If you haven’t yet had a glucose screening test to check for temporary gestational diabetes, you may want to consider it. Your healthcare provider has probably recommended this test, which is usually done between weeks 24–28. Don’t be surprised if a second tube of blood is taken to check for anemia and a low iron level in your system. You may also be given a TDaP vaccination for whooping cough, depending on where you live. If you are Rh negative, the time is coming soon for a Rhogam shot. This is also a good time to sign up for some birthing classes.
Symptoms and Body Changes at 25 Weeks
As your baby’s hair grows, you’ll probably notice your own hair growing more quickly too. Try to enjoy this thicker hair because once the baby is born, chances are it will fall out. Continue to drink plenty of fluids in order to avoid dehydration, which leads to dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and other pains. Don’t lie flat on your back. Hopefully you began to practice lying on your side in the early stages of your pregnancy, so even if you normally sleep on your back, the transition shouldn’t be too tough.
Your skin may be dry and itchy from all the stretching, but lotion can help relieve the dryness. You may also notice that your eyes are dry, and they may be sensitive to light. You may experience hot flashes due to the continued increase and fluctuation in hormone levels. If you are suffering from constipation, try eating more fiber and exercising routinely to help your bowels move.
Baby’s Development
At an amazing 13½ inches long and weighing just over 1½ pounds, your baby is growing rapidly. During week 25, your baby starts to plump up as fat builds up under the skin. If you were to have a 3-D ultrasound, your baby would finally start to look more like a person, and less like a miniature skeleton! At this stage, most patients report feeling a LOT of fetal movement. Do not worry, lots of movement is a good thing, and no, this is not a sign that your baby is going to be hyperactive. (At least, we hope not!)
Pregnancy Week 25 Tips
Have you begun to think of baby names yet? This is a good time to choose one male and one female name, especially if you are choosing to wait until the birth to find out the gender. Ideas can come from family members—you may name the baby after an ancestor or use a common family name. Or you can also venture out on a limb and name your baby after the place they were conceived, or maybe after your favorite place to travel, or even after a favorite literary or film character. Write a list down with your partner and make a game out of it. This could be a fun, lighthearted time, especially as the third trimester approaches and new pregnancy pains and symptoms appear and hormonal changes occur. Next is pregnancy at 26 weeks.
Photo credit: Jaqueline Wade 25 weeks pregnant with twins, ultrasound