Pregnancy Week 24: Baby Size & Practice

At 24 weeks

At 24 weeks your baby is about the size of a bhutta (corn cob), around 30 cm from head to heel, and the NHS now describes them as viable, meaning they could survive with the right neonatal support if born now. Their tastebuds, eyes and hearing are all becoming more sensitive. You may feel hungrier and notice aches around your ribs, back and stomach as your ligaments loosen.

Your Baby at 24 Weeks

Everything is now in proportion, although your baby is still smaller than they will be with more time in the womb. The NHS describes a baby at this stage as viable: if born now, they could survive with the right support, and neonatal units can help premature babies breathe, feed, keep warm and fight infections (NHS).

The brain is growing rapidly and the senses keep sharpening. Tastebuds are becoming more sensitive, the eyes respond to light, and your baby can hear sounds from outside the uterus (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).

The lungs are growing branches and getting ready to make surfactant, the substance that helps them expand with each breath after birth (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).

Your Body This Week

Many women feel really hungry around now, but the NHS says you do not need to eat more until the third trimester, from week 28. Pregnancy hormones loosen your ligaments and muscles, so pains around the ribs, back, breasts, bottom or stomach are common, and a small bump is nothing to worry about because every pregnancy is different (NHS).

The top of your uterus now sits just above your belly button, and you may begin to notice Braxton Hicks contractions, when the bump tightens and goes hard. Unlike labour contractions, they are not regular and usually ease if you change position (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).

When to call your midwife or doctor: Seek medical help for contractions that become stronger, more frequent or longer, persistent pain or pressure in your tummy, back or pelvis, vaginal bleeding, or movements that slow down or stop; if you have not felt your baby move at all yet, see your doctor or midwife (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby). For reduced movements, NHS advice is to call your maternity unit immediately, day or night.

Garbh Sanskar This Week

A small daily practice for this stage, from Mamta’s 1:1 sessions. It is tradition and gentle self-care, not medical advice, so keep every check-up and follow your doctor or midwife first.

Mantra: The Garbharakshambika Stotram is a devotional prayer linked to the Thirukarukavur temple near Thanjavur, asking the goddess Garbharakshambika to protect beings in the womb. Read or sing a verse or two in a soft voice; the Garbh Sanskar mantras guide gives its source and meaning.
Music: Your baby can hear sounds from outside the uterus now, so a calm song or bhajan you love can become a shared part of your evening. Let it play softly in the room rather than pressing speakers or headphones to your bump.
Gentle movement: Mamta encourages a short daily walk at an easy, chatty pace, and the NHS notes that even 10 minutes a day is a good start. Walk only with your doctor's or midwife's clearance, and listen to your body.
Food: Traditionally, the sixth month of Charaka's regimen is built around milk and ghee, so warm milk and a little ghee in dal or khichdi suit this week, alongside the iron, calcium and folic acid your doctor recommends. If you have gestational diabetes, follow your diabetes team's advice on milk, ghee and portion sizes first.
Garbh samvad (a line to say to your baby): Can you hear me, little one? I am saying good morning to you.

Check-ups Around This Week, Wherever You Live

Around 24 weeks, check-ups centre on blood sugar and steady monitoring, though each country times things a little differently and your own doctor or midwife sets your schedule.

Where you live	What is usually offered
India	Government guidelines advise a 75 g glucose tolerance test at the first visit and, if that was normal, a repeat test between 24 and 28 weeks. The second of at least four antenatal visits falls between 14 and 26 weeks, alongside daily iron-folic acid and calcium tablets.
UK	First-time mothers usually have an appointment at 25 weeks, and a glucose tolerance test between 24 and 28 weeks is offered only if you are at higher risk of gestational diabetes. The 28-week appointment brings blood tests and, if needed, an anti-D injection.
USA	Gestational diabetes screening is recommended between 24 and 28 weeks, or earlier if you are at risk. Visits have traditionally been every four weeks until 28 weeks, though many practices now tailor the schedule.
Australia	Gestational diabetes testing is offered between 24 and 28 weeks, with a full blood count at 26 to 28 weeks. The whooping cough vaccine is ideally given between 20 and 32 weeks.

Schedules change and differ between hospitals, so your own care team’s plan always comes first.

Questions About Week 24

What does it mean that my baby is viable at 24 weeks?

The NHS uses 'viable' to mean that a baby born now could survive outside the womb if given the right support. Neonatal units care for premature babies by helping them breathe, feed, keep warm and fight infections.

Is the sugar test for gestational diabetes done at 24 weeks?

In India, guidelines advise repeating the glucose tolerance test between 24 and 28 weeks if your first-visit test was normal, and the USA and Australia also test in this window, while the UK offers it only to women at higher risk. If you are diagnosed, it can be managed by monitoring your blood sugar, changing your diet, exercising and sometimes taking medicine.

How do I tell Braxton Hicks from real contractions at 24 weeks?

Braxton Hicks contractions make your bump tighten and go hard, but they are not regular and usually stop when you shift position. Contractions that grow stronger, more frequent or longer need medical attention straight away.

Practise With Mamta, Wherever You Are

Mamta guides expecting mothers through private 1:1 Garbh Sanskar sessions online, scheduled in your own time zone, from the first trimester to the last week. Start with a free conversation on WhatsApp or read how sessions work.

Sources

Mamta is not a doctor. Medical points on this page come from the sources below, checked in October 2026. Sizes are approximate and babies vary; your scan report is what matters.