25 Weeks Pregnant

Key Takeaways at 25 Weeks Pregnant

• Things are getting real! Your bump is no longer concealable, and you’ve probably gained about 15+ pounds so far.
• Baby is establishing a regular sleep-and-wake pattern in utero. If you’re worried about limited activity, try having a sip of juice or a healthy snack to see if it motivates baby.
• Pregnancy symptoms abound. You may have trouble sleeping—especially with that bump in the way. As organs shift and your uterus expands, you could experience heartburn and frequent urination too. You may also have Braxton Hicks practice contractions too.

You’re 25 weeks pregnant, and it’s probably dawned on you that soon you’ll actually have to deliver this baby. That might be a little scary, but it’s also exciting! What’s cool is that most hospitals will let you pre-register for delivery, which means you can fill out your admissions paperwork early so you don’t have to stand around filling out a bunch of forms while in the throes of labor.

Video Highlights at 25 Weeks

Baby at Week 25

Baby is enjoying their new sense of equilibrium—yep, your 25-week fetus is now learning which way is up and which is down. As for 25 weeks fetal development, baby is growing more fat and more hair too!

Guess what? Baby's hands are now fully formed too. They can now grasp anything that comes their way (why, hello there, umbilical cord!).

Your little one is already learning the importance of having downtime. Baby is having resting and alert periods, and you may start to feel some of those movements when your 25-week fetus is active. Baby is also experiencing REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This means their eyes move rapidly even though their eyelids remain closed.

How big is baby at 25 weeks?

Baby at 25 weeks is as big as a head of cauliflower, measuring about 13 inches in length and weighing between 1.5 and 1.75 pounds. At 25 weeks, baby’s size is starting to feel tangible. This baby thing is happening soon!

What does baby look like at 25 weeks in the womb?

Your 25-week-old fetus is growing more hair on that sweet little noggin, and they might bounce around suddenly in your 25 week baby bump if a loud sound startles them. Baby may also respond to your voice by moving or getting the hiccups, and their eyelids may open this week!

25 weeks pregnant is how many months?

While most doctors track pregnancy by week, not month, 25 weeks pregnant is six months pregnant. Still, knowing the answer to “how many months is 25 weeks pregnant?” can be helpful, since casual references to your pregnancy by family and friends may be by month.

25 week ultrasound

It’s not likely that you’ll get an ultrasound at 25 weeks pregnant, unless your doctor has ordered extra monitoring for baby. You’ll see the OB once this month if you haven’t already. Starting at week 28, your visits will get bumped up to every two weeks.

In case you missed it, the glucose challenge screening test will happen between weeks 24 and 28, so if you haven’t gone yet, make sure you have an appointment set. You’ll be asked to drink a sugary solution, then your blood will be drawn to see how your body’s processing sugar. This test can rule out gestational diabetes or raise a red flag, in which case your doctor would order further testing.

Pregnancy Symptoms at Week 25

You’re probably still feeling pretty energetic, but you also might be starting to feel weighed down by your bigger-by-the-day baby. Your 25 weeks pregnant symptoms may include:

Trouble sleeping

Maybe you can’t sleep because you’re getting nervous about delivery, or maybe it’s your haywire hormones—or just your big belly getting in the way. Experiment with different strategies for getting some sleep. One idea is to drink extra water early in the day, so you can start tapering off your intake as you get closer to bedtime. That way, you might need fewer bathroom breaks during the night.

Frequent urination

Now that baby is crowding your bladder, you’ve got to pee. A lot.

Constipation

Exercising (it’s as simple as taking regular walks), drinking lots of water and eating plenty of fiber-rich foods can help you stay regular.

Hemorrhoids

We can’t sympathize enough about these swollen varicose anal veins. Hemorrhoids are common in the second half of pregnancy because baby is putting a ton of pressure on your digestive tract. And the constipation certainly isn't helping. Getting the constipation under control will help prevent straining while you go to the bathroom and hopefully will prevent future swelling and discomfort.

Gas and bloating

Your hormones are slowing down digestion, creating excess gas.

Heartburn

Add this to your list of tummy troubles. Baby is pushing on your digestive tract, which can, in turn, push stomach acid up your esophagus and cause painful burning. Most antacids should be safe during pregnancy (but always check with your doctor!) and also contain lots of calcium as an added bonus. Avoiding greasy and spicy foods can also help with heartburn, especially before bedtime.

