Pregnancy week 24

Your baby’s development

At 24 weeks your baby is about the size of an ear of corn. The focus this week is the lungs: in the tiny air sacs, a substance called surfactant begins to be made, which helps the lungs breathe more easily and will matter after birth. This week is also often mentioned in medical literature as a point at which a baby born very early has a clearer chance of survival with intensive care. Let this information be reassuring rather than frightening: most pregnancies continue smoothly to term, and your baby keeps growing in your womb. The skin is still wrinkled, but fat is starting to build under it. Facial features are becoming clearer, and eyelashes and eyebrows are complete. Your baby is active and can hear sounds. Measurements are averages. Development moves at its own pace in every pregnancy; your doctor interprets ultrasound measurements, and small differences are usually ordinary.

Changes in the mother

In these weeks you may feel your baby's movements more clearly, sometimes as a tap and sometimes as a slide. Your baby is developing a rhythm of its own. As the belly grows, the skin may feel dry and itchy. Gentle exercise and a good sitting position can help with back and groin aches. The time for the glucose tolerance test has come: done between weeks 24 and 28, it helps screen for gestational diabetes, and your doctor decides the timing. Be sure to ask your doctor whether you need to fast or prepare in any special way. It can also feel good to gather information about birth and baby care and begin planning. If you have a question, a worry or an unexpected symptom, do not hesitate to contact your doctor.

To do this week

• Book an appointment for the glucose tolerance test (OGTT; usually weeks 24–28).
• Ask your doctor whether any preparation is needed before the test.
• Talk with your doctor about completing the second visit by week 24.
• Make first plans for the nursery or the baby's sleeping space.

Tip for the partner

Accompanying her on test day and keeping her company while waiting lifts her spirits.

Nutrition tip

Follow your doctor's eating instructions before the test, then carry on with balanced meals.