|
|
Week 25
How Big is the Baby at 25
Weeks Pregnant?
By pregnancy week 25 your baby is approximately 1
½ pounds and just under 9 inches long. From this point on however your baby's
weight and length may vary somewhat. Every baby is different as you'll soon
realize during your pregnancy week by week. Some babies will be born weighing 7
pounds and others 10.
Your Baby's Growth
and Development
Your baby is continuing to mature during pregnancy
week 25 and for the next several weeks. The structures that form the spine start
to form around pregnancy at 25 weeks, and blood vessels in the lungs continue to
develop this week. Other things that are shaping up during pregnancy at 25 weeks
include our baby's nostrils, which may open up by the end of this week.
Your
baby is starting to put on just a little meat, and will continue filling out as
your pregnancy progresses.
Your Growth
and Development
Your uterus is now about the size of a volleyball
at 25 weeks pregnant. As your uterus continues to grow you'll notice it places
some pressure on your back and pelvis. This can sometimes cause you to
experience shooting pains either down your leg or in your lower back. For some
women these pains get more and more severe during pregnancy.
Some women
will experience a condition called sciatica during pregnancy. This often happens
when the baby's head presses against the pelvic bones causing the nerves in your
lower back and legs to be compressed. Severe pain often results and can occur in
the lower back, leg or legs and even buttocks. Some women will also experience
numbness or tingling in the legs.
For some women the pain is so severe they
aren't able to lift their leg or walk without excruciating pain. So what is a
woman to do? Typically most women will realize a complete relief of symptoms
once the baby is born. Until then there are many things you can do to help
alleviate the pain:
- Apply a hot or ice pack for 10 minutes to the
area that is most painful.
- Sleep on a firm mattress.
- Avoid sitting for long periods of time.
- Avoid frequent bending at the waist.
- Don't engage in movements that make the pain
worse.
- Consider physical therapy if your physician
recommends it.
- Try to stand up straight.
- Use support cushions and a full body pillow
in bed.
- Don't lift anything heavy and when you do
lift be sure to bend from the knees.
- Consider chiropractic care or physical
therapy.
- Remember like anything else, this too shall
pass. Some women find that their sciatic pain is greatly relieved simply by
getting a few days bed rest. In many cases the pain subsides within 1-2 weeks,
though it may not disappear completely until after delivery.
Changes in You
By pregnancy 25 weeks you
are positively glowing, in the prime of your pregnancy. Measuring bigger but not
yet bulky, at pregnancy 25 weeks you probably love every minute of attention
that is poured on you as a mom to be.
If you have small children at
home, they are probably just as eagerly anticipating the arrival of the newest
member of the family as you are. Unfortunately you still have several more weeks
to wait, thus many women prefer to hold off having serious conversations with
their children until closer to delivery. This is particularly the case with very
young children, who may expect the baby to pop right out if you start talking
about delivery now.
By this time you should talk with your doctor to make
sure you understand the signs of pre-term labor. There are many warning signs
that may indicate your body is going into labor early.
Some of the more
telling signs include:
- Continuous cramping in the lower abdomen
similar to menstrual cramps.
- Contractions that come at regular intervals
or more than 4 contractions in one hour.
- Low backache that is constant.
- Pressure in the pelvis as if your baby were
pushing down.
- Bloody or watery vaginal discharge.
You
should talk to your doctor and find out what procedures they would like you to
follow if you suspect you are in pre-term labor.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
