25th Week Growth...

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How your baby's growing:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.

The fetus weighs in at 1 1/2 to 2 pounds this week, and measures about a foot from head to toe. Though still skinny and wrinkly (skin hangs loosely until the fetus develops more baby fat), she's growing rapidly and starting to fill the space in your uterus. You'll feel her kicks and pokes more strongly with each passing week, with kick-strength peaking in about a month when she gets too crowded to do anything but squirm.

During this week, your baby is spending more time preparing for life after birth. Nerves around the mouth and lip area are becoming more sensitive now, preparing Baby for that all-important task of finding a nipple and getting nourishment.
At a pound and a half and a length of about eight to 10 inches, Baby is growing at a steady pace. The umbilical cord is thick and resilient now, covered in a firm, slippery substance that prevents kinking and knotting and may regulate the blood flow between placenta and Baby.
This week, you could expect:
*Baby will begin curling her fingers into a fist.
*Baby's dexterity will continue to develop.
*She'll continue to explore her surroundings, including the umbilical cord.
*Your baby's spinal structure will begin to form.
*Baby's nostrils beginning to open.

How your life's changing:
Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but the hair you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. You may also notice darker or thicker body hair. It will return to normal in the weeks after you give birth. You probably can't move around as gracefully as before. It's fine to continue to exercise, but use your common sense: Don't work out when you're feeling overly tired, and stop if you feel any pain or when you begin to feel at all fatigued, dizzy, or short of breath. Don't lie on your back too long or do any exercise where you're apt to lose your balance. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and make time for both warm-up and cool-down periods.
When you have your glucose-screening test at 24 to 28 weeks, your practitioner may take a second tube of blood at the same time to check for anemia. Although your blood volume increases dramatically during pregnancy, the total amount of your red blood cells becomes diluted — a problem sometimes called physiologic anemia that's common in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. If your blood tests show that you have anemia, your caregiver will likely recommend that you take a supplement.

You may continue to notice physical changes this week related to pregnancy. Your eyes may become sensitive to light, feeling gritty and dry. Caused by hormones, this is a perfectly normal pregnancy symptom called dry-eye. To ease your discomfort, try using an "artificial tears" solution for added moisture.

You may also notice the onset of or continue to experience indigestion as the hormone progesterone slows down the emptying of the stomach to allow for increased absorption of nutrients for you baby. Eating smaller, more frequent meals, and avoiding spicy and fatty foods may help ease this condition.