25 weeks pregnant: symptoms and baby development
A loud noise makes them jump. Hiccups too.
Second trimesterMonth 65 min read
By Solesia, from public clinical guidanceUpdated
Six months, near enough, and for many people this is the comfortable middle of the whole thing: the tiredness of the early weeks behind you, the weight of the last ones still ahead, and a baby who is now company. They kick at a slammed door, hiccup in little rhythmic jolts you can feel from the outside, and fill out a little more every day. It is a stretch worth enjoying. There are a few new things to get used to, like heartburn after dinner and feet that are puffy by evening, but on the whole your body has found its stride.
How big is your baby at 25 weeks
About the size of a rutabaga
13.6 in long·1.75 lb
Baby development at 25 weeks
At 25 weeks your baby measures about 13.6 inches from head to heel and weighs around 1.75 pounds, roughly a rutabaga. They are putting on fat now, which is why their skin looks less see-through week by week, and their body is starting to fill out into the rounder shape you will meet at birth.
Their hearing is good enough that a loud noise can make them jump and kick, and they are getting used to the everyday sounds of your body and your voice. Small, evenly spaced taps that go on for a few minutes are hiccups: they swallow amniotic fluid, and the diaphragm is practicing. Neither bothers them.
Much of the fluid around them is now their own urine, which sounds odd and is exactly as it should be. They swallow it, their kidneys filter it, and the cycle keeps the fluid at a steady level and a snug temperature. The lungs are still weeks from being ready, but the substance that will keep the air sacs open after birth is beginning to appear.
Your body at 25 weeks
Your bump sits well above your belly button now. As the uterus grows up and out it presses on your stomach, and that is where the heartburn comes from: a burning feeling behind the breastbone, often after a meal or when you lie down. Smaller meals more often, nothing in the three hours before bed, and sleeping propped up on your left side all take the edge off. If it keeps you awake, your provider can suggest an antacid that is fine in pregnancy.
Water retention is the other new arrival. Your body holds more fluid than usual, and by evening it settles in your feet, ankles and fingers; heat and long stretches of standing make it worse. Feet up when you can, comfortable shoes and regular walks keep it in check. Rings that feel tight are worth taking off before they get stuck.
You may also have a clearer sense of your baby’s rhythm by now: busy spells and quiet ones, often at the same times each day. From here on, that pattern is worth knowing. It is the pattern, not any count, that tells you all is well.
Common pregnancy symptoms at 25 weeks
- Heartburn. Pressure on your stomach and a relaxed valve at the top of it. Eat small and early, sleep propped up.
- Swollen feet and hands. Expected when it builds slowly through the day and eases overnight.
- Leg cramps at night. Usually the calf. Straighten the leg and pull your toes toward you, and it passes.
- Backache. Your center of gravity has moved. Flat shoes, and a pillow between your knees in bed.
- Constipation. Digestion has slowed down. Fiber, water and a walk, in that order.
- Stuffy nose or nosebleeds. More blood flow to the lining of your nose. A nuisance, not a concern.
- Feeling hot. You have more blood and a faster metabolism. Light layers, and water close by.
When to call your provider at 25 weeks
Puffiness that builds slowly is normal. Swelling that comes on suddenly, with a splitting headache or pain just under your ribs, is a same-day call.
Two things are worth a same-day call at any point in pregnancy: bleeding that is more than spotting, and pain that is severe or does not ease. From the second trimester, add fluid leaking and any change in your baby’s usual pattern of movement. You do not need to be sure something is wrong to call; that is what the number is for.
What to do at 25 weeks
- Glucose screening. Between 24 and 28 weeks your provider checks how your body handles sugar: a sweet drink, then a blood draw an hour later. It does not usually need fasting; ask whether yours does.
- Whooping cough vaccine. The Tdap shot is given between 27 and 36 weeks, so it is coming up. It passes protection to your baby for their first months, before their own shots.
- Your baby’s pattern. Notice when they are usually active and when they rest. There is no number to count to; the pattern is what you are learning.
- Prenatal visit. Visits are usually every four weeks until 28, then closer together. This one often includes blood pressure, a urine test and a measure of your bump.
Common questions at 25 weeks
Is it normal to feel hiccups every day at 25 weeks?
Yes. Some babies hiccup several times a day and others rarely, and both are fine. They feel like small, evenly spaced taps that go on for a few minutes, unlike kicks, which come and go.
How much should my baby move at 25 weeks?
There is no right number. Movements are getting stronger and more regular, and what matters is your baby’s own pattern: the times of day they are busy and the times they rest. If that pattern changes or the movements slow down, call your provider the same day, whatever the hour.
Can I still sleep on my back?
For now, sleep however you are comfortable. From 28 weeks the advice is to go to sleep on your side, because on your back the weight of the uterus can press on the vessel that carries blood back to your heart. If you wake up on your back, just turn over.
How many months is 25 weeks?
About six months, depending on how you count. Week 25 sits in the sixth month and in the second trimester, which ends at week 27.
Written from public clinical guidance, including NHS: Week 25, ACOG: How your baby grows, ACOG: Changes in your body, ACOG: Gestational diabetes, ACOG: The Tdap vaccine and pregnancy, NHS: Your baby’s movements, NHS: Swelling in pregnancy and NHS: Indigestion and heartburn. This page is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace your provider.