25 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Development, And Growth

25 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Baby Development, And Growth

29 Dec 2016 | 11 min Read

Sudeshna Chakravarti

Author | 799 Articles

At 25 weeks of pregnancy, your uterus is about the size of a soccer ball, and you will finally have the pronounced baby bump you imagined from the start. By now, your little one will also start to move frequently, and may respond to sound or touch. 

During this week, you will continue to experience pregnancy symptoms like fatigue, body pain, and trouble sleeping. Additionally, you may have physical and emotional changes, such as increased feelings of stress and anxiety, and an enlarged belly with a protruding navel.

In this post, we discuss everything about your baby’s growth and developmental progress and the common symptoms that you will experience in the 25th week of pregnancy. Keep reading to know more. 

Your Baby’s Development at 25 Weeks

At 25 weeks of pregnancy, you are in the sixth month of pregnancy and the final week of the second trimester. This means you only have three months left to meet your little one! By this week, your baby’s nose and lungs rapidly develop, and their other bodily systems advance too, with some of them being fully functional. 

Let’s discuss your baby’s size and also discuss other interesting details about your baby’s development in the 25th week of pregnancy.

How Big is Your Baby at 25 Weeks?

At 25 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is as big as a rutabaga (turnip). They will measure about 34.6cms (13.6 inches) in length and weigh around 660gms (1.46lb).

To get a deeper overview of your baby’s size and growth progress each week, you can consider following the posts published under the pregnancy week-by-week section by BabyChakra. This section contains informational and expert articles which discuss your little one’s weekly development progress in detail and also list a set of screenings and tests you need to undergo during your prenatal visit.

You can also follow the list of self-care tips that these posts provide to maintain good health and well-being during pregnancy.

Foetal Development at 25-Week Pregnancy

25 weeks pregnant
By this week, your baby will be able to respond to sound, light, and touch / Image source: Flickr.com

In this section, we have discussed how your baby’s organs develop in the 25th week of pregnancy. We have also included a set of growth milestones that your little one will achieve during this week.

  • Skin: Fat continues to deposit under their skin layers.
  • Lungs: Your baby’s breathing pattern will be developed by now. It will occur 44 times/minute. The alveoli also start creating surfactants.
  • Spine: The spine continues to develop.
  • Reflexes: Your baby will respond to sound, light, and touch by the 25th week of pregnancy.
  • Nose: The nostrils begin to open up by this week.
  • Brain: Your baby’s brain continues to develop at this stage.
  • Kidneys: The kidneys start producing urine.
  • Digestive system: The digestive system is still developing and will become fully functional in the next two weeks.

Common Symptoms That You Will Experience This Week

This week, you will experience a whole slew of pregnancy symptoms, and some of them will be similar to the early signs of pregnancy. Additionally, the body aches that you experienced in the previous weeks continue to occur during this period too.

  • Trouble sleeping: Bodily discomforts, plus frequent trips to the bathroom can interrupt your sleep at night. To reduce body aches, you can invest in a good-quality maternity pillow that offers support and comfort to your belly and back.
  • Weight gain: Your weight gain should be between 550gms-700gms per week during the second trimester. However, based on your BMI, your doctor might suggest gaining additional weight to support your baby’s growth.
  • Frequent urination: The growing uterus puts a lot of pressure on your bladder, increasing your urge to pee.
  • Gas and bloating: Your digestive tract relaxes during pregnancy causing indigestion. This condition can further cause gas and bloating. 
  • Haemorrhoids: Increased blood flow to your rectal area causes swelling in your nerves, which further causes haemorrhoids. This can be a painful symptom but can be relieved with medications. 
  • Constipation: During pregnancy, your body releases progesterone which relaxes your digestive tract and slows down your intestinal motility causing constipation.
  • Heartburn: The growing uterus puts a lot of pressure on your stomach, which pushes the gastric acids toward your oesophagus, causing heartburn. This condition can be prevented by avoiding spicy and oily foods. 
  • Fatigue: Since your body is working harder to nurture the growth of your baby, you will be feeling more tired than usual.
  • Back pain: The pressure exerted by the extra weight of your baby on the lower back strains the muscles of that region, causing pain. You can use a good pillow to support your back while sitting and always maintain good posture to reduce the pain.
  • Braxton Hicks contractions: You may experience infrequent and less painful contractions, better known as Braxton Hicks contractions during this time. These contractions are your body’s way of preparing for labour and delivery and may go away when you switch positions.
  • Edema: Water retention in your body causes swelling in your hands and feet. This condition is known as edema and is common in the later stages of pregnancy.
  • Snoring: A blocked nasal cavity due to swollen mucous membranes can cause you to snore at night.
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome: This syndrome causes a tingling effect on your hands and wrist due to the increased blood volume that exerts pressure on your nerves.
  • Restless leg syndrome (RLS): This condition causes a tingling sensation in your legs along with an uncontrollable urge to move them. This syndrome is usually caused due to low folate or haemoglobin levels, or a history of RLS before conception.
  • Symphysis pubic dysfunction (SPD): This is a condition where the ligaments and muscles of your pelvic joints are stretched, causing pain in the pelvic region. Kegel exercises and pelvic tilts can help strengthen the muscles and reduce pain.

Your Body at The 25th Week of Pregnancy

In the 25th week of pregnancy, your body undergoes several physical and emotional changes. These changes are much more rapid as compared to the ones you felt during the first trimester. Some of the common changes that you will notice this week:

Physical changes:

  • Your breasts grow in size and the areola gets darker.
  • Your belly grows and will seem protruded this week.
  • Your skin will also stretch due to the expanding uterus, leaving stretch marks.
  • The increase in hormonal fluctuations will make your hair look shinier, fuller, and thicker.

