24 weeks and 5 days pregnant

Here the skin looks almost loose around the neck as the baby has turned his head slightly. This is normal at this stage: the lack of fat beneath the skin and the need to grow rapidly can make your baby appear as if he needs time to “grow into” his own skin.

Some meals may be followed by an uncomfortable bout of indigestion, but you can take steps to prevent and relieve this.

While you may be enjoying your food, you could be paying the price with indigestion. The pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes the muscles in the whole of the digestive tract. This slows digestion and the sphincters, or rings of muscles, at each end of the stomach become less effective. This can cause heartburn and indigestion as acidic juices from the stomach leak back into the oesophagus. In addition, as your pregnancy progresses, your growing baby is squashing your stomach so that you have a smaller space to digest food.

To relieve indigestion, eat little and often, eat slowly, don’t eat late at night, and cut down on fatty or spicy foods. You could also try natural remedies, such as peppermint. Rather than lie flat, prop yourself up with pillows. Check with your pharmacist before taking over-the-counter remedies.

Make your own peppermint tea by steeping fresh or dried leaves in hot water. Drink the tea after you’ve eaten for the best results.

What natural remedies could I try for my digestive problems?

Peppermint in its fresh or dried herbal form is most definitely beneficial for treating a wide range of symptoms, the most important of which are digestive problems. Try drinking tea or sucking on peppermint sweets, especially if you’ve eaten a big meal.

Peppermint contains menthol, which has been shown in studies to be an effective digestive muscle relaxant and an effective remedy for wind, nausea, and indigestion. It has a “carminative” effect, meaning that it works specifically on the digestive system.

The intensity of your symptoms can be relieved by eating raw garlic or taking a garlic capsule every day.A garlic supplement that is rich in the active ingredient allicin will be more effective.

Other herbal teas that may ease heartburn are cardamom, camomile, lemon balm, orange peel, and meadowsweet. To aid digestion, try drinking a teaspoon of cider vinegar in warm water 20 minutes before a meal.

Depending on how long you’ve worked for your company and their company policy, you may be entitled to paternity leave and pay. Speak to your human resources department now to find out your rights and whether your company offers additional perks. You may also be entitled to unpaid parental leave. To maximize the time you can take off once the baby is born, work out how much holiday you have left and consider saving up days.