24th week of pregnancy: The 24th week of pregnancy at a glance
Your baby can sit upright in your belly in the 24th week of pregnancy and now also “tastes” the amniotic fluid, as his taste buds are fully developed. Babies already have a sweet tooth and drink more from sweet amniotic fluid than from non-sweet ones.
During and after your pregnancy, you get a lot of support from the state. Find out about your entitlements to parentalleaveandparental allowance at an early stage in the 24th week of pregnancy. Of course, your partner is also entitled to both.
Index
ToggleYour baby’s development in the 24th week of pregnancy
In the 24th week of pregnancy, your baby is 29 centimeters tall and weighs 550 grams. His head circumference is around 22.5 centimeters, his waist circumference around 17 centimeters. You now feel your child very clearly and he begins to open his eyes and his eyelids begin to flutter. As the bones of the small body strengthen more and more, your baby can already sit upright in your belly. Now it has fully developed taste buds and gets to know the taste of the amniotic fluid. The composition of theamniotic fluidhas changed due to the development of the child. At first it was clear, in the 24th week of pregnancy it contains dead cells, hair and cheese smear.
Because the brain is developing rapidly, the head is growing very fast at the moment. The lacrimal glands are also developed and tear fluid is already being produced. Since the third month, your little one can already taste and smell. So you can make a big differencethrough your diet during pregnancy. Your child perceives the taste of the amniotic fluid. It has been shown to respond positively to sweet flavors and negatively to bitter flavors. Experiments have proven that fetuses drink more amniotic fluid when it is sweetened a little.
Your baby drinks between 200 and 760 ml of amniotic fluid daily. This will develop the swallowing reflex, which your child will fully master at birth. The amniotic fluid is completely replaced every 3 to 4 hours. Due to the strong growth, the energy requirement of your baby also increases from the 24th week of pregnancy. That’s why you should pay attention to what you eat.
Your body in the 24th week of pregnancy
The upper edge of your uterus has reached navel height in the 24th week of pregnancy and protrudes beyond the small pelvis. As a result, the pressure on the bladder decreases as well as the frequent urination in small quantities. The fact that you feel comfortable right now can also easily recognize your environment. The increased freedom from symptoms makes you active, desire for exercise, sports and sociability characterize this time. Of course, you should pursue your desire for exercise, butnot all sports are suitable for pregnant women.
More and more, the child movements of your baby are noticeable, now you can already feel the somersaults by touching the abdominal wall. A wonderful experience that also allows your partner the first close contact with the baby. Together you have the chance to make intensive contact with the child and to strengthen the mother-father-child bond now, which is further strengthened bybonding after birth.
Again and again, a pulling in the right and left lower abdomen can be noticeable. This is due to the rapid growth of the uterus, which also affects its holding apparatus, consisting of several ligaments. These supportive uterine bands are under tension and are stretched more and more depending on the increase in size of the uterus. Exactly this stretching can trigger pulling pain in the lower abdomen in the 24th week of pregnancy.
What does a baby look like in the 24th week of pregnancy?
Questions about the 24th week of pregnancy
What to do in case of placental insufficiency?
Normally, your baby will be provided by the placenta with everything he needs for healthy development. However, if their functionality is somewhat limited, this is referred to as placental insufficiency. This impairs the exchange of nutrients between mother and child and can lead to a lack of supply, possibly even tothe initiation of birth. Placental insufficiency occurs in two to five percent of all pregnancies and increasingly affects women who suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy.
Tips and hints for the 24th week of pregnancy
Application for one-off aid
If you are still in training, studying, receiving unemployment benefit II or receiving social benefits, you should wait with the purchase of baby things. You may be entitled to so-called “one-off allowances”, a one-time benefit that is available for baby equipment, cot, stroller and maternity clothing.
Registration for family courses
The joy of the common child is great. The parents are eagerly waiting for the infant. But what does life as a family actually work like? What needs to be organized and newly learned? Questions like these are discussed in nationwide family courses. Some of the statutory health insurance companies contribute to the course fees.
Parental allowance and parental leave
After the birth of a baby, parents are entitled to parental allowance and parental leave. Find out here how to apply for parental allowance, what you are entitled to and how much you can work and earnduring parental leave.