That face! At 24 weeks pregnant, your baby's facial features are becoming more defined. At this rate, your little one will be ready for all those photos you'll snap after you give birth!

On the symptoms front, around now is the time your belly button may have "popped." It will go back to normal after delivery.

Your Baby at Week 24

At a Glance

Bulking up
Bulking up
Your little bean is putting on more and more weight, much of it coming from accumulating baby fat along with growing muscles, organs and bones.
Rock-a-bye, baby
Rock-a-bye, baby
Baby's auditory system is rapidly advancing, which means if she frequently hears a certain song now she's likely to recognize it and feel calmed by it when she's born.
White-haired baby
White-haired baby
Your baby is still sporting white eyelashes, eyebrows and hair, all of which have yet to acquire pigment.

24 weeks pregnant is how many months?

If you're 24 weeks pregnant, you're in month 6 of your pregnancy. Only 3 months left to go! Still have questions? Here's some more information on how weeks, months and trimesters are broken down in pregnancy.

How big is my baby at 24 weeks?

Your baby is about 11½ inches long and weighs 1 pound, gaining steadily at a rate of about 6 ounces per week. Much of that weight comes from growing organs, bones, muscle and accumulating baby fat.

Baby’s face is formed

Wondering what (and who) your baby will look like? If you had a baby cam at 24 weeks pregnant, you'd almost be able to tell by now. That beautiful face, though still tiny, is almost fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows and hair.

Will your baby have brown, black, blond or red hair — or something in between? Actually, right now her locks are white, since there's no pigment yet. The fat that will be piled on under baby's skin is also missing from the picture right now.

Until those fat deposits are made, that very tender skin is still very transparent, which means a close look would let you see clear through to all the organs, bones and blood vessels. Fortunately, that see-through look won't last much longer.

Fetal hearing

What's been playing on your little rocker's stereo system these days? All kinds of sounds can be heard by your baby in your womb: air exhaling from your lungs — deep breath now — those gastric gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, your voice and your partner's, which your baby will be able to recognize at birth, and even very loud sounds such as honking horns, barking dogs or a wailing fire truck.

Your Body at Week 24

week by week 24

Belly button changes

If your former innie is now an outie, welcome to the club. Almost every expectant mom's pregnant belly button pops at some point as that swelling uterus pushes on everything in its path.

Things should return to normal after delivery, though your navel, and some other parts of your body, might look a bit, well, stretched. Just think of it as one more badge of honor that only moms get to wear.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

What other pregnancy woe is pushing your buttons when you’re 24 weeks pregnant? Well, probably your uncomfortably numb wrists and fingers. Chances are it could be carpal tunnel syndrome.

The uncomfortable tingling and numbness you notice in your wrists and fingers is usually associated with work that requires repetitive motion, such as typing, but carpal tunnel strikes pregnant women for a different reason — though repetitive motion can definitely contribute.

The swelling that's so common during pregnancy causes fluids to accumulate in your lower extremities during the day, which are redistributed to the rest of your body, including your hands, when you're lying down — putting pressure on the nerve that runs through your wrist. That causes numbness, tingling, pain or a dull ache in the fingers, hand or wrist.

Get relief by avoiding sleeping on your hands and propping your arms up with a pillow at night. Shaking your hands and wrists might also help. Be sure, too, that if you are doing repetitive motions such as piano playing or typing, which can aggravate your symptoms, take frequent hand-stretching breaks.

If you're in a lot of pain, a wrist brace might be just the ticket to comfort. Luckily, when the regular swelling of pregnancy stops after delivery, the carpal tunnel symptoms go away, too.

Soothing red, itchy palms

Sure, you'd heard that pregnancy comes with a variety of symptoms, most of them not very pleasant — actually, none of them very pleasant, unless you count fast-growing hair, nails and breasts. But maybe you didn't expect so many seemingly random symptoms — such as the red, itchy palms that have nothing to do with the amount of dishwashing you're doing. The red may spread, too, to the soles of your feet, though you're less likely to notice that once your feet become more difficult to see.

Though this is a relatively normal symptom, especially this far into pregnancy, be sure to mention it to your doctor — there's a chance it could indicate a rare complication called cholestasis of pregnancy, though this is more common in the third trimester.

