Week 25- Baby Boy Rutabaga

How your baby's growing: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Your baby continues to grow and develop inside of you. Measuring 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.

How your life's changing: Your baby's not the only one with more hair — your locks may look more full and lustrous than ever. It's not that you're growing more hair, but thanks to hormonal changes, the hair that you'd normally shed is sticking around longer than usual. Enjoy the fullness while you can — the extra hair will fall out after you give birth.You may also notice that you can't move around as gracefully as before. When you have your glucose-screening test at 24 to 28 weeks, a second tube of blood may be taken at the same time to check for anemia. If blood tests show that you have iron-deficiency anemia (the most common type of anemia), your caregiver will probably recommend that you take an iron supplement.

Mom: How are you feeling? Only two weeks to go until your third trimester! Soon, you'll be seeing your caregiver about every two weeks. Feeling hot? 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.

from: BabyCenter & Planning Family