You are now 25 weeks pregnant and at the beginning of week 26. Your baby measures about 33 cm from head to toe (13.2 inches) and weighs about 800 grams (or 1lb 12 oz).
Your baby's eyelids are no longer fused, so they can now open their eyes and blink! It is also possible for your baby to respond to bright light (such as shining a torch through your belly). Newborns have vision that is perfectly focussed from about 20 to 30 cm, usually as far away as the face of the person holding them.
Your baby's movements are generally more regular now and he or she may physically respond to you if you press on parts of their protruding feet, bottom or hands. Some parents play games with their unborn baby when they seem awake and alert! Your caregiver can now probably hear your baby's heartbeat with a Pinnard's stethoscope (rather than just an electronic Doppler) beating at around 110 to 170 beats per minute.
What is my body doing at 25 weeks?
Feeling exhausted? Your expanding bump may start making it harder to get to sleep. Now that you’re in the second trimester, it’s important that you sleep on your side (ideally your left) rather than your back, because lying on your back presses down on the vein that returns blood from your lower body back up to your heart, and also to the placenta.
If you tend to thrash around when you sleep and wake up on your back, just make sure you roll onto your side before dropping back off to sleep. Using cushions to support yourself, including a pillow between your legs, may help make you more comfortable.
Common symptoms to look out for:
Your baby's eyelids are no longer fused, so they can now open their eyes and blink! It is also possible for your baby to respond to bright light (such as shining a torch through your belly). Newborns have vision that is perfectly focussed from about 20 to 30 cm, usually as far away as the face of the person holding them.
Your baby's movements are generally more regular now and he or she may physically respond to you if you press on parts of their protruding feet, bottom or hands. Some parents play games with their unborn baby when they seem awake and alert! Your caregiver can now probably hear your baby's heartbeat with a Pinnard's stethoscope (rather than just an electronic Doppler) beating at around 110 to 170 beats per minute.
What is my body doing at 25 weeks?
Feeling exhausted? Your expanding bump may start making it harder to get to sleep. Now that you’re in the second trimester, it’s important that you sleep on your side (ideally your left) rather than your back, because lying on your back presses down on the vein that returns blood from your lower body back up to your heart, and also to the placenta.
If you tend to thrash around when you sleep and wake up on your back, just make sure you roll onto your side before dropping back off to sleep. Using cushions to support yourself, including a pillow between your legs, may help make you more comfortable.
Common symptoms to look out for:
- Finding it hard to move around: Now that you’re getting bigger, it’s understandable that it’s more of an effort to move around. Chat with your doctor about which types of exercise are safe, but make sure you’re following a few rules: don’t work out when you’re tired, and stop immediately if you feel pain, shortness of breath or dizziness. Don’t lie flat on your back and try to avoid contact sports.
- Gorgeous hair: Finally, a pregnancy symptom you wish would stick around! Your hair may be fuller and glossier than ever thanks to pregnancy hormones keeping a hold of hair you’d normally shed. Enjoy it while it lasts!
- Piles: And now back to those side-effects you can't wait to say goodbye to: the oh-so-unwelcome haemorrhoids you may be noticing in the rectal area, caused by increased blood flow to the area as well as your enlarged uterus. Avoiding constipation is a good idea as this will only make the piles worse, so make sure you’re stocking up on fibre-rich foods and drinking plenty of water.
- Restless leg syndrome: 15% of women experience the peculiar effects of RLS, which include a tingling feeling in your feet and legs, along with an urge to move them. Experts aren't sure what causes it, but many women are helped by different methods, such as acupuncture, a warm bath or eating iron-rich foods.
- Bleeding gums: A common but unpleasant side-effect of pregnancy, bleeding gums may affect you this week. Make sure you’re brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly, and if you’re concerned, see a dentist to talk through your worries.
Physical changes
Your growing baby is much larger and now big enough for your caregiver to feel where their head is situated. Your caregiver may even be able to guide your hands during a routine pregnancy visit so you can feel your own baby's head. Ask them to do this next time you see them.
Babies change position frequently during this phase of pregnancy and are quite often in a breech position (bottom down) or lying across your belly in a transverse position. Your caregiver may start to write your baby's position on your pregnancy record card.
Other considerations
Tests you may be offered
Between 26 and 30 weeks your caregiver may recommend further tests. Depending on their preferences and/or the hospital or birth centre's policies, these could include a glucose tolerance test (GTT) to screen for gestational diabetes; a full blood count (FBC) to check for anaemia and to see if you need iron supplements and perhaps a vaginal swab to screen for Group B strep.
Natural therapies during pregnancy
T'ai chi means 'supreme and ultimate power'. It is a form of meditation in motion originating in China and derived from Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist teachings. The art of T'ai chi is a physical and mental discipline aimed at promoting health and well-being to prevent or treat many minor ailments, stress and anxiety.
Yoga means union - uniting body, mind and spirit. Yoga originated in India and is a holistic therapy based on meditation, static exercises and breathing techniques. Yoga is designed to calm, strengthen, protect and cure. Some styles of yoga are more powerful and active aiming to improve cardiovascular health, flexibility and coordination through serious exercise. Hatha yoga is gentle, used primarily for relaxation and breathing control, toning muscles and body systems.
Your growing baby is much larger and now big enough for your caregiver to feel where their head is situated. Your caregiver may even be able to guide your hands during a routine pregnancy visit so you can feel your own baby's head. Ask them to do this next time you see them.
Babies change position frequently during this phase of pregnancy and are quite often in a breech position (bottom down) or lying across your belly in a transverse position. Your caregiver may start to write your baby's position on your pregnancy record card.
Other considerations
Tests you may be offered
Between 26 and 30 weeks your caregiver may recommend further tests. Depending on their preferences and/or the hospital or birth centre's policies, these could include a glucose tolerance test (GTT) to screen for gestational diabetes; a full blood count (FBC) to check for anaemia and to see if you need iron supplements and perhaps a vaginal swab to screen for Group B strep.
Natural therapies during pregnancy
T'ai chi means 'supreme and ultimate power'. It is a form of meditation in motion originating in China and derived from Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist teachings. The art of T'ai chi is a physical and mental discipline aimed at promoting health and well-being to prevent or treat many minor ailments, stress and anxiety.
Yoga means union - uniting body, mind and spirit. Yoga originated in India and is a holistic therapy based on meditation, static exercises and breathing techniques. Yoga is designed to calm, strengthen, protect and cure. Some styles of yoga are more powerful and active aiming to improve cardiovascular health, flexibility and coordination through serious exercise. Hatha yoga is gentle, used primarily for relaxation and breathing control, toning muscles and body systems.
What to do this week
The birth plan: Now’s a good time to start thinking about where you’d like to give birth. There are generally three choices although they vary depending on where you live (and nope, a luxury five star hotel is not one of the options!). The first is a regular maternity ward, where you’ll be looked after by midwives, but there’ll also be obstetricians on the wards if needed. The second is a birth centre. These can be attached to hospitals or standalone, have a more ‘homely’ feel and are run by midwives, but there’s no immediate access to things like epidurals or C-sections. Finally, you can give birth at home. This is available if you’re having a low-risk pregnancy. Picking your birth centre does require a lot of thought and you really need to research what’s available to you before making any definite decisions.
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