You can blame those pesky hormones for this one, too — along with virtually all the other strange symptoms you'll have as the months go by, like the metallic taste in your mouth, skin tags appearing out of nowhere, bigger feet, increased saliva and vision changes, to name a few.

As for getting the red out, there are no sure solutions...besides delivery. Until then, avoid anything that makes the red redder, such as becoming overheated, taking long, hot baths or showers or wearing too-warm or too-tight gloves or socks.

Some women find relief by soaking their hands and feet in cold water or applying an ice pack for a few minutes a couple times a day. You might even try going on a dishwashing strike while you're expecting — just tell your spouse it's doctor's orders!

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 24

Constipation
Constipation
Lower abdominal achiness
Lower abdominal achiness
Blurred vision
Blurred vision
Migraines
Migraines
Leg cramps
Leg cramps
Swollen feet and ankles
Swollen feet and ankles

Tips for You This Week

Get ready for the glucose screening

Your doctor will give you the glucose screening between 24 and 28 weeks. If your blood sugar levels show that you have gestational diabetes — a temporary condition that appears during pregnancy — you'll likely have to modify your diet, monitor your blood sugar at home, and possibly increase your activity levels.

While researchers aren't certain why some women get gestational diabetes while others don’t, they do know that you may be at an increased risk if you are overweight, are older, are pregnant with multiples, have a higher level of abdominal fat, or have a family history of diabetes.

Streamline your showers

Suffering from dry skin during pregnancy? As luxurious as they are, too many long showers or baths can be part of the problem and strip your skin of some of its moisture.

Though you should still indulge in a nice, long bath or shower here and there, stick to shorter ones at least some of the time — good training for actual motherhood! — in warm, not hot, water, and use a mild cleanser. For very dry skin, try a moisturizer or put a warm-mist humidifier in your room.

See if a doula is right for you

Have you considered hiring a doula to help with delivery and early baby care? A doula’s duty is to be your head cheerleader during delivery. Unlike an OB/GYN or midwife, doulas do not have medical training — instead, they’re there to support you emotionally.

Some studies show that moms with doulas are less likely to require C-sectionsinductions and pain relief, while births may be shorter with a lower rate of complications.

Recruit some help with meal prep

Your freezer is your friend. Ask your partner, family and even other children (if this isn’t your first and the others are old enough) to help you cook a batch of meals so you can have nutritious leftovers for days to come. Bonus: It makes your life a lot easier!

Make a large tray of lasagna by layering defrosted frozen spinach or broccoli on top of the pasta along with some shredded cheese, good-quality jarred tomato sauce and lean ground beef or turkey. Slice the leftovers into individual portions and then freeze to reheat and feast another day.

The same goes for soups and stews — make a vat and freeze into single-serve containers, then reheat them later as a nourishing snack. Ditto mini meat loaves and muffins.

For the fridge, boil a dozen eggs at a time: Mash half into egg salad for lunch today and tomorrow and keep the rest intact for snacks on the run — or snacks to keep you going while you make dinner.

Cut up enough fruit salad or veggies to keep you happily and healthily munching for days. And instead of grilling one chicken breast for dinner, grill four or more; the rest will make delicious sandwiches, salad toppings for dinner or fajita fillings for the rest of the week.

Ease the sting of hemorrhoids

Pregnancy can put a lot of pressure on you — including on the veins in the rectal area, which can swell and bulge. Hemorrhoids are extremely common when you’re pregnant, but take some comfort (if you can get comfortable, that is) in the fact that they're perfectly harmless.

Keep it clean down there by using warm water and white two-ply toilet paper after a bowel movement. Don't wipe too hard (that just makes it worse) or linger on the toilet. If TP is too harsh, switch to wipes (preferably those made with plain water or designed for sensitive skin) instead.

To ease the discomfort, try soaking in a warm (not hot) bath.

Interview pediatricians

Now’s a great time in your pregnancy to interview potential pediatricians. After all, there’s a good chance that the doctor will first see your baby within 24 hours of your little one’s birth.

So ask a lot of questions before you make your selection and broach topics like appointment availability, hospital affiliations, vaccines and circumcision.

Remember to floss

Want to increase your odds of delivering a full-term baby? Put your dental floss where your mouth is. Surprisingly, research links good dental health and oral hygiene with longer pregnancies. Sounds crazy — but it's true.

