7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138 • (901) 682-9222 • Open Weekdays 8:00 - 5:00
PREGNANCY TIMELINE: WEEK 25
You've made it to week 25! Only 13 to 15 more weeks to go! Just as you are getting bigger and rounder, your baby is growing and developing at an astonishing rate. Our pregnancy timeline will help you understand all the changes you and baby are going through and prepare you for the big day!
Week Overview:
At this point, baby is well proportioned and growing rapidly. The next weeks will allow baby to grow and gain weight. The structures of the spine - 33 rings, 150 joints and 1000 ligaments - begin to form. The blood vessels of the lungs are developing and the nostrils begin to open.
Baby's Physical Development
- Crown-to-rump, baby measures 8.8 inches long and weighs about 1.5 pounds
- Bones continue to harden (ossification)
By week 25, your uterus has grown quite a bit. Take a look at your side view and you will be surprised at how you look like "soccer mom" - especially since your uterus is the size of a soccer ball. The top of your uterus is about halfway between your bellybutton and the lower part of your sternum (the bone between your breasts where the ribs come together). Your eyes may be light sensitive and feel gritty and dry. This is a normal pregnancy symptom known as dry-eye. To ease your discomfort, use eye drops to add moisture to your eyes.
Your growing uterus places pressure on your back and pelvis and may cause periodic shooting pains in your lower back and legs. When you experience this, rest, change your position, take a warm bath or apply ice to the sore area.
Time to Start Thinking About
Have you given much thought to where the baby is going to sleep once you're both back at home? Many people spend the first few months with the baby next to their bed in a cradle or bassinet. This allows for easy access to night feedings and changings. This arrangement usually makes the parent feel more secure about their baby. Other parents have a nursery and use a monitor to allow their baby to waken them for night feedings, etc. Talk to friends and relatives about baby's sleeping arrangements, and look at all your options before making up your mind. Of course, when baby comes home you may find life with baby very different from what you had imagined.
Tips for Mom
So you've been walking each day, stretching, and practicing yoga. But are you doing your Kegal exercises? Kegals strengthen the pelvic floor and tone the vaginal and perineal area. To do a Kegal, tighten the muscles around the vagina and anus and hold for 8-10 seconds. Practice stopping a stream of urine when you're on the toilet. Kegal exercises are a great way to prepare for your body for labor.
Tips for Dad
Have you been calling the baby "Junior" or some other non-descript name? Start compiling a list of your favorite names. It's harder than you think to settle on the perfect name. Consider: Are there any relatives you might want to honor? How does the name sound with your last name? Are there any unfortunate nicknames that go along with the name? Is it trendy and cute now, but possibly weird later? Is it hard to spell or pronounce?
Complications to Watch For
Most pregnancies occur without any complications or problems. But there are times when your physician should be contacted immediately. The following list contains symptoms to be aware of during pregnancy.
- Vaginal bleeding
- Severe swelling of the fingers and face
- Severe abdominal pain
- Loss of fluid from the vagina, usually a gush of fluid, but sometimes a trickle or continual wetness
- A big change in the baby's movements or a lack of movement
- High fever (more than 101.6F;38.7C) or chills
- Severe vomiting or an inability to keep food or liquid down
- Blurring of vision
- Painful urination
- A headache that won't go away or a severe headache
- An injury or accident, such as a fall or automobile accident, that causes you concern about the well-being of your pregnancy
Prenatal Care Checklist
- Lying on your left side with a firm pillow under your head will usually be the most comfortable position for sleeping. This position brings more oxygen to the baby and eases the load on your kidneys.
- Try a body pillow.
- Bath water should not exceed 100 degrees F. Saunas and hot tubs are off limits.
- Do not douche or use tampons. Take a warm bath or use pads instead.
- You should not be changing the kitty litter because harmful parasites may be present.
- Travel is okay as long as you don't travel far from home during the last month of pregnancy. Check with your doctor first if a travel emergency arises.
- Seatbelts will not harm your fetus.
- Use both shoulder and lap belts and make sure to place the lap belt under your belly, across the hips and thighs.
- Avoid contact with any harmful chemicals or fumes.
7800 Wolf Trail Cove, Germantown, TN 38138
Phone: (901) 682-9222; Fax: (901) 682-9505