24 Weeks Pregnant
second trimester · Month 6
16 Weeks to Go!
Baby is as long as a cantaloupe
Key Takeaways
- Viability achieved — baby has reasonable chance of survival if born
- Lungs developing branches, blood vessels; practicing breathing
- Baby responds to touch, sound, light
24 Weeks Pregnant
Baby’s Development
Your baby has grown to about 30 centimeters — roughly the size of a cantaloupe — and weighs around 600 grams [1]. This is the week viability is achieved. The lungs are developing rapidly, with the tiny airways branching into bronchioles, blood vessels forming, and surfactant beginning to appear. Inside that growing head, the brain is folding into its characteristic complex grooves. The skin is less translucent now, though still wrinkled, and the eyes are fully formed beneath fused eyelids while the ears are fully functional. Movement is very active, and your partner can feel it from the outside. Sleep-wake cycles are distinct, and your baby now responds to sound with little starts and calms, and to touch by pushing back when poked [2].
Pregnancy Symptoms
Your energy may still be fine, though it can start to wane. The usual symptoms may be present — backache, heartburn, constipation, leg cramps, mild swelling, headaches, and Braxton Hicks. Your uterus now sits about 4 to 5 centimeters above your navel, and your partner can feel the kicks from the outside, a lovely milestone. Round ligament pain, sciatica, or pelvic pain may appear. This is also the window for your glucose screening (24 to 28 weeks). Some swelling in your feet, ankles, or fingers is common, and your resting heart rate runs around 80 to 100 beats per minute [2].
Body Changes
Your uterus has risen about 4 to 5 centimeters above your navel and is easy to feel. Most women have gained between 16 and 23 pounds by week 24, and your bump is clearly visible. You may see stretch marks, the linea nigra, melasma, more visible veins, or varicose veins. Your breasts may be up about two cup sizes, and colostrum may leak. The “pregnancy mask” can appear on your face, and your skin may be oilier with breakouts or drier than usual. Some women begin to notice carpal tunnel symptoms as the tissues around the wrists swell [2].
Tips for Week 24
- Get your glucose screening this week (24 to 28 weeks) — it’s a 1-hour test where you drink a 50g glucose solution (Glucola) and have blood drawn an hour later. Under 140 mg/dL is normal, and a positive screen leads to a 3-hour glucose tolerance test to confirm gestational diabetes.
- Address swelling — it’s counterintuitive, but drinking more water helps your body retain less. Compression socks (15 to 20 mmHg), elevating your legs, avoiding long stretches of standing, and a low-sodium diet all help.
- Begin formal kick counting (some providers start now) — look for 10 movements within 2 hours, once a day when your baby is active. Lie on your left side, drink some cold water, and count.
- Ease pelvic pain — if you have SPD, a PT referral, a support belt, avoiding stairs and heavy lifting, and side-sleeping with a pillow between your knees can make a real difference.
Things To Do (Checklist)
- Get glucose screening (1-hour, 50g)
- Start formal kick counting if OB advises
- Address swelling: hydration, compression socks, elevation
- Treat pelvic pain (PT, belt, side-sleeping)
- Schedule childbirth class (20-24 weeks ideal)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My glucose screen came back elevated. Now what? A: About 15 to 20 percent of people screen positive on the 1-hour test, and it doesn’t mean you have gestational diabetes. You’ll take a 3-hour GTT (100g glucose, with blood drawn at 0, 1, 2, and 3 hours). Two or more abnormal values confirm GDM, which is usually managed with diet and sometimes insulin [1].
Q: I failed the 1-hour test. Is the baby OK? A: Most people pass the 3-hour test. Even if you do have GDM, outcomes are generally good with careful management, and what you do from here matters most [2].
Q: How often do I do kick counts? A: Once a day, looking for 10 movements within 2 hours, ideally when your baby is active (after a meal or in the evening). If you count fewer than 10, eat or drink something, lie on your left side, and try again. A second low count means you should call your OB [1].
For Dads
- Make the hand-on-belly ritual nightly — you can feel the kicks now. Reading, singing, or simply talking with your hand on her belly builds a connection that’s genuinely real.
- Build the postpartum plan together — decide who visits, when, and for how long, plus meals and help. Communicate it to family and friends now; setting boundaries is an act of love.
- Make freezer meals — 5 to 10 portions that reheat easily, like soups, stews, pasta sauces, breakfast burritos, or oatmeal cookies.
- Read The Expectant Father, Chapter 21 — it covers viability, the third-trimester preview, and your deepening role.
- Pray for continued lung development — surfactant production is the next critical milestone on the way to that first breath.
Sources
- ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy
- Mayo Clinic — 24 Weeks Pregnant
- Expecting Better — Emily Oster (Chapter 12: Glucose & GDM)
Sources
- guideline ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy
- medical Mayo Clinic — 24 Weeks Pregnant
- book Expecting Better — Emily Oster
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Action Plan Items for Week 24
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