Something as simple as brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly can reduce the risk of gingivitis — a common condition in which your gums become inflamed, red and even begin to bleed.

Untreated gingivitis (that's where the regular dental checkups come in) can progress to periodontitis — a more serious infection of the teeth — which has been linked to premature birth and even an increased risk of preeclampsia.

Keep on top of your teeth, and that old (untrue) wives' tale — the one that claims a woman loses a tooth with each pregnancy — can finally be put to rest.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

  1. What to Expect When You’re Expecting, 5th edition, Heidi Murkoff.
  2. WhatToExpect.com, When Your Baby Can Hear in the Womb, June 2021.
  3. WhatToExpect.com, Sore and Bleeding Gums During Pregnancy, January 2022.
  4. WhatToExpect.com, Hemorrhoids During Pregnancy, November 2022.
  5. WhatToExpect.com, What Is a Doula and Should You Hire One for Your Baby’s Birth?, April 2022.
  6. WhatToExpect.com, Glucose Screening and Glucose Tolerance Test, December 2022.
  7. WhatToExpect.com, How Does Gestational Diabetes (GD) Affect Your Pregnancy and Baby?, June 2022.
  8. Mayo Clinic, Fetal Development: The 2nd Trimester, June 2022.
  9. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Fetal Development, July 2021.
  10. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, March 2022.
  11. American Academy of Family Physicians, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, September 2020.
  12. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, Palmar Erythema, December 2007.
  13. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Genetics Home Reference, Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy, May 2015.
  14. Journal of Current Ophthalmology, Ocular Changes in Pregnancy, September 2018.
  15. Mayo Clinic, Migraine, July 2023.
  16. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Gestational Diabetes, July 2022.
  17. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in a Sample of Pregnant Women Diagnosed with the Disease, November 2015.
  18. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Glucose Screening Tests During Pregnancy, April 2022.
  19. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Travel During Pregnancy, July 2023.
  20. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, October 2012.
  21. DONA International, What Is a Doula?, June 2023.
  22. Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association, Certified Labor Doula, May 2020.
  23. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Nutrition During Pregnancy, June 2023.
  24. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Eating Right During Pregnancy, November 2022.
  25. Food and Drug Administration, What You Need to Know About Egg Safety, May 2022.
  26. National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, Protein in Diet, April 2023.
  27. American Dental Association, Pregnancy, June 2023.
  28. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Weight Gain During Pregnancy, June 2022.
  29. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Weight Gain During Pregnancy, January 2013, reaffirmed 2023.
  30. WhatToExpect.com, How Your Belly Button Changes During Pregnancy, November 2022.
  31. WhatToExpect.com, How Many Weeks, Months and Trimesters in a Pregnancy?, May 2022.
  32. WhatToExpect.com, When Babies Start Growing Hair, Skin and Nails, June 2021.
  33. WhatToExpect.com, What to Do About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome During Pregnancy, February 2021.
  34. WhatToExpect.com, Edema (Swelling of the Ankles and Feet) During Pregnancy, October 2022.
  35. WhatToExpect.com, Palmar Erythema During Pregnancy, November 2022.
  36. WhatToExpect.com, Metallic Taste During Pregnancy (Dysgeusia), September 2022.
  37. WhatToExpect.com, Skin Tags During Pregnancy, February 2023.
  38. WhatToExpect.com, Excess Saliva During Pregnancy, September 2022.
  39. WhatToExpect.com, Do You Have Blurry Vision During Pregnancy?, January 2023.
  40. WhatToExpect.com, Overheating During Pregnancy, June 2022.
  41. WhatToExpect.com, Dry Skin During Pregnancy, November 2022.
  42. WhatToExpect.com, How to Find the Best Pediatrician for Your Baby, April 2022.
  43. WhatToExpect.com, Preeclampsia: Symptoms, Risk Factors and Treatment, April 2022.
  44. WhatToExpect.com, Constipation During Pregnancy, October 2022.
  45. WhatToExpect.com, Round Ligament Pain During Pregnancy, May 2023.
  46. WhatToExpect.com, Migraines During Pregnancy, October 2022.
  47. WhatToExpect.com, Suffering From Leg Cramps During Pregnancy?, December 2022.

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