Week 24
of pregnancy

When you're 24 weeks pregnant, your baby bump and those little movements inside you are becoming more pronounced as your little one gets bigger and stronger. In this article, we’ll look at some of the things that you may be dealing with at 24 weeks pregnant, from your growing baby to your changing body. We'll also discuss what you can do to stay healthy and comfortable during this time.

Highlights at 24 Weeks Pregnant

• At 24 weeks pregnant, your baby is now about the size of a full ear of corn.

• They’re growing stronger, meaning you might feel more of their movements right now!

• Now might be the time to start thinking about your birth plan—it’s always good to be prepared!

• Your baby is getting bigger, and it’s healthy and normal to gain pregnancy weight at around 24 weeks. You might consider wearing some stretchy pants and roomy tops for more comfort. Your healthcare provider will help you stay on track with your weight, but you can also try out our Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator below:

24 Weeks Pregnant: Your Baby’s Development

Your little one is continuing to develop at 24 weeks pregnant and is getting ready for the outside world. Here are some of the fetal developments taking place at 24 weeks:

• What is normal fetal movement at 24 weeks? When you’re 24 weeks pregnant, those fetal movements may feel a little stronger and more noticeable, with pokes and kicks becoming more frequent. Your little one is gaining muscle control and strength.

• By 24 weeks, your baby’s inner ear is fully developed. This organ controls their sense of balance and helps your baby know if they’re right side up or facing down in the womb.

• Although your baby’s lungs are formed by this week, they won’t be ready to function normally in the outside world until after they start producing a substance called surfactant. This will start in the upcoming weeks—often around 26 weeks.

• By 24 weeks pregnant, you may be sensing times when your fetus’s movement levels seem to increase, such as before bedtime, and other times when they seem to move less, which could occur when your baby is sleeping.

Your healthcare provider can advise you on whether you should be monitoring your baby’s movements. If your provider gives you the go-ahead, this downloadable fetal movement tracker can help you keep a record of the increased or decreased movements at 24 weeks and beyond.

If you’re 24 weeks pregnant with twins, learn more about your babies in our twin pregnancy week-by-week guide.

How Many Months Is 24 Weeks Pregnant?

It’s common to wonder how far along you are at 24 weeks pregnant and what that is in months. Well, at 24 weeks, it’s likely you’re in your sixth month of pregnancy, though there are various ways of grouping the 40 weeks of pregnancy into months. So, don’t be alarmed if your healthcare provider refers to something different!

Baby's Size at 24 Weeks Pregnant

You may be asking yourself, “How big is a baby at 24 weeks?” At 24 weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a full ear of corn, their weight is more than 1 1/3 pounds, and they’re about 8 inches long from crown to rump.

Your Baby: What Does 24 Weeks Pregnant Look Like?

To answer the question, “What does a fetus look like at 24 weeks pregnant,” take a peek at our visual below:

Your Body at 24 Weeks Pregnant

At 24 weeks pregnant, you’re wrapping up the second trimester, which ends at 27 weeks.

It’s natural and healthy to gain pregnancy baby weight, and by 24 weeks pregnant, you may have gained about 10 to 15 pounds. Eating a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise will help you feel better both physically and emotionally during pregnancy. Plus, staying fit during pregnancy will make it easier to lose the weight you’ve gained later on, after your baby is born.

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24 Weeks Pregnant: Your Symptoms

At 24 weeks pregnant, here are some of the symptoms you may be experiencing:

• Skin changes. You might start to see darker patches of skin on your body and face due to hormonal changes. This happens because the pigment-bearing cells called melanin are stimulated.

  • The brown patches on your face are called chloasma, and the dark line down your abdomen is called the linea nigra. These pigmented areas usually fade after your baby is born. Experts say that avoiding heavy sun exposure and using sunscreen can help reduce chloasma.

• Stretch marks. As your body grows, you might also notice red streaks where the skin stretches. Stretch marks during pregnancy are most likely to occur on areas like your belly, buttocks, and breasts. Stretch marks can’t be prevented, but they can fade over time after the birth of your baby. You might also experience itchiness as your skin stretches; applying moisturizer may help reduce the itchy feeling.

• Round ligament pain. It's possible that you’ll experience pain on one or both sides of your abdomen or hip area. This could be round ligament pain, which is quite common during pregnancy. It happens because the ligaments holding your uterus in place are becoming strained and stretched. Gently stretching and changing positions may help reduce the pain. If the pain ever gets too intense at 24 weeks pregnant (or any other week); if it’s accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, bleeding, or diarrhea; or if you’re at all worried, contact your healthcare provider.

• Trouble sleeping. The size of your belly bump at 24 weeks pregnant might make it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position. If you can’t sleep at 24 weeks pregnant, some well-placed pillows can help! Try sleeping on your side with your knees bent and with one pillow between your legs and another one under your belly for support. Read more in our guide to sleeping while pregnant.

