Week 24 Of Your Pregnancy

No doubt you are feeling your baby kicking and bouncing around in your belly – one of the really wonderful things about pregnancy. When all the hard symptoms gets you down, feeling your baby move will make up for it in spades. And it’s no wonder you can feel them now, your baby is as big as a cantaloup!

The other great news about reaching week 24 is that in the very unlikely event that your baby arrives early, modern medicine means a baby born from 24 weeks stands a fighting chance! Your baby is on a mission and continues to grow at a crazy rate, and another cute fact, they can now raise their eyebrows!

Your baby has now developed their sense of balance, and can tell which way is up inside your belly. His or her skeleton continues to grow thicker and stronger this week.

CHANGES TO YOUR BODY:

Some time in your second trimester (usually between this week and 28 weeks), your doctor will probably screen you for gestational diabetes, a high blood sugar condition that can strike during pregnancy. The screening test is known as the glucose tolerance test and it involves drinking a sugary drink followed by a blood test an hour later. Most women with gestational diabetes deliver healthy babies; the main risks are high birth weight and an increased chance that your child will develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Don’t panic if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It can be managed with simple diet and lifestyle changes and will go away after the birth.

LIFESTYLE CONSIDERATIONS:

This is a good week to check how well you are sticking to your baby budget and to make any changes necessary. Nursery furniture, prams and car seats can be surprisingly expensive and it’s easy to underestimate how much everything will cost. Dowload our Essential Nursery checklist here.

GENERAL ADVICE:

It is not a good idea to sleep on your back if you can help it as this can cut off the flow of blood through the placenta. If sleeping on your side is uncomfortable, a pregnancy pillow may help.

You may also start talking to your family and friends about throwing you a baby shower? Baby Showers are back in fashion and can be lots of fun. Here’s a handy guide to planning one.

 

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