Twenty Fourth Week of Pregnancy: What to Expect

Another month has passed: At 24 weeks gestation, you’ve reached the end of the sixth month of your pregnancy. The birth is only about 16 weeks away.

Your baby is now practically fully developed on the outside. It is now storing more fat.

Your baby is 85% viable from the 24th week of pregnancy if the necessary technology is available for a premature birth. In today’s world, this should no longer be a problem because many premature birth units have state-of-the-art technology.

Peek-a-boo. Your baby slowly starts to open its eyes in the 24th week of gestation. In addition, his bones are now so strong that he can stand up in the belly and “sit”. Other movements are also still quite possible in the 24th week – there is still enough space in the belly. In about four weeks, however, the space will become tight.

Not only hearing, but also tasting continues to develop: In addition to the tastes of sour, bitter and salty, which the baby can already distinguish from the aromas of the amniotic fluid, sweetness is now added. Here, it develops a preference that takes precedence in the first years of the child’s life. Accordingly, the desire for sweet things is innate in children.

This was an advantage in prehistoric times because sweetness stands for non-toxic and energy-rich and thus identifies safe food – this was important for the survival of mankind. Baby’s first food – breast milk – also tastes sweet. Newborns need lactose to regulate their own heat balance and body temperature with the help of insulin from the pancreas.

The lungs, on the other hand, are still maturing and, among other things, are getting protection against collapse. The white blood cells (leukocytes) are formed, which are an important part of the immune system. If the child were born now, it would have a 20 to 25 percent chance of survival.

Your body in the 24th week of pregnancy

The uterus has reached belly button height, with its upper edge, in 24 weeks. It is now about the size of a handball. This not only leads to further weight gain – in the 24th week of gestation, your abdominal girth will also continue to increase. This is because your baby’s main task for the past few weeks has been to gain as much weight as possible. The extra weight (about 13 to 17 lbs more in the second trimester) may cause you severe pulling and pain in your abdomen. The best remedy for this is to sit or lie down to relieve pressure on the retaining ligaments.

In the 24th week of pregnancy, you can feel the baby kicking through your abdominal wall – an exciting moment for your partner, too! He can now virtually touch your joint child for the first time. Both of you should talk to the baby. He can hear you and remembers your voice very well!

Some women now feel less comfortable in their skin as their weight increases. Deal with your new body, because being pregnant is a gift, and you should just enjoy it. Even though you still have a good two months to go before maternity leave in the 24th week, you should take ample time to care for your body. Make your bathroom your very own private wellness area.

Due to the hormonal change, your skin also changes and could now be oilier or even drier than before. So, you should adapt your skincare routine to the new circumstances. Also, make sure to protect your skin from too much sun, because it is now much more sensitive.

You may also want to treat yourself to a special pregnancy massage. You will be in the side position, as lying on your stomach in the 24th week of pregnancy will no longer be comfortable. During this time, you can completely concentrate on yourself and your child. Massage can relieve tension and reduce stress.

The symptoms that occur during this stage of pregnancy are due to the increasing growth of the uterus. These are temporary symptoms of the digestive tract.

• Nausea and heartburn. The most common complaints in the 24th week include heartburn and nausea. Nausea occurs after you have eaten a meal that is too heavy and too powerful. The decreased volume of your stomach can only tolerate smaller meals in order to digest them completely. At best, you eat less meat from a dish, but more vegetables.

You can prevent heartburn, which is caused by the reflux of stomach acid into the esophagus, by sitting up straight when you eat your meal. Also, drink a glass of water with each meal; this makes stomach acid less aggressive.

• Bloating. Your increased progesterone levels during pregnancy relax all your organs – and precisely your intestines, which can lead to constipation and bloating. While you are pregnant, you can digest food better. However, this also promotes the formation of gas in the intestines at the same time. As your abdomen becomes tighter, this problem could get worse. You should now better avoid highly flatulent foods such as cabbage, leeks, or even sodas with a lot of carbonic acids and eat several smalls, rather than too large, meals.
• Hard belly. In the 24th week of pregnancy, it can happen from time to time that your belly becomes a little hard. Most likely, these do not exercise contractions yet. The trigger for this could be that you may have over-exerted yourself physically. In this case, try to relax. A warm full bath can already work wonders here.

24th week: The best tips at a glance

• Replace meat with fish from time to time. Fish is easier to digest and provides important omega 3 fatty acids – these are important for your child’s brain development.
• Wear comfortable shoes that you can slip into easily – gradually you will surely find it difficult to bend over.
• Involve your partner, for example, by giving you a massage and applying cream to your belly.
• Slowly start furnishing your child’s room with the furniture you need for him or her – a bed and changing table are enough to start with. Everything else you can get little by little.
• Always have a drink of your personal taste with you when you are out and about.