24 Weeks Pregnant with Twins or Multiples

Many women successfully carry twins or multiples in the womb at 24 weeks without knowing what to expect ahead. This usually becomes stronger at the 6-month mark since that is when most women begin to see their due date creep closer. This shouldn’t be a cause for worry and you need to assure yourself that your delivery will turn out normal. Your growing tummy will start to feel discomforting, especially with all the pressure it is putting on you. It is important to understand that these are the good signs indicating that your foetus is developing in the right manner. The end of the second trimester is yet another important milestone, which also kicks off the final stage of development for you as well as your babies within the womb.

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The Growth of the Babies At 24 Weeks

A fascinating aspect about the growth of your babies within the womb would be around the increment in their weight that surges ahead each week. Along with the development and hardening of the bone structure, the muscles too get good strength and the fat layer deposits reach a new thickness.

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Most scans will now start showing you the faces of your multiples residing calmly inside your womb. Many faces might already be at the stage of completion, with tiny, white hair growth evident on their head, eyebrows and the eyelashes. The pigmentation that turns the hair black occurs in the latter stages.

The breathing process retakes the spotlight, with the learning proceeding ahead speedily. Although the lungs are not fully developed yet, their size is larger than before, resulting in a branched structure of sorts, which play a crucial role in absorbing oxygen inhaled from the air. This needs to be adequately developed so that the baby can start getting oxygen right from its first breath. Until then, all babies breathe in the amniotic fluid itself.

The movements of the babies will be highly pronounced as compared to the previous months. This could also be etched down to the fact that some women might have babies who have opened their eyes in the womb. The eyesight is developed at this stage, although they can’t differentiate objects yet. All they can do is know the difference between darkness and light and respond to it appropriately.

What is the Size of the Babies?

If you have been worrying about your twins not catching up with their growth, observing them in the 24th week of your pregnancy would bring you a lot of happiness. Not only would they be as long as 30 centimetres in length, but they would weigh close to 550-600 grams. Imagine holding a large muskmelon in your hands. That’s pretty much what it would feel like if you were to hold your babies.

Twin Pregnancy at 24 weeks - the size of the babies

Common Bodily Changes

The general changes that a woman might notice in her twin pregnancy around the 24th week are usually revolving around the same growth areas, with an increased sensitivity towards her children in her womb.

  • Women are ecstatic to see their breasts increase in size as the pregnancy progresses. Along with that, the milk glands within them are growing as well, giving your entire body a different shape altogether. While this novelty might be welcome to many, some women might not like the lumpy nature of their breasts. As the milk ducts present in your breasts begin to widen to allow the flow of milk, the enlargement weighs down on your breasts as well. Any blockage that occurs in the path can create a more lumpy structure, and if you press your breasts, you could feel the block quite clearly. No reason to worry since a little warmth and massaging of the breasts can quickly clear the block, which might even cause your breasts to leak in response to it.
  • The uterus now presses quite strongly against your outer tummy and the abdomen. With the children growing speedily within you, many movements that they make inside can be felt instantly by you. If they swim within the amniotic fluid, their flushing and swooshing movement will make you feel strange and happy at the same time. Tiny kicks and punches can feel like flutters in your abdominal region. This can affect your sleeping patterns if the baby is not in sync with yours. Keeping a track of these movements, noting them, and adjusting your lifestyle can work to benefit the both of you.
  • Discharges and bleeding will continue to occur through this week as well, albeit in separate areas. Vaginal discharge, as long as thick and colourless without any particular smell, is completely safe and natural. Bleeding in the gums would occur when you brush your teeth or floss them. Gentle brushing might help lessen the frequency, but that shouldn’t be done at the cost of risking your dental hygiene.

Symptoms Of Twin Pregnancy At 24 Weeks

All the babies at this stage grow larger as quickly as possible. The body tends to make changes that suit them, which makes the usual symptoms of being pregnant with twins a little more apparent.

  • Walking around or standing at your workplace can start getting a little challenging since you will begin to experience increased cramps and aches in your legs. Carrying multiple growing babies around is no easy feat and you can easily tire yourself as a result. Any lack of fluid intake can make the cramps worse as they have no presence of hydration to relax.
  • If cramping is one aspect, the other phenomena that troubles women is the swelling of the feet. Pregnant feet are known to look larger than usual women in general, given the fact that they tend to retain a lot more fluid than usual, combined with a blood pressure that is on the higher side. The swelling tends to multiply when you stay in the same position for long hours. Therefore, it is necessary to take a small break while you are working and move around as much as possible.
  • There’s going to be no respite from your backache for quite some time, pretty much until you deliver your little ones. Your gait and posture will undergo a significant change as your babies increase in size and cause the shift in weight to be higher than before. Most doctors will recommend simple remedies to reduce the pain, but apart from that, you might have to grin and bear it.
  • In matters of physical appearance, if enlarged breasts make you happy, the dark line running over your tummy might not necessarily do the same. Pigmentation tends to be higher with all the hormones running amok, causing the linea nigra to darken around this time. This is all temporary and tends to go away later in life.

Survival Chances Of Twins Born At 24 Weeks

A major concern for women pregnant with twins is the survival possibility of their little ones if they end up delivering them prematurely as early as 24 weeks. When pregnant with multiple babies, most mothers don’t reach a full-term and deliver them before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy. The 24th week might be quite early in your pregnancy, but it does function as a major milestone that substantiates the possibility of the babies surviving, with some medical help. These babies would require an intensive care unit for nearly three months until they are good to survive on their own. Furthermore, going ahead from 24 weeks, the chances of twin survival keep increasing with every passing week.

Twin Pregnancy – Belly At 24 Weeks

The large uterus now will cover your stomach entirely, being pretty above your navel in this week. The entire size of it might be as large as that of a basketball, with the babies nestled inside it. Women with a slightly thin stature might find it helpful to use a maternity belt to support the weight of the babies as well as opt for different pants.

Twin Pregnancy at 24 Weeks – Ultrasound

Most doctors conduct an ultrasound before completing the 24th week, which might be performed now if you missed it earlier. Any other checkups or intense scans are kept for later. Along with the growth of the child, the position of the placenta will be checked as well.

What To Eat

Weighing yourself and maintaining your diet accordingly is the way to go ahead at this stage. Your doctor can correct any dissonance in it by adjusting your nutrition. Constipation tends to get worse around this time, which should be effectively combated with fibrous food items.

Twin Pregnancy at 24 weeks -what to eat

Pregnancy Care Tips

Simplicity and calm is the key to taking care of your body and your babies with a few tips.

Dos

  • Be prepared for premature labour by reading up on it.
  • Complete any home activities as much as possible within this week.

Dont’s

  • Avoid food items that are rich in sodium to reduce swelling.
  • Stay away from sugary items to avoid gestational diabetes.

What You Need To Shop For

The increasing size of breasts and their leakage can be a good sign to purchase items such as:

  • A nursing pillow to feed two babies simultaneously
  • Cream to treat sore nipples
  • A breast pump to store any excess milk later on

The milestone of being 24 weeks pregnant with twins is a big sign that your little ones will soon be on their way out into the real world. The nervousness of a delivery might get real, and indulging in a few calming exercises can keep your anxiety at bay.