Week 24

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Baby:

Your baby is now about the size of a zucchini.

A vital substance, fetal lung surfactant, is now being produced in baby’s lungs. This is crucial to baby’s ability to breathe once he’s born. When baby breathes out, the fetal lung surfactant will stop his lungs from collapsing by preventing all of the air from leaving his lungs.

When a baby is born prematurely, a shortage of fetal lung surfactant can be a major concern. Fortunately, due to the remarkable advances in modern medicine, even this critical substance can be compensated for, and many more preemie babies survive and thrive now.

If your doctor or practitioner feels that you are at a higher risk for a premature birth, she may recommend that you receive a steroid injection to help baby’s lungs develop a little faster.

Mom:

If you haven’t already, this is a great time to start reading or singing to your baby. Now that his ears are approaching full development, he’ll respond more than ever to the sound of your voice. Research shows that a baby is able to recognize his mother’s voice – and the voices of others who talked to him a lot during pregnancy – after he’s born.

Try choosing a special song or a story that you sing or recite every day; many moms have said that repeating this piece has a particular ability to calm down baby after he’s born.

If you’re feeling itchy, it may be because your skin is actually changing. It’s not clear what exactly causes these skin changes – an increase in estrogen, distension and stretching of the skin and the development of striae or stretch marks can all be contributing factors.

Not all cases of itching are normal, though; you should describe your symptoms to your doctor. Some rashes that arise in pregnancy may need treatment, and cholestasis, which usually presents in the third trimester, can start as itching and may cause jaundice as well, requires a blood test for bile acids.

For regular itchies, try rubbing cream or oil on your skin; this not only moisturizes but also increases circulation, which may ease the itching. Also be sure to wear clothes that are made of natural materials (cotton is a great choice) and try using a little less detergent and fabric softener in your laundry.