Your Baby at 24 Weeks Pregnant
 At 24 weeks pregnant, your baby has grown to over one pound (an estimated 1.3 pounds in total). He or she is roughly 11.8 inches from the top of his head to his toes. Your developing baby is now the size of an ear of corn. Can you believe how much your little one has grown in six months? As you continue to track your pregnancy week by week, your little bundle of joy will look more and more like a tiny, albeit little human being.
Your little bundle of joy has reached another milestone at 24 weeks pregnant. If your child were born early this week, he or she would be "viable." The survival rate of a baby born at 24 weeks pregnant is 40 percent with neonatal intensive care.
With each passing day, your baby starts to get more proportional. At pregnancy week 24, his organ systems begin to mature, as well as his digestive and central nervous systems, the reproductive system, and even his circulatory system.
Your baby's lungs are starting to develop little branches. In the next few weeks, the lungs will start producing surfactant, which is a substance that prevents the lungs from sticking to each other. Surfactant helps your child breathe after birth.
| | Fun Fact:
The lungs are the last organ in your child's body to fully mature. They aren't ready for life outside the womb until you're full-term (37 weeks pregnant). | | |
Ossification (the process of transforming cartilage into bone) is taking place this week. Until 24 weeks pregnant, your baby's body has been made of cartilage. This week, the skeleton is starting to get replaced with bone.
Your baby's skin is still translucent, but layers of fat are building between the skin cells. A process called "keratinization" starts this week. During keratinization, new skin cells (that are created in the deepest part of your baby's skin) move upward toward the surface of the skin. Once these cells are part of the protective layer of skin, they are shed and the process begins again.
Mom's Changes at 24 Weeks Pregnant
At 24 weeks pregnant, your uterus continues to grow. The uterus is now between 1.5 and 2 inches above your navel. Some women are shocked and surprised when random people (not just their friends and family members) start to rub their pregnant bellies as they start to show. In some cultures, rubbing a pregnant woman's bump is actually a sign of good luck.
However, not all women are as keen on random strangers touching them. If it bothers you that strangers want to touch your bump, you can always fib and tell people that you're ticklish, or you could head them off and lovingly pat your own belly. You can also keep your hand in front of your belly, and this may prevent some people from reaching out to touch you uninvited.
From 24 weeks pregnant onward, your little bundle of joy has less and less room to move about in the womb. The fetal movements that you're feeling now are probably stronger than ever. Gradually, over time, your baby's kicks and jabs will start to seem more rhythmic and slower. This is definitely a normal experience.
At first, when you feel your baby's movements, they may seem random, even though your baby continues to move on a regular basis. If you start paying attention to when your baby moves, you will notice patterns of sleepiness and wakefulness. Believe it or not, but babies do sleep in the womb.
Enjoy all of your baby's gymnastics while they last. Once your baby is born, you might be surprised that you miss feeling him move around your belly.
Pregnancy Symptoms at 24 Weeks Pregnant
At 24 weeks pregnant, you are only a month away from the start of the third trimester. You are almost in the final stretch. You are probably still feeling great. You may be feeling more of your baby's kicks and acrobatics, compared to earlier in the second trimester. As the weeks pass, your baby's movements will get stronger and even more intense. Space continues to get tighter and tighter in your uterus, so you may even experience painful kicks pretty soon.
Forgetfulness is an annoying pregnancy symptom that may strike at 24 weeks pregnant. Stress, hunger, fatigue, and hormonal changes can contribute to you becoming more forgetful. To cope with being more forgetful when pregnant, make sure that you keep track of all your meetings, appointments, and tasks. Use a planner, set alarms on your cell phone, or keep a small notebook with you at all times.
| | Helpful Tip:
Try to not overeat when you're pregnant. Eating way too many calories can lead to an unhealthy weight gain. Make sure that you aim for the recommended weight gain for your body size. The average-sized woman should only gain 25 to 35 pounds by the end of pregnancy. | | |
An increase in appetite is one of the most pleasant pregnancy symptoms that you might notice at 24 weeks pregnant. It's not uncommon for expectant mothers to be hungry for food. You might struggle with food cravings, too. And while it's OK to give into food cravings, just make sure that you continue to eat healthy and make nutritious food choices. You don't need to devour everything that is available in your fridge.
Pregnancy Health Tips at 24 Weeks Pregnant
Spending Time With Your Baby
 During pregnancy week 24, many pregnant women are enjoying their second trimester immensely. Your pregnancy symptoms are generally mild, not yet too painful or exhausting. (It's only in the third trimester that the most uncomfortable symptoms arrive.)
What's wonderful about pregnancy is that you have your baby all to yourself. After you give birth, you'll be shocked at how many relatives, friends, and other peers decide to stop by your house and visit. Some new mothers lament the loss of any private time they have with baby. Your husband or partner may occasionally get to feel your baby's kicks and jabs when he places his hand on your belly. But by and large, pregnancy is the one time that you can truly enjoy your little bundle of joy alone.
To bond with your baby while he is in the womb, you may consider reading a book or even a magazine with your baby. Your little bundle of joy will enjoy hearing the soothing sound of his mama's voice. Other pregnant women play classic music or soothing sounds to their baby in utero. Your baby's ears are developed enjoy that he can hear the outside world. Don't be surprised if your child jumps or kicks the wrong way when he hears a loud noise – like a loud vacuum cleaner.
Time to Choose Your Baby's Name!
 At pregnancy 24 weeks, some parents find that this is a great time in pregnancy to start looking and deciding on baby names. There are hundreds, thousands, and maybe even millions of baby names out there. Not just American baby names, but you can find a neat name in almost every culture and language. If you think that picking a baby name is simple, think again. Your husband may come up with one name, and you'll find twenty more that you like. One name that you particularly like may be a name that you hate in a month. Have fun picking out baby names this week.
Remember that your child's name is a very personable and an identifying mark on his personality and identity. When selecting a name, try to find a name that has a special meaning or significance to you and your family. If you find the perfect name, remember how you can about it, since it will become a lovely story to tell your child down the road.
If you change your baby's name in the delivery room, just go with the flow. This scenario happens a lot more than you would think. Some parents have a baby name picked out ahead of time, and then the second that their baby is born, they get a good look at their child's face and the parents change their mind about the pre-selected name. For example, an Emily may suddenly look like a Jane!
Choosing your baby's name is one of the most fun experiences in life. If you do find the perfect baby name ahead of time, you may get a kick out of calling your baby that name instead of "Baby Z" for the remainder of your pregnancy.
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