4 min read · Around weeks 21–24 of pregnancy
At six months pregnant, your baby is no longer moving quietly in the background.
Kicks may be getting stronger. You may begin noticing moments of activity and calm. Voices and sounds are becoming part of your baby's environment, while the lungs continue preparing for life outside the womb.
The tiny person you met on an ultrasound screen is becoming increasingly present in your everyday life.
Your baby is growing quickly
During weeks 21 to 24, your baby continues gaining length and developing more recognisable proportions.
At around 22 weeks, an average fetus measures approximately 27.8 cm from head to heel.
Over the coming weeks, growth and weight gain will continue rapidly.
Owloo Insight
Your voice is already part of your baby's world.
The womb is not silent. Your baby is surrounded by internal sounds and increasingly able to hear voices and noises from outside too.
Your baby can hear more of the world outside
Hearing continues developing during the second trimester.
Your baby can hear sounds from inside your body, including your heartbeat and digestive system, as well as increasingly noticeable sounds from outside the womb.
This does not mean you need special recordings or prenatal stimulation programmes.
Talking naturally, reading aloud or singing if you enjoy it is enough.
The movements may feel very different now
Those early butterflies may now be becoming clear kicks, rolls or stretches.
As you spend more time noticing movement, you may begin recognising how your baby tends to move.
Some babies are particularly active at certain times of the day, but every baby is different.
If you have not felt any movement by 24 weeks, contact your maternity care team.
The lungs are practising
The lungs are still immature, but development is underway.
Your baby performs breathing-like movements in the womb even though oxygen continues reaching them through the placenta rather than through air in the lungs.
This is another example of how pregnancy is filled with practice for functions your baby will need after birth.
Swallowing and sucking continue
Your baby swallows small amounts of amniotic fluid and continues practising sucking movements.
These actions form part of the developing coordination of muscles and reflexes.
A Little Connection Ritual
Choose one quiet moment each evening.
Place your hand on your bump, talk about your day or read a few pages of whatever you are already reading. There is nothing to teach — it is simply a moment to slow down together.
You can slowly start thinking about the first months
There is still plenty of pregnancy ahead, but six months can be a comfortable time to begin preparing gradually rather than leaving everything until the final weeks.
You do not need a room full of baby products.
Think first about the essentials: a safe sleep space, clothing, feeding and care necessities, transport — and a few simple ways to interact with your newborn during awake time.
Hello World Kit | 0–6 months
At six months pregnant, you still have time to prepare slowly. The Owloo Hello World Kit brings together thoughtfully selected visual, sensory and motor play companions for your baby's first six months — without filling your home with unnecessary toys.
Discover what is inside
Frequently asked questions
Can my baby hear me at six months pregnant?
Hearing is developing during this stage and your baby is increasingly able to hear sounds from both inside and outside your body.
Why is my baby more active at six months?
Your baby's muscles and nervous system are developing while the body grows larger, making movements easier for you to recognise.
Are the lungs developed at six months pregnant?
The lungs are developing and practising breathing-like movements, but they are still immature and continue developing throughout pregnancy.
What if I have not felt my baby move by 24 weeks?
Contact your midwife, obstetrician or maternity care team if you have never felt movement by 24 weeks.
The Owloo approach
Your baby is already listening, moving and practising.
You do not need to rush the next chapter.
Talk. Notice. Prepare slowly. There is still time before hello.
Written by Tina Krapez, Owloo Co-founder & COO
Tina Krapez is the Co-founder and COO of Owloo, where she helps create thoughtful play solutions and educational resources supporting families from pregnancy through their baby's earliest development.
Sources and further reading
- NHS — 21 weeks pregnant
- NHS — 22 weeks pregnant
- NHS — Your baby's movements
- ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy
