Week 25: What’s in a name?
Image: @forager87
Welcome to week 25 of the Happy Parents Happy Baby guide to pregnancy, birth and beyond.
This week we'll be covering:
We hope you enjoy it!
Baby names
‘Have you chosen a name yet?’ This is probably one of the most common questions you can be asked during your pregnancy. And don’t worry if you haven’t yet - you’ve got plenty of time! In fact, you’ve got until your baby is six weeks old before you have to give them a name and register their birth.
Every couple is different and some may have had a shortlist since before they found out they were having a baby. Others may want to wait until they have met their baby and won’t settle on a name until days, or even weeks, after their child is born. The decision-making may be slightly easier if you’ve found out the gender of your baby.
The most important thing to remember is that it’s YOUR baby and the name you choose is no one else’s business. If you love it then that is all that matters. Everyone will have an opinion, as they do with so much else associated with pregnancy, so be prepared to stand your ground if you need to.
While ‘bean’ or ‘peanut’ are affectionate names for your growing baby or bump, here are a few things to consider when picking the actual name:
Test the names out with your surname - do they go well together?
Do the initials of the names spell out any words?
Is it a popular name? This is not a negative thing, names are popular for a reason but perhaps you’d like something a little more unique.
Can it be shortened to another name you like?
Does it have any unfortunate associations?
Are there different ways of spelling it?
Does it go well with any siblings’ names?
Your baby’s development in week 25
Size of an aubergine
Weighs approximately 680g and is around 33cm long
Have you felt your baby’s hiccups yet? It’s around this time that you will experience this weird but adorable sensation. Can you notice a pattern of when they get them? Perhaps it’s after you’ve eaten…
You’re probably feeling a lot of movement now and your baby has also started responding to touch and sound.
Your baby will be starting to swallow amniotic fluid now which is important for lung development. It will also be passing urine back into the amniotic fluid.
Week 25 Checklist
You might like to:
Think about names. Some people know the name of their baby before they’ve even become pregnant but some may take days or weeks after the birth to decide. But it’s never too early to start discussions with your partner. Why not draw up a short (or long!) list and test a few out to see how they sound?
Pain relief research. You will learn all about your options at your antenatal classes but it might also be worth having a think about your preferences.
Book an eye appointment. Some women experience some changes to their sight when they are pregnant so having a check up can do no harm. Most women find their vision returns to normal after their baby is born.
Spotlight on: Swelling
Each week we'll be delving into the common symptoms of pregnancy and bringing you top tips for managing them from our team of specialists and parent community.
Why does it feel like everything on my body is getting bigger?
It might be a bit disconcerting but it’s completely normal to get some swelling in your legs, ankles, feet and fingers during pregnancy.
Why?
Swelling is caused by your body holding more water than normal, especially if the weather is hot or you’ve been on your feet all day. Pressure from your growing womb can also affect the blood flow in your leg which means fluid can build up.
Swelling can also be a sign of pre-eclampsia which is a dangerous condition if it’s not monitored and treated. If you experience a sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet, a severe headache, blurred vision or severe pain below your ribs contact your midwife as soon as possible.
Top tips:
There are plenty of things you can do to reduce the swelling and of course, once you’ve had your baby the swelling will come down quickly.
Avoid standing for too long
Wear comfortable shoes and socks that are not too tight
Try to rest with your feet up
Drink plenty of water
Take regular exercise
You can also try foot exercises which will improve your blood circulation, reduce the swelling and prevent cramp.
Birth story of the week
Ria gave birth to Ella in the middle of lockdown but she and her partner Andrew still had a positive experience
“I opted for a hypno/water birth at my local hospital's birth centre. In total my labour was around seventeen hours with five hours of active labour. I found early labour the hardest part, it wasn’t as painful as the main event just excruciatingly long. In the end my birth plan went out the window and I couldn’t have a waterbirth. I’m glad I did the preparation though, the breathing techniques helped to put me in the right frame of mind.
“The birth itself was quick with no interventions or complications. I opted for a shot of pethidine, which gave me the headspace to focus on my breathing and listen to the instructions of the midwife.
“Once Ella was born, my husband Andrew and I did skin to skin. Our birth plan was to have Andrew cut the cord, however, I’m not sure what happened but the midwife got there first! After the birth Ella and I were moved to another birth suite to recover.”
Welcome to the world little Ella!
Treat of the week
There are lots of steps you can take to make sleep safer for babies. A well fitted sleeping bag like the Tommee Tippee sleeping bag is one of them. The design of these sleeping bags also helps to makes the baby feel snug and more comfortable at the same time. Hopefully this might mean you and your baby can get a little more sleep.
Products are based on suggestions from our specialists and community of parents. We may earn commission from shopping links.
Join our community
Happy Parents Happy Baby is here to support you through every step of your pregnancy, birth and parenting journey.
Connect with other parents-to-be and learn everything you need to know, by joining our award-winning antenatal classes.
That's all for now...
Thank you so much for joining us!
Have a great week.
Team HPHB x
Information you
can trust
Our articles are based on the latest-evidence based guidelines and scientific research and are written by our team of medical experts.
Coming up
next week
It’s time to go shopping!
Spotlight on: urine infections
Check out our Instagram page for extra resources from our team of experts and for free live events, such as pregnancy relaxation sessions
Follow us @happyparents.happybaby
