25 week pregnancy diet?

25 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
Your baby can respond to light, touch and sound now. You might even notice them jumping or kicking in response to a loud noise.
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25 weeks pregnant
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Home PregnancyHub Being pregnant 25 weeks pregnant - all you need to know
What does my baby look like in week 25?

Your baby is weeing frequently, and this urine passes into the amniotic fluid. Their brain, digestive system and lungs are developed but they | re not what they call | mature | yet - they will continue to develop as your pregnancy progresses.
Your pregnancy symptoms in week 25
Bump watch

You may be putting on weight quickly now and feeling bigger as your baby fills out. Eat a balanced diet to avoid gaining more than you need to.

Find out more about managing your weight in pregnancy.
Cravings

You may crave certain foods. No one knows why pregnant women get cravings but there | s no harm in eating a little bit of the food you crave - just don | t overdo it!

If you crave something that isn | t edible, such as soap or earth, or foods that you should avoid in pregnancy, such as pâté or certain cheeses, don | t eat them! Talk to your midwife or doctor instead.
Back pain

As your bump grows, it | s natural to adjust your posture when standing and moving to cope with your changing shape.

This, together with the hormonal changes that make your ligaments soften, can cause problems for your back. These tips should help:

Avoid heavy lifting if possible
You may find that a firm mattress or a massage helps
Exercising in water, having a pregnancy massage or back care classes may help ease the pain
If it | s very painful, ask your doctor or midwife to refer you to a physiotherapist.

Piles/haemorrhoids

If you have a sore itchy bum this could be piles, or haemorrhoids - swollen veins around your anus that feel like lumps. They may be itchy or sore and are often worse if you | re constipated.

Don | t worry, you | re not alone - they | re quite common in pregnancy. They can be uncomfortable and bleed a little when you have a bowel movement.

To avoid these or reduce the discomfort, eat plenty of fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables and wholegrain cereals. It | s important to drink plenty of water too.

If you think you may have piles, talk to your midwife or pharmacist about treatments that might help.

Are you suffering from heartburn, indigestion, headaches or cramps? Here | s our guide to 10 common pregnancy complaints (and how to avoid them).
Sleep problems?

If you have trouble sleeping, it can make you feel exhausted and irritable. Some women find that supporting their bump with pillows can help them feel more comfortable in bed.

Try to keep your bedroom cool - about 18˚C is perfect. It also helps to have a relaxing bedtime routine, such as a warm bath or a milky drink.

It is important to go to sleep on your side from 28 weeks as going to sleep on your back has been linked to stillbirth. This could be due to the weight of the bump on the vena cava (a large vein running down your back). If the vein is squashed it means that less oxygen gets to the baby. Don | t worry if you wake up on your back, just roll back onto your side.

Read more about sleeping safely in late pregnancy.

Here are tips to help you stay stress-free in pregnancy.
What to do in week 25
Your next midwife appointment

If this is your first baby, you | re likely to have a routine antenatal appointment at around 25 weeks. Your midwife or doctor will feel your bump gently with their hands to work out the height of your womb. They will also use a tape measure.

Your blood pressure will be checked and they | ll also take a urine sample to check for protein. These are normal checks to make sure you don't have signs of pre-eclampsia.

Read our guide to your antenatal appointment schedule.
Stay active

You can continue to exercise and stay active right to the end of your pregnancy.

If you | re a keen runner, or doing other kinds of high-impact aerobic exercise, you might be more comfortable switching to something that puts less stress on your joints, like a stationary bike in the gym or swimming.

When to be careful when exercising during pregnancy.
Getting help with your mental wellbeing

It | s natural to have periods of feeling worried or low when you | re pregnant or after birth. But it | s important to ask for help if you | re having bad feelings all the time or you feel you can | t cope. You can try our pregnancy and post-birth wellbeing tool to help you think about how you are feeling.