25 Weeks, 1 Day

My Symptoms
Not much has changed from last week. Still having lots of kicking. It hasn't woke me up yet, but I feel it in bed alot. If I wake up in the middle of the night and go to the restroom, I usually feel her when I lay back down. I also feel her in the mornings before I actually get out of bed too. I like that I feel it alot. It's a good feeling. It's strongest in the mid-morning just before lunch or afternoon around 2:30 or 3. I've taken a break at work before just to sit back and watch. You can really see some of these kicks now. I've noticed that my back was a bit achy during the drive this weekend. I need to find a good pillow to use as back support in the car. It helps when I get up and walk around a bit, but staying in one position too long makes my back ache. Luckily, I've still been sleeping good. I tend to stay mostly in one position (on my left side). It's harder to roll over and I get uncomfortable when I'm on my back for long, which is good, since I'm not supposed to lay on my back. I think I saw my first drops of the pre-milk stuff this week. It wasn't much though, but I think any kind of liquid from that area counts. That's about it. Belly pics and measurements.

The Baby
Your baby now weighs almost 2 pounds. By this week, its crown-to-rump length is around 9.2 inches. Your baby is beginning to put on weight.

The fetus may weigh two pounds now and is busy growing a bigger brain! The lungs are beginning to make surfactant, which keep the lung tissues from sticking to each other and help protect against infection once baby is born.

Your baby now weighs a little under 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches, from head to heel. The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, which means her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are developing now, too, as she continues to take small breaths of amniotic fluid — good practice for when she's born and takes that first breath of air. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

Veins are visible through your baby's skin, although it is quickly changing from transparent to opaque. Your baby can hear you and those around you. Although we assume that the uterus is a quiet place, the baby has been surrounded by noise for a long time. Things like your heartbeat, digestion, and other body functions are heard by the baby as well as external noises. Now you may feel the baby jump at a sudden noise. My daughter would always jump when I clicked the bathtub lever. It became a game! The uterus also allows some light to be seen. So your baby is aware of lightness and darkness. S/he weighs 1 pound 12 ounces (794 grams) and measures 32.5 cms or 12.8 inches total length.

The Mom
The measurement of your uterus is about 2.5 inches above your bellybutton or nearly 10.5 inches (26 cm) from your pubic symphysis. During this second half of pregnancy, you will grow about 0.4 inch (1 cm) each week. If you have been following a nutritious, balanced meal plan, your total weight gain is probably between 16 and 22 pounds. You are getting bigger as your uterus, placenta and baby grow larger. Discomforts such as back pain, pressure in your pelvis, leg cramps and headaches may occur more frequently. Time is passing quickly. You are approaching the end of the second trimester. Two-thirds of the pregnancy is behind you; it won't be long until your baby is born.

Doctors perform ultrasounds to check fetal development. Here’s a bonus: through ultrasound technology, you may be able to tell if your fetus is a boy or a girl. Make sure to tell the technician whether or not you want to know. The skilled ultrasound technician is looking for "tailgate party food" -- if it’s a little girl, the tech will see a hamburger bun, if it’s a little boy, she’ll spy a hot dog. But be careful - some boys are just shy. Do you have a pediatrician yet? It’s a good idea to get recommendations from friends or relatives and to interview one or two doctors. Make sure you feel comfortable with the doctor -- is she open to questions? Does she explain things well? Is she wise, compassionate, or overly-opinionated? You DO have a choice! Pelvic rocking is a great exercise to relax the back, strengthen the pelvis for labor, and reduce stress. To rock your pelvis, stand against the wall with your knees slightly bent and, as you inhale, gently press the small of your back against the wall. Exhale and release. Repeat ten times. Pickles and ice cream, pickles and ice cream... are you having odd cravings? Make sure that your diet is nutritionally complete. What’s Happening With Your Body?Some women notice a thin, yellowish, sticky breast discharge called colostrum throughout their pregnancy. Others don’t produce colostrum until delivery. This "pre-milk" is rich in antibodies that help keep your baby safe from disease, and it is the first food your baby will ingest (if you are breastfeeding). It’s not until three or four days after delivery that milk comes in.

Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly as it returns to its normal pre-pregnancy range. (It was at a low from 22 to 24 weeks.) Though preeclampsia most often occurs in the last trimester, this is a good time to be aware of the warning signs of this dangerous condition that occurs in about 3 to 7 percent of all pregnancies. Signs you should be alert for include swelling of the hands and face, sudden weight gain (due to water retention), blurry vision, seeing spots before your eyes, sudden severe or persistent headaches, or upper abdominal pain. By checking for high blood pressure and protein in your urine, your caregiver will monitor you for preeclampsia at your routine prenatal visits, but call her immediately if you have any of these symptoms before your next appointment. Early identification of preeclampsia is essential for the health of you and your baby.If your back seems a little achy lately, you can thank pregnancy hormones (which are loosening up your joints and ligaments) and your shifting center of gravity. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath — or cool compress — might bring relief. Or you may want to schedule a prenatal massage by a trained therapist. Use a pregnancy wedge when sleeping, to support your back and abdomen. Try to maintain good posture, which will help reduce the strain on your back, and always take care when bending and lifting. If you experience severe pain or numbness in any area of your body, call your practitioner.

While you have been feeling movements for awhile, those other people in your life may not have been able to. Around this time it may become possible for them to begin feeling the baby from the outside. It is a really neat to share the experience with others. Finding a comfortable position for sleeping is a new task! Between night time wakings to go to the bathroom, to get water or snacks, you need all the sleep you can get. I highly recommend a body pillow. This will enable you to support your legs and your growing belly! If you don't have a body pillow, try making use of several regular pillows. The main problem with pillows is that soon there isn't much room for more than one person in bed, except the pregnant mom.