25 WEEKS PREGNANT

• This close-up image of your baby-to-be's ear shows just how developed his/her features have become.
• Although his/her hearing is still rudimentary, by the time he/she's born, your baby will be able to recognize your voice because of hearing it constantly in utero.

• Your little soldier has had another growth spurt and is already 13 inches and a half, which means he/she weighs in at about a whopping 750 grams. Your baby has already started accumulating a whole lot of fat in their body and is significantly starting to look a lot less skinny.
• Capillaries, which are small blood vessels are forming under your baby's skin and filling with blood. Blood vessels are also developing in the lungs, which in turn will prepare your baby to take his/her first breath of air. Does that excite you beyond measure? We bet!
• As nostrils showed up in your baby's nose a couple of weeks ago, he/she is still practicing how to breathe and becoming good at it as well.
• While awake, your baby will continue to move around, practice kicks, suck on their thumb and play with their one and only friend at the moment - the umbilical cord. He/she tugs at it with all their might and twists it because they are rather curious about their surroundings.
• But you need not worry about the umbilical cord as it is protected by a petroleum jelly-like substance called Wharton's jelly, which protects the cord from knotting and twisting.
• Your baby's eyes are getting a lot more sensitive to light, even though the eyelids are still fused shut. His/her eyes now possess cells called rods and cones, which help them sense light even more clearly now.
• His/her hair is also growing, and if you could peek into your womb, you could see the colour and texture of it. However, your baby will shed this hair after birth, and it will be replaced by new hair, which could be of a different colour and different texture.

• Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) : Does it hurt a lot in your pelvic area? If yes, you may be experiencing SPD, caused by relaxed and stretchy ligaments that keep your pelvic joints aligned. Kegel exercises are known to help and they will also strengthen your pelvic muscles, which are most important during delivery.
• Snoring : It is probably your turn to snore now! But are you snoring so much that you are not able to sleep? Do you feel breathless while sleeping? Ensure this is not sleep apnea. If it is, your doctor may have to intervene.
• Heartburn or indigestion : Do you experience that burning sensation, especially during and after meals? Go for small and regular meals full of fibre and remember to drink lots of water. Try having lemon juice, buttermilk, and coconut water too. If none of these work, speak to your doctor and get some antacids.
• Nail and hair growth : You may notice that your nails are growing more than normal and they are probably softer too. Your hair may be thicker and luscious than usual as well. You may or may not necessarily have noticed these changes but they do happen. The reason remains the same - high production of pregnancy hormones inside your system. You may also notice hair growth on parts where you have never had them! This goes away within a few months after giving birth though.

Check out Mylo's solution for pregnancy cramps

• Another thing that might show up around this time is haemorrhoids.
• These are annoying and painful, and suddenly show up on your anus or lower rectum.
• Haemorrhoids occur due to swollen varicose anal veins.
• Haemorrhoids or piles can be both external and internal and is quite common during the second trimester of pregnancy as your growing baby is putting a lot of pressure on your digestive tract.
• If you are a victim of piles, do keep your rectal area clean, wear loose-fitting cotton panties and wash your anus thoroughly with a cleanser. Constipation is also a major cause of piles, so try to include fibre in your diet.
• Another symptom that makes a comeback is perhaps that you're having a hard time falling asleep. Blame the hormones again for this.