Week 25: Startle Reflex
Your baby now has a startle reflex — they'll jump at sudden loud noises! Baby is also starting to gain more body fat, making their skin less wrinkly.
Medically reviewed by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN
Nursing Informaticist · United States Navy Nurse Corps · Last reviewed
Your baby is the size of a...
🥦 Cauliflower!
👶 Baby Development
- ✓Startle reflex is now present
- ✓Body fat increasing — skin becoming smoother
- ✓Capillaries forming under the skin, giving it a pinkish color
- ✓Nostrils begin to open
- ✓Spine is strengthening with 33 rings, 150 joints, and 1,000 ligaments
- ✓Baby responds to touch — stroking your belly
💊 Common Symptoms
- •Hemorrhoids (increased blood flow and pressure)
- •Restless leg syndrome
- •Trouble sleeping through the night
- •Frequent Braxton Hicks contractions
- •Shortness of breath
- •Heartburn and acid reflux
🩺Clinical Context — From a Nurse's View
By 25 weeks, fetal movement should be daily, predictable, and felt at multiple times during the day. The 'count to ten' kick count formally starts in the third trimester, but you should already have a sense of your baby's pattern. Decreased fetal movement is one of the more useful warnings we have for fetal compromise — RCOG (2011) and ACOG both recommend evaluation any time a parent reports a meaningful decrease compared to baseline. Don't dismiss your own intuition here. Hemorrhoids are nearly universal in late pregnancy — increased pelvic blood flow, constipation, and pressure from the uterus on pelvic veins. Witch hazel pads, sitz baths, fiber, and stool softeners (docusate is safe in pregnancy) all help. Don't strain. Restless leg syndrome — that creepy-crawly urge to move your legs at night — is also common and may be tied to lower iron or folate. Worth a CBC and ferritin if it's severe.
Written by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN — Emergency Department nurse, US Navy Nurse Corps officer.
🚨 When to Call (or Go to the ER)
- !Decreased fetal movement compared to baseline — call
- !Regular contractions more than 4-6 per hour — call
- !Bleeding — call
- !Severe headache, vision changes, RUQ pain, swelling — call
✅ Normal — Even If It Feels Worrying
- ✓Hemorrhoids
- ✓Restless legs
- ✓Predictable kick pattern
- ✓Heartburn most evenings
✅ To-Do This Week
- Start finalizing your birth plan
- Pre-register at the hospital
- Buy nursing bras (if planning to breastfeed)
- Set up a postpartum support plan
- Research newborn photographer options
- Start stocking up on diapers and wipes
🩺 Questions for Your Doctor
- ?How do I manage hemorrhoids safely during pregnancy?
- ?Is restless leg syndrome common in pregnancy?
- ?How is the baby's position?
- ?When should I start thinking about fetal positioning?
- ?Is my amniotic fluid level normal?
- ?What should I include in my birth plan?
📚 References
- [1]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 229: Antepartum Fetal Surveillance. Obstet Gynecol. 2021;137(6):e116-e127.
- [2]RCOG Green-top Guideline No. 57: Reduced Fetal Movements. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. 2011.
- [3]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 234: Prediction and Prevention of Spontaneous Preterm Birth. Obstet Gynecol. 2021;138(2):e65-e90.
Editorial review: Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN. Last reviewed: see footer.
Your baby is the size of a...