About You

Week 24 is the eleventh week of the 2 ^nd trimester, and almost into the 6^th month of pregnancy. This is the time to have a visit to your healthcare provider who will notice the position of your baby by feeling your abdomen. Your doctor may use a tape measure to find out the fundal height (a measure of the size of the uterus used to assess foetal growth and development). The fundal height will give your doctor a good idea about the size and growth of your baby, but this measurement may not be the same for every woman. Don’t forget to hydrate, drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water every day (dehydration is one of the major causes of premature labour).

With the increase in size of your abdomen, you may find it difficult to sleep. To make your rest easier, you can use a pillow under your legs. If lying on your side (it is a good idea to sleep on your left side to allow maximum blood flow and better kidney functions), support your protruded abdomen over a pillow. Also, many women sleep on their side with a pillow between their knees to take pressure off their lower back.

You may be noticing faint, red or brown streaks known as striae or stretch marks on your abdomen, hips and breasts. While creams won’t erase them, wearing a supportive bra may help prevent or minimise them on your breasts. They are very common at this stage of pregnancy with about 90% of women getting them. After you’ve given birth, the reddish or brown pigmentation in the stretch marks gradually fades, and the streaks become lighter than the surrounding skin.

Also, your eyes may be light-sensitive and may feel gritty and dry. This is a perfectly normal pregnancy symptom known as ‘dry-eye’. To ease this discomfort, use an ‘artificial tears’ solution to add moisture.

About Baby

Baby now weighs more than 600 grams and is well-proportioned. The brain is growing rapidly, and starting to fill the space of your uterus. From head to heel, baby could measure as long as 30 centimetres. The fat deposits keep accumulating under the skin of the baby so as to make it ready for the external world. These fat deposits help to regulate the body temperature of the baby outside the uterus as well as during labour. The other major development of this week is that baby’s lungs have started to release surfactant, which is a substance required to keep the lungs moist and prevents the tissues from sticking together. Although the lungs are not yet fully developed, your baby is still practicing breathing.

If you went into labour at this time, many obstetricians and midwives would make every effort to halt the progress of premature labour to enable your baby to continue maturing, despite the majority of major organs being developed.

This week’s activities for the pregnancy to-do list

✔Focus on your home improvement projects. Sit down with your partner and take stock of the things you'd like to fix around the house before baby arrives. Then let your partner handle them – remember you shouldn't be exposing yourself to chemicals or getting up on ladders. Some things for the list:

✔Start planning and setting up the nursery (colours, theme, décor, furniture) – hint: neutral colours saves money down the track

✔Install or check smoke detectors, get a fire extinguisher for each floor of your house, and plan a fire escape route

✔Fix or remove any broken furniture or fixtures

✔Buy a body pillow to help you sleep if needed

✔Help your growing body with supportive underwear and use of body creams/stretch mark creams

✔Look into childcare options if you're planning to return to work

Note that this article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.

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