Emotional changes:

  • You may feel anxious due to upcoming labour and parenthood.
  • You may have increased mood swings due to hormonal changes.

25 Weeks Pregnant Belly

Your belly will appear quite big during this time, and if you haven’t gotten your maternity shoots yet, now is the right time to pose with your adorable bump. At 25 weeks, you will also be in the final few weeks of the second trimester, and your little one’s growth will be exponential at this stage.

Your baby will move rigorously during this time, and they will also follow a sleep pattern, which indicates that your little one is healthy and doing fine inside the womb. Your baby will also move around the uterus and attain different birthing positions before coming to the optimal position.

Use the pregnancy month calculator to get a detailed guide about your baby’s movement and activity inside the womb every week.  

Do You Need an Ultrasound at The 25th Week Of Pregnancy?

25 weeks pregnant
An ultrasound is not compulsory at this week, but you can still get it under your doctor’s advice

When you are 25 weeks pregnant, you will have a regular prenatal checkup with your ob-gyn. During this appointment, the doctor will check your weight, blood measure, and also measure the fundal height of the foetus. The doctor will also suggest a glucose challenge level to measure the sugar levels in your bloodstream.

If your sugar levels are abnormal, then the doctor may recommend you to make dietary moderations and switch to a healthy, low-sugar diet. In addition to these tests, you may have an ultrasound scan depending on your doctor’s advice. If you had an ultrasound scan the previous week, then an ultrasound at the 25th week of pregnancy isn’t compulsory.

However, if your doctor suggests otherwise, then it’s safe to undergo a scan this week as well.

Self-care Tips for 25 Weeks Pregnancy

We have listed some essential self-care tips for the 25th week of pregnancy to keep you happy and comfortable.

  • Eat home-cooked meals and include foods that are rich sources of essential nutrients and vitamins, such as folate, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and fibre.
  • Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water (8-10 glasses) throughout the day.
  • Take doctor-approved prenatal vitamins to support your iron, calcium, and magnesium levels.
  • Indulge in moderate physical activities like walking, stretching, kegels, and pelvic strengthening exercises.
  • Start breathing exercises that relieve nasal congestion and reduce concerns like shortness of breath.
  • Avoid exposure to toxic chemicals.
  • Spend time with your family and friends and indulge in de-stressing activities.

Pregnancy Checklist at 25 Weeks

  • Set an appointment with the sonographer for the net week’s ultrasound scan.
  • Make an appointment with your ob-gyn for your next prenatal checkup.
  • Start making a list of baby names using the baby names finder on BabyChakra.
  • List down the baby care items that you have to purchase.

What to Ask Your Doctor?

25 weeks pregnant
Make a list of questions that you may ant to ask your doctor during the next prenatal visit

As you enter the final stage of the second trimester in the 25th week of pregnancy, you may be curious to know what lies ahead and what significant bodily and emotional changes you will experience in the upcoming weeks. Ask the following questions to your doctor:

  • When does the third trimester start?
  • What changes should I expect in the next weeks?
  • Am I going to gain additional weight in the third trimester?
  • What developmental milestone will my baby achieve in the next trimester?
  • What are my caloric needs per day?
  • Do I need to take any other medications starting this week?
  • What symptoms will I experience next week?

Conclusion

When you are 25 weeks pregnant, you notice protrusion in your belly, increased breast size, and also thicker, fuller hair. You will also feel rigorous foetal movements starting this week, and notice a sleeping pattern in your little one.

Stick to following a healthy diet and lifestyle during this time and take your medications on time to ensure your and your baby’s health. In case, you experience uncommon symptoms like excess vaginal bleeding or reduced foetal activity, consult your doctor immediately for guidance and treatment methods.

FAQs

Are you six months pregnant at 25 weeks?

Yes. At 25 weeks, you are in the sixth month of your pregnancy.

Is 25 weeks the third trimester?

You are still in your second trimester at 25 weeks of pregnancy.

Is a foetus fully developed at 25 weeks?

No. At 25 weeks your baby is still growing steadily and has three more months to develop fully.

What should I expect at 25 weeks pregnant?

You can expect certain physical and emotional changes this week, such as increased body pains, leg cramps, weight gain, mood swings, and anxiety.

What do baby kicks feel like at 25 weeks pregnant?

You may feel your baby squirm, turn, and wriggle while kicking at 25 weeks of pregnancy.

How long will my baby sleep in the womb at 25 weeks?

Babies in the womb sleep as much as any newborns, 12-14 hours. 

Can I give birth at 25 weeks?

A baby born at 25 weeks is considered premature and fragile. They may also need intensive newborn care if they are born at 25 weeks.

How much weight should I gain at 25 weeks?

You should gain an average of 550gms-700gms per week during the second trimester of your pregnancy.

How big should my bump be at 25 weeks?

At 25 weeks, your baby bump will be about the size of a soccer ball.

Also read:

Ovulation calculator: Want to use an ovulation calculator while planning your pregnancy? Check out this post for guidance.

26 weeks pregnancy symptoms: here’s a list of pregnancy symptoms that you will experience in the 26th week of pregnancy. 

Featured image: Freepik.com

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Suggestions offered by doctors on BabyChakra are of advisory nature i.e., for educational and informational purposes only. Content posted on, created for, or compiled by BabyChakra is not intended or designed to replace your doctor's independent judgment about any symptom, condition, or the appropriateness or risks of a procedure or treatment for a given person.