July 31, 2006

My Pregnancy, Week 24

How big is your baby?


Your baby is now 11 inches long and weighs 1¼ to 1½ pounds.



Actually our ultrasound today showed baby to weigh 1 pound, 10 ounces. To help you visualize the length, 11 inches is the length of a sheet of paper.

What is happening with your baby?


Your baby's brain is growing rapidly at this time. Taste buds are also developing, and the lungs are becoming more developed and complex. The branches of the main lung are beginning to form as well as special cells that will produce surfactant. Surfactant is necessary for the air sacs to inflate easily. Babies who are born prematurely often have trouble breathing because these cells have not had enough time to develop or are not producing the necessary amounts of surfactant.



At times I think that baby is practicing to audition for Riverdance. Kicks (which I started feeling about 10 days ago) are becoming stronger and stronger. Most of them are felt really low and are directed right at my bladder. C got to feel one for the first time last night.



What changes are occurring with your body?


You can now feel the top of your uterus around 2 inches from your belly button. The skin on your abdomen and breasts are stretching, which can cause these areas to feel itchy. Many times the itchy skin can be caused by dry skin. If you are having itchy and/or dry skin, use a good moisturizer or lotion. Your eyes may also be sensitive and dry during your pregnancy. You can alleviate some of the discomfort by using artificial tears to keep your eyes moist.



My uterus is high enough into my abdomen that the baby's head was up in my ribs at today's ultrasound. Hard to believe that he/she takes up that much room! My ankles aren't swelling nearly as badly, so I definitely think it was related to the heat. I have my 24wk OB appointment on Thursday, so I'll update my stats at that point.

2 comments:

Jessica said...

Glad to see the ultrasound picture of my niece or nephew! It's great that you're feeling the kicks. They are a wonderful feeling (even if they are into your bladder!). They'll get even stronger as time goes on, and you'll feel like there's a football game going on in your belly. Enjoy them while you can....it goes faster than you think!

Kristin, Rod, and Victoria said...

I'm so glad the u/s went well. What a great profile shot of the little one! Good to hear s/he is on track growth wise.