24 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby now knows what is "up" and "down". Learn what's going on with you and your baby-to-be while 24 weeks pregnant.

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Read about...

• Your Baby
• You
• 6th Month of Pregnancy Video
• Diary of a Daughter

Your Baby

Your little one continues to put on weight and grow during this time in your womb and on averages measures almost a foot long, comparable to an ear of corn now.

Weighing approximately 4 ounces more than last week, this growing spurt will continue for some time now and will soon take on a more plump appearance. Most of the weight gained now for your baby will consist of muscle weight and the brown fatty deposits in the skin that helps retain the body temperature.

The brain is developing rapidly at this time, along with the baby's taste buds. Quit smoking and really stay away from alcohol!

The lungs have now begun the branches of their respiratory tree along with the cells that produce surfacant, the substance that helps the air sacs inflate once your little one is introduced to the outside world. The lack of enough surfacant is one of the reasons for premature babies needing help breathing, since their lungs are not mature enough to function on their own.

Although the eyes are shut tightly, the facial features of your new baby are practically complete with hair on the scalp, eyelashes and eyebrows. Just a thinner version of what is to come, many parents who get an ultrasound during this time can have the opportunity to keep a photograph of their baby which will undoubtedly resemble their new addition a few more weeks down the road.

You

The top of your uterus is above your belly button now and is comparable to the size of a soccer ball. No wonder you are having troubles bending over and sitting comfortably at times!

Continuous stretching of the skin can make your belly irritated and dry, so be sure to use that moisturizer each day to help alleviate any dryness or irritation that you may feel. Be sure to take in lots of fluids each day to help keep your body from retaining water and any constipation problems that you may have until now.

Your mucus membranes may have swollen due to the increase in blood flow, which can make you feel like you have a constant head cold and stuffy nose. Some women find that this affects them only at night, while others have no symptoms at all.

Saline drops in the nose can sometimes help aid these symptoms while other women tend to put up with this temporary side effect until it dissipates with the birth of their baby.

Each woman's pregnancy is different, and if you have any concerns be sure to discuss them with your health care provider.

You may have to go for your blood glucose-screening test soon if you haven't done so already. This test helps to check for gestational diabetes, a pregnancy related elevated blood sugar condition. If left untreated, it can increase your chances of having a difficult vaginal delivery or even a cesarean section since your baby will grow too large as well as other complications.

Low blood sugar for your baby right after birth can also pose problems, so be sure to talk this over with your doctor during your next prenatal visit.

Isn't it wonderful to be pregnant!?

All these weird things happening with your body! If you want to have a good laugh about it, read this hilarious book from someone who's definately "been there, done that".

6th Month of Pregnancy Video

Instructions: When watching the video clips, start the videos by clicking the small arrow down to the left, not the large one in the middle of the screen. If you're using Internet Explorer as your browser and the video doesn't start, try clicking twice on the small arrow.

Diary of a Daughter

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