Pregnant in week 24? Read about your baby’s development, changes in your body, and tips for this stage of pregnancy.

Baby: The foetus is about 30 cm long and weighs about 600 grams, so now it has passed half a kilo and is as long as a ruler! In week 24, the foetus can already smell and taste. 💓

Development

So far, the baby does not have much body fat, but in the next few weeks the baby will increase significantly in both weight and length; you will probably notice this at the rate your belly grows!

The skin is still light in colour and slightly transparent, which is due to the foetus growing faster than the fat layer has time to replenish. Pretty soon, however, these fat deposits will be replenished and the skin will then become fuller and more like the skin of a newborn baby.

Your baby enjoys lying slightly curled up and feels safe from feeling the walls of the womb; perhaps you have felt your baby pushing against the womb with its hands and feet?

Babies born in week 24 often breathe on their own, but need support to keep breathing using a ventilator. This means that most babies born in this week of pregnancy survive!

The brain and hearing

This is an important week for the development of your child’s brain! Most of the nerve cells have formed now, but are not fully developed yet, which is clear when you look at the development and maturation of the brain this week. Most of the energy your baby receives during this week therefore goes to the brain in order for it to develop.

From now on, you can really start talking or singing to your baby, who now knows your voice and registers that it is your voice – which it will recognise from the outside later!

Mother: You know what, your delivery is fast approaching! From week 24+0, any concerns about fetal movements or anything else for that matter you should contact the local maternity unit.

Ligament pain

Does it feel like it pulls and hurts in the side of the stomach sometimes? It’s a common feeling that can come and go, especially when you get up from sitting to standing or if you’ve been in the same position for a long time. This is usually because the ligaments that hold the uterus in place begin to stretch as the foetus moves, as well as the uterus growing. You can imagine bands that help hold the uterus in place so it doesn’t get too close to other organs.

Pain in the ligaments is common during pregnancy, but also completely harmless. A warm wheat pillow on the stomach can usually provide relief. Talk to your midwife if you think it’s tricky to cope with!

Partner: It is likely that your partner will gain weight in the coming weeks as the foetus is in a growth period and puts on a lot of weight.

Therefore, it is not surprising if she is extra hungry! One tip is to buy home snacks that your partner can nibble on when she gets hungry. Feel free to choose nutritious options that boost both her and the baby in the best possible way, such as unsweetened whole grain biscuits, dried berries, nuts and seeds or fruit.

Do you have to bond with your baby in the womb?

It’s easy to think that you need to feel a special bond with your unborn baby, but you don’t actually need to feel a certain way before your baby is born. Our emotions cannot be controlled and there are no musts about how you are expected to bond with your unborn baby. What’s important is the bond you create after birth. If, on the other hand, you want to start bonding now, you can feel the belly and fantasise about who is hiding inside. What traits do you think your baby will inherit from you?