Week 25
Your baby is the size of a cauliflower
Week 25 is when something subtle starts happening. Per Mayo Clinic, your baby may now move in response to familiar sounds, especially your voice. Most of their sleep time is REM, the same dreaming state you cycle through every night. The bump is harder to ignore now. Sleeping comfortably is getting trickier. A couple of less-charming symptoms may be making themselves known. Here's what's actually new this week.
Key takeaways
- Your baby may move in response to your voice this week. Mayo Clinic flags week 25 as when familiar-sound recognition first shows up from outside the bump.
- Most of your baby's sleep is now REM, per Mayo Clinic. Same dream state you cycle through every night.
- Side sleeping is what's recommended for the rest of pregnancy, per ACOG. Lying flat on your back can compress a major vein and reduce blood flow to your baby.
- About 30% to 40% of pregnancies involve hemorrhoids, per Cleveland Clinic. Fiber, water, and not straining on the toilet are the front-line fixes.
Why your baby may move when you talk this week
Per Mayo Clinic, by the end of week 25, your baby may move in response to familiar sounds, especially your voice.
It's the first time the response shows up from outside.
Hearing has been online for weeks. Mayo Clinic puts the onset around week 18. What's new this week is the nervous system catching up enough to react in a way you can feel from outside the bump.
Your voice is the one they know best. They've been hearing it filtered through your body since hearing came online. A 1980 Science study by DeCasper and Fifer found newborns just hours old preferred their mother's voice over a stranger's, an effect tied to prenatal exposure.
The other shift this week is in their sleep.
Per Mayo Clinic, your baby now spends most sleep time in REM, the same dream state you cycle through every night. Eyelids stay closed. The eyes move quickly underneath. What they're 'dreaming' about is a question no one has answered.
Crown-to-rump, they're heading from about 8 1/4 inches at week 24 toward 9 inches by week 26. Just under 2 pounds is coming up fast.
Why side sleeping is the move for the rest of pregnancy
There's no perfect sleep position right now.
Per ACOG, side sleeping is what's recommended during the second and third trimesters. Lying flat on your back can compress the inferior vena cava, the large vein returning blood from your lower body to your heart. That can leave you dizzy and cut blood flow to your baby.
Left side is the often-cited preference for circulation. Right is fine too.
Brief stretches on your back during the day are not the catastrophe internet forums make them out to be.
A pillow between the knees and a wedge under the bump helps. So does accepting that you'll wake up in odd positions and reset.
A couple of less-charming second-trimester arrivals:
- Hemorrhoids. Per Cleveland Clinic, about 30% to 40% of pregnancies involve hemorrhoids. Pressure plus pregnancy constipation is the cause. The fix is 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily, 8 to 12 cups of water, and not straining on the toilet.
- Carpal tunnel. Fluid retention can press the median nerve at night. Wrist splints help.
Contact your provider right away if you have regular contractions, fluid leakage, heavy bleeding, severe one-sided pain, fever above 100.4°F, or a sudden sustained drop in baby's movement once you've been feeling it regularly.
For dads
Here's your move:
Talk to the bump this week. Out loud. Read something. The week 25 milestone per Mayo Clinic is that your baby may now move in response to familiar sounds, and your voice is on the short list. It'll feel awkward the first few times. You're a grown person reading to a stomach. Do it anyway. The 1980 Science study by DeCasper and Fifer found newborns prefer voices they heard prenatally, and that effect carries over after birth. Pick a book you actually like reading aloud. The content doesn't matter to your baby. The sound of you does.
Real talk:
The third trimester arrives in about two weeks, and the logistics window is closing. Hospital tour booked? Pediatrician picked? Childbirth class scheduled? Birth plan even started? None of these are emergencies yet, but the third trimester brings real fatigue, real discomfort, and a clock that runs faster the closer you get. Try this. Take one of those items off her plate by doing it yourself, then bring her the result for sign-off. Picking a pediatrician with three good options to recommend is meaningfully different than starting from zero.
Common concerns
Is it actually bad if I wake up on my back?+
No. Per ACOG, side sleeping is what's recommended during the second and third trimesters because lying flat can compress the inferior vena cava. Brief stretches on your back during sleep aren't dangerous. If you wake up on your back, just roll to your side and keep going. Your body tends to wake you up if blood flow is meaningfully reduced.
I'm pretty sure my baby reacted when I sang. Is that real?+
Yes. Per Mayo Clinic, by the end of week 25 your baby may move in response to familiar sounds, especially your voice. Hearing has been online since around week 18. Week 25 is when the nervous system can react in a way you can feel. Songs and stories repeated through the third trimester often soothe newborns who heard them in the womb.
What actually helps with the hemorrhoids?+
Most cases improve with fiber, fluids, and not straining. Per Cleveland Clinic, the daily targets are 25 to 30 grams of fiber and 8 to 12 cups of water. A stool under your feet on the toilet helps too. Witch hazel pads, a sitz bath, and a donut pillow can ease symptoms. Talk to your provider before any over-the-counter cream or supplement.
Should I be feeling regular kicks at 25 weeks?+
You're likely feeling movement most days now, with quieter stretches in between. Most providers begin formal kick counting around 28 weeks, when movement patterns become reliable. Before that, a day or two of less movement isn't alarming. After 28 weeks, the common guideline is 10 movements within two hours during your baby's typically active time. If a sudden change feels off, call your provider.
Product picks for week 25
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Birchwood A-E-R Pre-Moistened Medicated Witch Hazel Pads, 40 Count
Pre-moistened witch hazel pads for hemorrhoid relief, the exact product the FAQ recommends for symptom relief now and through postpartum.
Squatty Potty Simple Curve Bathroom Toilet Stool, 7 Inch
Seven-inch toilet stool Cleveland Clinic names by recommendation to relax pelvic floor muscles, easing strain that worsens hemorrhoids.
Momcozy U Shaped Full Body Pregnancy Pillow, 57 Inch
Full-body U-shape supporting back, belly, hips, and knees together as side sleeping becomes the recommendation for the rest of pregnancy.
Sources
- Mayo Clinic, Fetal Development: The 2nd Trimester (2025) — https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20046151
- ACOG, Can I Sleep on My Back When I'm Pregnant? — https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/ask-acog/can-i-sleep-on-my-back-when-im-pregnant
- Cleveland Clinic, Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy (2026) — https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23498-pregnancy-hemorrhoids
- DeCasper AJ, Fifer WP. Of human bonding: newborns prefer their mothers' voices. Science (1980) — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7375928/
A quick note: This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider about any questions or concerns. Content based on guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Mayo Clinic, and peer-reviewed medical literature. Learn how we create our content.