want to focus on not slouching and making an effort for good posture now to help with back strain. Your legs also might get cramps frequently too. Try to find some healthy yoga stretches for pregnant women, to help with both of these painful symptoms. You can also schedule a massage and indulge in some tlc. If that's not financially viable, get your partner to indulge you. Another bit of unpleasantness? Increased vaginal discharge might be occurring now. Talk to your doctor about when to call and what to look for in order to determine if it's just a vaginal discharge, a bit of urine leaking, or amniotic fluid you are dealing with.
Visit With the Obstetrician
Your teeth are probably not at the top of your pregnancy concerns/conditions list, but they should be. Hormones make your teeth a bit more susceptible to problems now, and this is no time for skipping good dental care. Make certain you are brushing and flossing after meals. Some bleeding can become more common in pregnancy. Get regular dental care, making certain your dentist knows of your pregnancy. Any infections in your body, including in your teeth or mouth, can affect baby, so this is no time to ignore those pearlies.
Preparing for Baby
You have probably been doodling names on notebooks since you first found out you were pregnant, but now reality is setting in and it's time to get serious. Some parents make the choice not to reveal the chosen name(s) to friends and family until the baby's birth. Others involve loved ones in the process. Things to consider: nicknames, initials, the ease of saying the name with the last name, if you prefer the unusual or more common name, whether you want to honor a relative with the naming of your child, and consider the meaning of the name if that's something you think important. Will you use an unusual spelling or a more typical one?
Pregnancy Lifestyle
At this point in the pregnancy, insomnia could be getting the better of you. Ask your physician for safe ideas to help aid sleep. Don't assume something herbal or natural is therefore safe. Many herbs are harmful to fetuses. Try to remedy symptoms that interfere with sleep, such as heartburn or cramping. Get a pregnancy support pillow or just some extra pillows to support your back and or tummy while sleeping. Do puzzles or read, and let yourself wind down to sleep. Too many things churning in your mind? Write down a list and promise yourself to think about them the next day. Give yourself permission to relax and worry over such things later.