24 Weeks, 1 Day - The Twenty-Fifth Week

My Symptoms
It's been a good week as far as the baby goes. I'm trying to do this one tonight. Tomorrow evening I'll update on all the nursery developments and such. I'm also planning on a new belly pic and measurements, so be sure to check back then. Anyway, this week I've been feeling much more baby movement. There's been several times I've felt her as soon as I wake up, or even if I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I am considering buying one of those pregnancy girdle things, for a little more support. I'm not in any kind of pain, but I do notice alot of pressure, pulling, and just feel heavy when I stand up after being sitting or laying down for a while. I'm assuming that will only get worse. My back aches a little too. Nothing serious, but again, in another 3 months, that may be different. Here's what the experts say should be happening this week.

The Baby
Your baby now weighs about 1.5 pounds, and crown-to-rump length is about 8.8 inches. These are average lengths and weights and vary from one baby to another and from one pregnancy to another. It may be hard to believe, but if your baby were delivered at this time, it would have a chance of surviving. Some of the greatest advances in medicine have been in the care of the premature baby. No one wants to deliver a baby this early, but with new treatment methods, such as ventilators, monitors, and medications, a baby does have a chance of living.

Your amazing fetus is almost 12 inches long and weighs around 700 grams. His skin is translucent and wrinkled, and he can hear your stomach when it gurgles and your voice when you sing.

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.

Baby weighs 1 pound 9 ounces (709 grams). The bones are continuing their ossification process, meaning that they are becoming harder.

The Mom
The measurement from the pubic symphysis to the top of your uterus is about 10 inches (25 cm). At this point, your uterus is about the size of a soccer ball. The top of the uterus is about halfway between your bellybutton and the lower part of your sternum. As your uterus has grown and filled your pelvis, your abdominal skin and muscles have stretched. Itchiness is a fairly natural consequence. Lotions are ok to use to help reduce itching. Try not to scratch andn irritate your skin -- that can make it worse!

I hope you’re 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. Confused? Practice stopping a stream of urine when you’re on the toilet. These are exercises you DON’T have to get to the gym for! Try doing Kegals in the car at every red light.

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.

At this point in pregnancy you probably still feel really good! Soon you will begin to see your practitioner more often. When this happens, many women begin to get the feeling that they are "running out of time." Fixing the baby's room or deciding where to let the baby sleep is one of the thing you need to work out your feelings about now. Although, let me tell you from experience that you should reserve the right to change your mind once the baby gets here!
Many people spend the first few months with the baby either in their bed or next to their bed in a cradle or bassinet. This allows for easy access to night feedings and changings, and many parents report feeling 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. Some parents feel that they need more privacy or believe that the baby should learn to sleep alone from the beginning.
Look at all of your options before making up your mind. And again, be flexible. You may find life with baby very different from what you had imagined. The choice is yours and it is personal, so don't let others make you feel guilty for your choices.