Pregnancy Week 25

Your Baby's Growth and Development

During pregnancy week 25 your baby already weighs almost 1 ½ pounds. Your baby may also be as much as 9 inches long. Your baby continues to mature and develop from pregnancy week 25 on. If you were to peer in at your baby this week you should notice tiny structures forming around your baby's spine. Your baby's blood vessels also continue to develop this week as will your baby's nostrils.

Your baby is also putting on a little fat, however this will continue as your pregnancy develops week by week. Your baby will put on most of his fat weight during the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Changes In Your Body

By 25 weeks pregnant your uterus measures as large as a large cantaloupe or volleyball. As your belly continues to expand you may notice you experience more pain or discomfort in your pelvis and lower back.

Some women eventually develop a condition called sciatica during their pregnancy. Sciatica often occurs when your baby's head presses firmly against the bones in your pelvis. This can compress the nerves located in your lower back and legs, leading to a sharp, shooting pain sensation that travels from your lower back to your buttocks and legs.

Still other women experience numbness or tingling resulting from sciatica pain. Fortunately as with most pregnancy side effects pains associated with nerve compression are often temporary. There are several steps you can take to alleviate your discomfort during pregnancy.

During my second pregnancy, I experienced terrible sciatica from about pregnancy week 33 on. I did work with a physical therapist and chiropractor to help alleviate some of my discomfort. Here are some additional measures I adopted to help me with my pain and discomfort:

• Use a hot or ice pack to the tender area for roughly 10 minutes at a time for 20-30 minutes a day.


• Try sleeping on a firmer mattress or surface (even the floor may help sometimes).


• Avoid sitting in the same position for many hours. If you work at a computer, shift your position and take frequent breaks to help avoid additional compression.


• Avoid activities that require you to bend frequently at your waist.


• Avoid any movements or activity that make your pain worse.


• Try physical therapy or other therapies including massage therapy to help loosen your muscles and relieve pain.


• Always use correct posture when sitting and standing.


• Try using a pregnancy pillow or body pillow to help support your back and legs while sleeping.
  Try to avoid lifting consistently heavy objects. When you do have to lift always bend fro your knees first.

Of all these measures, I found using pregnancy pillows the most helpful tool in relieving my discomfort. Why? These pillows can lift your leg and support your abdomen, relieving any nerve pain, pinched nerves or lower back stress. All of these can contribute to sciatica and other side effects of pregnancy. If you do own a pregnancy pillow, you will find relaxing much easier. You can use it while you sleep, while reclining and even while kicking back in your favorite chair to watch a movie. These pillows are also great for relieving edema, because pregnancy pillows are large enough to support and elevate the legs; they promote circulation and can help relieve swelling. In fact, you may find you become so comfortable; you don’t want to get up from your cozy position. If you aren’t sure the best way to use a pregnancy pillow, talk with your doctor or physical therapist. They can recommend supportive measures and show you how you can use your pillow to support your legs and back in a manner that will help relieve sciatica (and many other pains experienced during pregnancy).

Glucose Screening Tests During Pregnancy

Some time between your 24th and 28th week of pregnancy your doctor will order a glucose test to help diagnose gestational diabetes. Some women develop gestational diabetes, a form of high blood sugar occurring during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes is usually a temporary condition that resolves after pregnancy. For the glucose screening test, you will have to drink a sugary solution containing 50 grams of glucose. Then a healthcare provider will draw your blood one hour after the test to measure your blood glucose levels. If the reading comes back to high according to standards established by the American Diabetes Association, your doctor will order additional tests.

Fortunately most women diagnosed with gestational diabetes are able to control their blood sugar levels during pregnancy. You may need to follow a special diet and meet with a nutritionist. Your doctor will monitor you closely for the rest of your pregnancy to ensure the health and well being of your baby.