In this article you will be able to read about everything related to being pregnant in week 24. You will find information about the baby's development, how the mother's body is changing and tips you may need along the way. At 24 weeks pregnant, the fetus is the size of a corncob.

Baby: The fetus now weighs 600 grams

The fetus is about 30 cm long and weighs around 600 grams, so it has now passed the half-kilogram mark and is as long as a ruler! In week 24, the fetus can already smell and taste.

Development

So far, your baby doesn't have much body fat, but over the next few weeks, he or she will gain a lot of weight and height. You'll probably notice this in the rate at which your belly is growing!

The skin is still light in color and slightly translucent, which is due to the fact that the fetus is growing faster than the fat layer can be replenished. Soon, however, these fat deposits will be replenished and the skin will become fuller and more like the skin of a newborn baby.

The baby likes to be lightly curled up and is reassured by feeling the walls of the womb. Perhaps you have felt the baby pressing against the womb with its hands and feet?

Babies born in week 24 often breathe on their own, but need support to keep breathing, for example from 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 baby's brain development! Most of the neurons have formed by now, but they are not fully developed yet, which is evident when you look at the development and maturity of the brain in this week. Most of the energy the baby receives during this week therefore goes to the brain to help it develop.

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

Mom: Pregnant in week 24

Guess what, your birth is fast approaching! From week 24+0, you belong to the maternity unit in case you need care during pregnancy. This means that if you have any concerns about the fetus or need care, you call the maternity ward where you want to give birth.

Ligament pain

Do you sometimes feel a pulling and aching sensation in the side of your stomach? This is a common sensation that can come and go, especially when you get up from sitting to standing or if you have been in the same position for a long time. This is usually because the ligaments that hold the uterus in place start to stretch as the fetus moves and the uterus grows. You can imagine bands helping to hold the uterus in place so that it does not get too close to other organs.

Pain in the ligaments is common during pregnancy, but also harmless. A warm wheat pillow on your stomach can usually help. Talk to your midwife if you find it hard!

You can read about week 23 here.

Here you can read about week 25.