24 Weeks: What's Happening

Your baby's growing steadily, and weighs more than a pound and a half right now . Since she's about a foot long, she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. At this point in fetal development, that beautiful face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon. Your baby is also starting to produce white blood cells, which will help fight infection after she leaves your body and enters the world. You may be surprised to notice that your baby responds to the sound of your voice or even the touch of your hand on your tummy by quieting down or occasionally increasing activity as a way of communicating with you! In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.