• Loss of balance and dizziness. Your growing belly affects how your weight is distributed, making it a little easier to feel off balance. On top of this, changes in circulation can make you feel dizzy or light-headed. It may help to move slowly (particularly when you get up or change positions), drink lots of water, and stay cool. If you do feel dizzy, lie down on your side, if you can. If you’re concerned, ask your healthcare provider for advice.

• Leg cramps. Have you been experiencing painful calf or foot muscle contractions lately? It’s not unusual to feel the symptom of cramping at 24 weeks pregnant. In fact, you might encounter this symptom from time to time right up until the day your baby is born. Although experts don’t know the exact cause of leg cramps during pregnancy, they do agree on what to do about them:

  • Stretch your calf muscles before you go to sleep at night, stay physically fit through regular exercise during pregnancy, and drink plenty of water to help reduce cramping.

How Big Is a Pregnant Belly at 24 Weeks?

By 24 weeks pregnant, you may have gained about 10 or 15 pounds, and your belly bump is still growing in size day by day. Around this time, your fundal height in centimeters will usually match the number of weeks you’re pregnant. So, at 24 weeks, the distance from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus will be around 24 centimeters (plus or minus 2 centimeters).

As your belly grows, you might want to try wearing a maternity belt or belly band to keep your abdomen well supported when you exercise.

What Does 24 Weeks Pregnant Look Like?

To envision what your belly might look like when you're around 24 weeks pregnant, check out the image below.

24 Weeks Pregnant: Things to Consider

At 24 weeks pregnant, take some time to consider the following:

• As your belly grows, you and your partner may be wondering whether sex is still safe. If your pregnancy is progressing normally, having sex is probably safe, but if you are experiencing pregnancy complications, your healthcare provider may recommend you abstain. Because everyone’s situation is unique, your provider is the best person to ask. Read up on sex during pregnancy for more information, and discuss your feelings with your partner, too.

• A glucose screening test is usually done between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. The test will help your healthcare provider assess your risk of gestational diabetes. Your provider will advise you if you need this test; to learn more, see our article on glucose screening and testing.

• As your belly gets larger, you'll need to adjust your daily routine, such as the way you fasten your seatbelt to safely protect you and your baby. The lap strap of the seatbelt should go under your belly and rest snugly against your hip bones. Put the shoulder strap across the center of your chest rather than under your arm. Never cross any part of the seatbelt over your belly.

• Staying hydrated is important, but many people struggle to drink enough each day. As a parent-to-be, you need plenty of water to stay healthy and to support your growing baby. Experts recommend you drink about 10 cups of fluid a day, the bulk of it water. If you tend to forget to drink during your busy day, set a phone reminder that prompts you to drink a glass of water every few hours; download a hydration app that tracks your intake and reminds you if you fall behind; or set out full bottles of water at the start of each day to prompt you to get through all of them.

• It might be a good idea to start discussing your preferences for childbirth with your healthcare provider and birth partner. Your birth partner could be your partner or another trusted friend or loved one. The more your birth partner and your provider know about your personal preferences and the kind of birth you’d like to have, the better they can support you when the time comes. Your birth partner can support you by helping with certain labor comfort measures like massages and by offering encouragement and emotional support. There’s still lots of time to have these discussions and to write a birth plan if you’d like to, but now is a good time to start having these conversations.

• Although your baby’s arrival is still a few months away, the second trimester is still a great time to start babyproofing. You may have some extra energy now, and once your baby has arrived you will have lots of other things on your plate. Check out our tips on how to baby-proof your home. Know that while you can get some things out of the way now (like securing electric cables and adding child-proof locks to low cupboards), baby proofing is an ongoing task, and you’ll need to revisit it before your little one can crawl.

• You may be experiencing some strange things that you can’t quite place. Perhaps you’re having strange dreams, or maybe you’re struggling to stay focused when normally you’re super on top of things. Read our articles on vivid pregnancy dreams and “pregnancy brain” to separate fact from fiction and find out why this may be happening.

24 Weeks Pregnant: Questions for Your Healthcare Provider

Throughout your pregnancy, you always have the opportunity to consult with your healthcare provider about any questions and concerns you may have. Here are a few common questions at 24 weeks pregnant:

• Are there any pregnancy screenings or tests I need to schedule during the rest of this trimester?

• Do I need to drink filtered tap water?

• Are there any foods I should eat more of? Any I need to avoid?

• Are there any vaccinations I need to get while I’m pregnant? When is the best time to have them, to ensure the best protection for me and my little one?

• What help is available if I’m feeling down while pregnant?

• What are the signs of preterm labor? (Contact your healthcare provider at 24 weeks pregnant if you notice pelvic pain, lower abdominal pressure, abdominal cramps, frequent contractions [8 times an hour], or if your water breaks.)

_{How We Wrote This Article The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.}