Your Baby is Due
August 31, 2022

At 25 weeks pregnant, your uterus has grown quite a bit and is now the size of a lunch box.

It’s probably getting harder to remember when you weren’t pregnant and you may be wondering what on earth you used to think about. Your baby has become a very important part of your life now and it's becoming increasingly hard to think of yourself as an individual, separate from your baby.

Your baby continues to develop and mature and now reaches 13 inches (23 cm) in length. Her brain now weighs 3.5 oz. (100 g) and begins to form connections between the nerve cells and fiber ends. This process continues for a few weeks, while a basis is created for the relay of the sensory messages that signal consciousness in adults.

You may experience pain under your ribs when your baby moves. Your baby is placing a lot of pressure on your bowel, bladder and other organs. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do to relieve the pain and discomfort except lie on your side and rest. You can also lie on your side when sleeping if you're uncomfortable when sleeping. This ensures optimum blood circulation for you and your baby, particularly if you lie on your left side.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies be breastfed for the first 12 months of life. Breast milk is best for the baby, even if only for a short period. It's nutritionally perfect for your baby and is the right temperature. It provides everything your baby needs for the first six months of life, and up to the age of two combination with solids.

Breast milk is proven to help reduce the risks of your baby developing allergies, asthma, eczema and diabetes later in life and may also help to prevent cot death. Another advantage of breastfeeding is that it releases hormones that cause your uterus to shrink back to its original size more quickly. Furthermore, it also burns high amounts of calories, helping you to burn extra fat stores that were built up in pregnancy.