Week 25: The heartburn weeks

Your baby — about the size of a head of broccoli — now responds to touch, so a gentle nudge on your belly might earn a wriggle back. Their nostrils are opening and they’re practising little breathing movements, while their heartbeat and blood pressure settle into a steadier rhythm.

For you, heartburn often becomes more persistent now as your growing uterus presses the stomach upward, and you may feel new pelvic pressure as the baby sits a little lower. Varicose veins and haemorrhoids can flare up too.

Heartburn responds well to small, frequent meals, staying upright for half an hour after eating, and raising the head of your bed slightly. For haemorrhoids, witch hazel pads or a cloth-wrapped icepack can soothe. If heartburn is really getting to you, ask your GP or midwife about antacids that are safe in pregnancy.

Sleep can start to get trickier around now, between the bump, the heartburn and more trips to the loo. Settling on your side (either is fine) with a pillow between your knees and another under the bump helps, as does easing off big drinks right before bed while keeping your fluids up through the day. None of these symptoms are signs anything is wrong — they’re just the everyday wear and tear of a growing baby — but always mention anything that worries you.

To keep your circulation moving and lower that clot risk, avoid sitting still for long stretches — get up and walk about regularly, flex your ankles on long trips, stay hydrated, and consider compression socks if your legs feel heavy or you’re travelling. Gentle daily movement does more good than almost anything else right now.

One thing worth knowing: pregnancy raises the risk of blood clots (DVT). If one leg becomes noticeably more swollen, hot, or painful than the other, treat it as urgent and seek medical care straight away.