Week 24
What’s happening this week
You…
- may feel that you pass a turning point this week
- may feel off balance and clumsy as your centre of gravity continues to shift
- may need to see a dentist if your gums are giving you problems.
- measures about 21 cm
- has well-developed hearing and will be listening to your voice and the beat of your heart
- has lungs that are preparing to breathe air rather than fluid
- becomes ‘viable’ – that means he or she has a chance of surviving, with special care, if born now.
Your baby…
For most women there are many more weeks of pregnancy to go… so we offer more tips for those discomforts of pregnancy, and ask are you eating well?
Sort those aches and pains
|
PROBLEM |
WHAT CAUSES IT? |
WHAT CAN YOU DO? |
TALK TO YOUR LMC |
|
Varicose veins |
Pregnancy hormones make the veins in your legs weaker, so the blood pools and the veins swell. |
Avoid standing for long periods; sit down or walk around if you can. Wear support tights, from first thing in the morning. |
If they become very hot and uncomfortable. |
|
Heartburn |
The muscle at the top of the stomach tends not to close properly....those pregnancy hormones again! |
Try to eat small, frequent meals. Avoid spicy food if it makes it worse. Drink water or milk when you get the burning feeling. Sleep propped up on pillows. |
If you need a remedy to help you cope, over-the-counter medicines work well, but your LMC can advise which are safe to use. |
| Leg cramps | No-one is quite sure, although some experts think it is lack of the mineral potassium, anf that extra calcium in the diet can help prevent it. | Eat bananas, high in potassium, and milk, leafy green vegetables and oranges for calcium. If you get cramp massage the leg firmly, or put your bare foot on a cold floor. | If it's a frequent problem, for individual advice on how to ease them |
| Wrist Pains | Fluid retention in the wrists puts pressure on the nerves causing a tingling feeling or numbness in the hands (called 'carpal tunnel synderome'). It usually gets better after the baby is born. | Raise your arm on a cushion when you are sitting reading or watching TV. If your hands are tingly when you wake up, raise your hands and wiggle your fingers. | If you have numbness a lot of the time and it's very uncomfortable. Wearing a plint at night helps some people. |
| Swollen hands, feet and ankles | Extra fluid in your system. | Rest with your feet up to heart level whenever you can. Avoid tight fitting shoes, and socks that cut in around the ankles. Wear support tights. Remove tight fitting rings. | Or your doctor straight away, if your face becomes swollen and you begin to get headaches - together they mey signal pre-eclampsia (see week 30) |
| Abdominal pain | The ligamnets, which support your uterus, streching as your baby grows. | Try a warm bath with six drops of lavander oil, and then massage your abdomen with body lotion. | The pains don't gradually fade. |
No meat? No problem!
Most vegetarians are wised up when it comes to a balanced diet. Vegetarians do not need extra protein in pregnancy, especially if their diet includes ordinary products and/or eggs. The following ideas would work well as vegetarian snacks:
- scatter some sunflower seeds and nuts on your breakfast cereal
- sprinkle grated cheese on top of beans on toast
- make a ‘smoothie’ with milk (or soya milk), yoghurt and fresh fruits whizzed together in a blender
- have hummus with vegetable sticks as a lunchtime snack.
- beans on toast
- hummus and pitta bread
- rice and lentils.
If you are a vegan and eat no animal products at all, you need to take care to mix the right plant foods to obtain all the amino acids you need. You need to ensure that you get quality protein from wholegrains (bread, flour, rice), dairy nuts, seeds, pulses, soya flour, soya milk and tofu. For example, mix cereals with pulses:
Include nuts, seeds, plant milks and textured vegetable proteins and tofu cheese in your diet.
Make sure you are getting enough:
Calcium
by eating soya, tofu, almonds, sunflower seeds, leafy green vegetables, Brazil nuts, chick peas, sesame seeds, soya beans, fortified soya milk and products made from this.Iron
by eating leafy vegetables, fortified cereals, lentils, wholegrains and nuts. Make sure you have some vitamin C with meals (orange juice is a good source) so your body can absorb the iron more easily.Zinc
by eating wholegrains, pulses, lentils, pumpkin seeds, wholemeal pasta and Brazil nuts. Zinc is important for a healthy immune system.B12
Marmite/Vegemite are a good source. Have some on bread or toast or add a spoonful to soups and casseroles just before serving.
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