Once you are 24 weeks pregnant, you may feel your baby’s movements a little stronger and more noticeable. As your baby (and belly) is getting bigger, you will be able to see your baby moving.
Your baby is growing very fast and below is your baby and body’s development when you are 24 weeks pregnant.
When you are 24 weeks pregnant, your baby’s movements may feel a little stronger and more noticeable, with pokes and kicks becoming more frequent. His muscles have been growing, and he now has much more muscle tone.
By 24 weeks, your baby’s inner ear is fully developed. This organ controls his sense of balance, and helps your baby sense if he’s right side up or not in the womb.
My Baby’s 24 Weeks Size
Now your baby is about the size of an ear of corn with a weight of 600g and height of 30cm from head to toe. He is growing very fast and becoming very active in your belly.
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Baby’s Development
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Baby’s body
More brown fat is depositing on your baby’s body. This fat does more than smooth out wrinkles. It helps the baby retain body heat and regulate temperature.
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Baby’s Lungs
At the same time, the branches of baby’s lungs are forming, but the lungs will only be ready to function normally once they start producing a substance called surfactant. Surfactant is a naturally occurring chemical needed to inflate the tiny air sacs called alveoli in baby’s lungs when he or she is ready to breathe.
Babies born too early often have a hard time breathing because these cells either have not fully developed or cannot produce enough surfactant.
Right now, there is no air in the baby’s lungs, just amniotic fluid. But that doesn’t stop your baby from practice breathing.
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Baby’s Inner Ear
Also, your baby’s inner ear is now fully developed. Inner ear helps to control his sense of balance, which means that your baby might actually sense if he is right side up or not in the womb.
Mommy’s Belly
At 24 weeks pregnant, you have probably been feeling baby kicking for at least a few weeks, but now they’re getting stronger and stronger. In fact, your partner or others who touch your belly might start to feel those kicks soon too.
The proper weight gain when you are 24 weeks pregnant is about 6 to 7 kilograms for normal BMI mom-to-be. Always find the proper ways to keep your weight gain under control.
If you are pregnant with twins, you are recommended to gain 24 pounds by now. In fact, you have actually reduced your risk of preterm labour thanks to this weight gain.
Symptoms When You Are 24 Weeks Pregnant
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
It causes fluids to accumulate in your lower body during the day, and redistributes them around the rest of your body once you are lying down.
This will put pressure on the nerves that run through your wrists. It causes pain, tingling, a sense of numbness or an ache in your hands, fingers and wrists.
These symptoms will disappear once your baby’s born, but for now, try to shake your hands and wrists and to avoid sleeping on them at night. Read more about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome here.
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Itchy palm
Your palms and the bottom of your feet may turn itchy and red. It is known as “palmar erythema”. This is a rare skin condition that happened due to an increase in oestrogen and blood volume.
Stay away from irritants like harsh soap and soothe the itchiness by applying cold water or ice to your palms or feet.
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Piles
You also may be experiencing piles or also known as haemorrhoids – swellings that contain enlarged blood vessels in your bottom. Like the veins in your legs, the ones in your bottom can stretch so that blood starts to collect in them, causing pain and swelling.
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Blurry eyes
Your pregnancy hormones can decrease tear production, which increases fluid build-up in the eye, thus, can obscure your vision.
Ask your doctor for eye drops if your eyes feel dry, and don’t panic as these symptoms will go away once your baby is born.
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Fluffy feet
Your feet may grow up to a whole size larger. This is because fluid and tissue are building up in the feet, and the ligaments relax, causing the arch to drop and the feet to “spread.”
You may need a new pair of shoes to comfort your feet. For some people, these changes might be permanent.
To-Do List
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Keep up the calcium
Make sure your diet is rich in calcium, as this is good for your baby’s bone development. Calcium is found in dairy products, oranges, nuts, and broccoli. You should also be taking 10mcg of vitamin D a day to help with calcium absorption.
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Get plenty of protein
During pregnancy, you need three servings of protein every day, that is equivalent to (around) 75 grams.
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Remember to floss
Something as simple as brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly can reduce the risk of gingivitis. It is a common condition in which your gums become inflamed, red and even begin to bleed.
Untreated gingivitis can progress to periodontitis, which is more serious infection of the teeth. It can be linked to premature birth and even an increased risk of preeclampsia.
Extra Tips for You
You should continue to look after yourself throughout the pregnancy, as you are also taking care of your baby by doing these:
- Avoid drinking alcohol
- Do not smoke and also avoid second-hand smoke
- Avoid all other toxic substances, such as drugs and many medications
- Use semi-permanent rather than permanent hair dye
- Limit caffeine intake to 200 mg a day
- Cook all meat, fish, and eggs all the way through
- Avoid eating shark and other high-mercury fish
- Consume only pasteurized dairy produce and fruit juices
- Drink plenty of bottled or treated water and avoid untreated water
- Avoid soft cheeses and deli meats that increase the risk of infection
No woman is greater than a mother. The pain and sacrifices of a mother is bigger than everything in this world. Stay tuned with Motherhood Story for more pregnancy and parenting tips and info.