Your baby is 13
1/2 inches long, he weighs approximately 1 1/2 lbs. In the coming
weeks, your baby will continue to grow and mature a fast rate, gaining
some baby fat and filling out his long, lean frame.
As he gains weight, his skin begins to become less wrinkled and he
begins to look more and more like a newborn. Also, his skin is finally
gaining some color. His hands are fully developed by this week,
fingerprints and all! And at 25 weeks, the structure of the spine is
beginning to form.
Mom
Only two weeks to go until your third trimester! Soon, you'll be seeing your caregiver about every two weeks.
You may notice that you feel more hot
and sweaty than usual. Though added weight could be contributing to
this, it's mostly due to your increased blood supply and the fact that
your lungs are now doing 50% more work than they are used to! Because
you are sweating a bit more now, it's important to avoid dehydration.
Be sure to drink approximately 8 glasses of water a day, 10 is better.
Drinking more will also help combat any swelling you are experiencing.
It's probably a good idea to dress in breathable fabrics, even if it's
winter, to help wick excess moisture away from your body. Remember, you
can always layer your breathable fabrics if you are scared you won't be
warm enough.
If you are
experiencing any tingling, burning, numbness, or pain in your wrists
around week 25, it's quite possible that it could be carpal tunnel
syndrome. Women develop carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy because
the carpal tunnel, a narrow rigid passageway of ligament and bones in
the wrist, becomes excessively swollen. This presses on the median
nerve, which controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and
fingers and runs from the forearm to the hand. The result may be pain,
weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, sometimes radiating up the
arm.
Luckily, this usually subsides about 3 weeks after pregnancy. In the
meantime, try wearing a wrist splint to reduce discomfort. You can
easily find one in any drug store and the best part is that they aren't
that expensive.