Breastfeeding is the best for babies and a healthy diet / maternal nutrition is important when breastfeeding. A decision not to breastfeed can be difficult to reverse. Infant formula is suitable from birth when babies are not breastfed. It is recommended that all formula milks be used on the advice of a doctor, midwife, health visitor, public health nurse, dietitian, pharmacist, or other professional responsible for maternal and child care and the financial implications should be considered. All preparation and feeding instructions should be followed carefully as inappropriate preparation could lead to health hazards.

25 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby’s development

Your not-so-little baby is growing even more as you approach your third trimester and is now about 34cm long and 1lb 6oz in weight. They might just be able to recognise your partner’s voice by now, and you might like to play soothing music to them. Your baby’s brain starts to get ready for conscious thought, making connections which mean they’ll start to remember things from their time inside you.

Because there’s no single size, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to weight gain. But as a general rule, if you’re a healthy weight before pregnancy, you should aim to put on between 25 and 35 lbs during the nine months. Aim to gain 15 to 25 lbs if you’re overweight. But remember, pregnancy is not the time to diet – you’ll have space and time to deal with any excess weight in the months after your baby is born.

You & your body

Weight gain during pregnancy is inevitable and your baby’s growth and development depend on it. So don’t worry about having a ‘perfect’ celebrity-style pregnant belly. The amount of weight you gain can depend on your pre-pregnancy weight – if you had some weight to lose beforehand, you should try to eat a sensible, balanced diet and not put on too much weight during your pregnancy.