Braxton Hicks contractions

Usually these little “practice contractions” show up around the third trimester, but some moms-to-be notice them earlier than that. If you get them, you’ll notice your uterus get super hard and tight and then go back to normal. Luckily, Braxton Hicks contractions aren’t frequent and they don’t happen regularly. They’ll also go away if you switch positions. Real contractions, on the other hand, will happen repeatedly and will continue to get stronger and more frequent. If you’re worried your contractions are the real deal and not just practice, call the doctor right away. You could be going into preterm labor—some moms-to-be are more at risk for going into labor early, including those who are 25 weeks pregnant with twins—and sometimes preterm labor can be stopped if it’s caught early enough.

What to expect at 25 weeks pregnant

At 25 weeks pregnant, you can expect your increasingly large pregnant belly to feel tight and itchy, and your body to feel, well, stretched a little thin. And while your 25 week baby bump might look adorable to everyone else, you might feel less than enthusiastic. Alternately, you might be completely tickled that it looks like you swallowed a kickball! However you feel, know that it’s all okay. There’s a lot to get used to, so don’t expect yourself to feel positive about it 24/7.

Your Pregnant Belly at 25 Weeks

You’ve probably gained about 15 to 18 pounds total so far. Are you 25 weeks pregnant with twins? For you it’s probably more like 25 to 40 pounds.

When you’re 25 weeks pregnant, weight gain can be a source of anxiety. We know, we know, we’ve been telling you to gain slowly and steadily, but it’s also really common for the number on your scale to jump around during this time in the second trimester. Part of that may be due to the amount of water weight pregnant women put on in mid-pregnancy. And realistically, gaining the exact same amount of weight each week just isn’t going to happen—there are naturally going to be some fluctuations. Your doctor just wants you to make healthy weight gain a goal so you and baby stay as healthy as possible. (And also so your third trimester isn’t miserable because you’re carrying around a lot of extra weight!)

So don’t sweat a few extra pounds, and keep up with your healthy eating and exercise. If your weight gain really is a problem, your doctor will let you know. Instead of stressing too much about your weight, focus on what’s going on inside that 25 weeks pregnant belly.

Fetal movement at 25 weeks has become more noticeable—and you’re probably noticing some patterns. When you’re feeling lots of kicks, baby is awake, and when you’re not, they’re likely snoozing. Regular movement is a sign of a healthy, active baby. If you haven’t felt baby move in a while and you want some reassurance that everything is okay, drink some juice, play some music or have your partner give you a light foot massage, and your little one might just wake up and give you a few jabs.

Is 25 weeks the 3rd trimester?

Not quite, but you’re getting close! The third trimester starts at week 28, when you’re 7 months pregnant. Until then, you’re still in your second trimester. But enjoy it! The third trimester often brings the return of intense exhaustion and discomfort with that big belly.

Tips for 25 Weeks Pregnant

Feel like this pregnancy is stretching on forever? Here are some things you can do to take action this week.

Feel like your heart skipped a beat?

It might have! Heart palpitations are not uncommon during pregnancy because your heart is pumping 50 percent more blood, and pumping that extra blood even faster than normal. Pay attention to when you feel these flutters, skips or racing or pounding heart and mention it to your doctor. It shouldn’t be anything to worry about, but it’s always good to communicate anything new.

Moisturize your itchy skin

Your 25 weeks pregnant belly and growing breasts probably feel tight and itchy right now, and moisturizing them frequently can help. Find a rich belly cream that helps ease the itch, but also remember to drink plenty of water and avoid hot showers or harsh soaps, which can dry out your skin more.

Watch your eyes

Okay, you can’t literally watch your own eyes, but you should pay attention to changes in your vision or eye health. Pregnancy can temporarily affect your eyes, causing blurry vision and dry eyes. Vision changes can also signal complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, so mention any changes to your doctor, just in case.

Keep up with healthy eating

Eating well helps you maintain your energy and keeps your body, and baby, healthy. It can also help you avoid unpleasant symptoms like constipation. Keep your meals focused on whole, fresh foods and whole grains.