Pregnant: What happens in week 25 of pregnancy

The development of your baby in the 25th week of pregnancy

The skin takes on color: Bis jetzt waren die Hautschichten eures Babys noch leicht durchsichtig. In der 25. SSW capillaries are forming in the deepest layer of the skin. Blood flows through them under the skin, which tightens it and slowly gives it the typical rosy complexion.

Active training: Your baby makes full use of the space in the womb: increasingly increasingly often it changes its position and exercises its muscles through kicks and grasping movements. Since the fetus's sense of balance has now also fully developed, it can in the 25th week of pregnancy sit even better, turn and stretch in a more coordinated way. It still has enough space for now, but it grows steadily, so that soon there will be no room for expansive acrobatics like somersaults and boxing practice.

Small fat pads: The active exercising and the small fat reserves that are already deposited under the skin in week 25, cushion the skin more and more. Your baby now looks more and more like a newborn from week to week. Approximately the fetus currently gains about 85 grams per week.

Taste becomes more differentiated: The fetus has been swallowing amniotic fluid for weeks. But now it can also taste it. In addition to the basic tastes sour, sweet, salty and bitter your baby now tastes everything much more intensely — and its later sense of taste continues to mature.

Reactions to stimuli: Your child perceives quite a lot in the 25th week of pregnancy. Its optic nerve is now completely developed, so that it can perceive light . In addition, your baby's sense of hearing is so developed that it reacts to noise, your voices, and any external stimuli with vigorous movements and an accelerated heartbeat. You will probably feel small kicks and sweeping movements of the tiny fists even more intensely now than in previous weeks.

The cerebrum refines: In the cerebral cortex, the so-called cortex, the cerebrum becomes more differentiated of your child in week 25 more and more. Until now, the brain regions developed a few weeks ago controlled the most important body functions. From now on, however, the cerebrum takes over the coordination of the motor and sensory functions of the fetus.

What can be seen on the ultrasound image?

Your baby is in the 25th week of pregnancy almost 33 cm long — which corresponds roughly to the size of a cantaloupe melon. If its growth is currently proceeding somewhat more slowly than in the early months of pregnancy, it is now gaining even more weight as a result. In the current week your child about 650 to 700 grams on the scales. With each additional layer of fat, the previously thin delicate skin of the fetus now resembles that of a 'real' newborn. Accordingly, you perceive its movements and facial features much more clearly than was the case a few months ago.

Physical changes — what happens to the mother in week 25 of pregnancy?

In the 25th week of pregnancy your baby bump is unmistakable. In doing so, the belly bulges differently in every pregnant woman – while some women already carry a very large bump, other women have a less pronounced belly. This is due to the individual growth of your child as well as the increasing amount of amniotic fluid. With regard to <LINK>pregnancy complaints most expectant mothers in week 25 complain of back pain and increased need to urinate. Which symptoms or changes may still be possible, you can find out here:

Increased need for fluids: In week 25 your body replaces the amniotic fluid in the uterus completely approximately every two hours. Therefore the mother's fluid needs increase even more now and drinking plenty of fluids is still very important.

Constant urge to urinate: Not the increased fluid intake is what causes you to want a toilet nearby now. The uterus is now roughly the size of a soccer ball and, together with your baby, presses strongly on your internal organs, especially the bladder.

Restless sleep: The growing baby bump may already be taking away your well-deserved sleep. Many women now try to sleep on their side and support the belly with an extra pillow, so that they can compensate a bit for the strain caused by the baby bump. The most comfortable is probably sleeping on the left side. In this position the vena cava is least compressed and the baby does not press too hard on the internal organs.

More susceptible to infections: The mother's tissue loosens during pregnancy due to hormones – this is meant to prevent premature labor. In addition, you are probably more susceptible to infections. If a urinary tract infection is indicated by burning or pain when urinating you should immediately go to your doctor and have yourself treated. A delay can lead to complications or even miscarriage. If your doctor detects the infection in time, it is quite simple and successfully treatable.

Back pain: As in the 7th month of pregnancy the growing belly shifts increasingly forward, many pregnant women automatically adopt a arched lower back. Now many women feel the additional strain or the shifted center of gravity in their back. But your body does not give in to the changes without a fight. So that expectant mothers do not suffer permanent damage from the posture, the female spine and lower back are significantly stronger and more flexible than in men.

25th week of pregnancy: What to do about practice contractions?

Already in week 25 it can happen that your belly contracts suddenly and becomes hard. This feels, especially the first time, very unusual and it is normal that you become unsettled. Normally these are practice contractions that are short and occur no more than three times an hour. If you are unsure, you can discuss with your midwife or your doctor how you should behave with mild contractions. Over time you will probably get used to them and learn to assess the contractions. They usually accompany you until birth, because the body is already preparing for delivery. If you have already learned breathing exercises in the preparation course, this is a good opportunity to practice them in real life. If you notice that the contractions become stronger and more frequent, you should contact your doctor. He or she will then try to stop the contractions and advise you on further steps.

Viability in case of preterm birth in week 25

In the 25th week of pregnancy your baby is considered viable. However, this does not mean that in the case of a preterm birth (a birth before completing the 37th week of pregnancy) it can live without medical supervision. An (an extremely) premature baby would have a very hard time in the current week of pregnancy. If your doctor recognizes during your prenatal checkup that a preterm birth is possible, he or she will do everything to advise you as best as possible on the right behaviors so that your baby gets more maturation time in the womb receives it. Because the closer you get to your calculated due date, the higher the chance of survival of your child.

For the 26th week of pregnancy