Your Pregnancy Week by Week: 24 Weeks

The following information -- and much more -- can also be found in the free weekly email Lamaze Pregnancy Week by Week. Sign up now to receive helpful information for your stage of pregnancy. Subscribers will be given the opportunity to complete a Lamaze Parent Satisfaction Survey after their pregnancy and receive a Lamaze Toys coupon. We want to hear about your birth experience and the impact that childbirth education may have had so that we can continue to make sure parents have the information they need for the safest, healthiest birth possible.

You're in week 24 of your pregnancy!

Childbirth education classes can be empowering, informative, insightful and provide you with a network of other expectant parents and supportive educators. They can also be none of these things. It is important to find a class that matches your values, lifestyle and childbirth goals. Do some research and find out which options are available to you. Class schedules can range from a single afternoon to a ten week series, depending on who is offering them. This week, we'll explore what to look for in a childbirth preparation class.

What's New with Baby

With specialized medical care, your baby has a good chance of survival if she were to be born now. Nevertheless, your care provider will likely make every effort to stop preterm labor to give your baby the best chance of survival and development. From this point on, your baby is steadily putting on weight in the form of increased fat stores, bone development, muscle and organ development. She weighs more than a pound and a half and is eight-and-a-half inches long (about the size of an ear of corn).

What's New with You

Are you planning any renovations or moves before the baby arrives? The second trimester is a great time to accomplish these tasks. You still have quite a bit of energy and your growing belly and softening joints have not limited your movement as much as they will near the end of pregnancy. Be sure to ask for help, take plenty of breaks and avoid heavy lifting during pregnancy. Contact a professional before doing renovations if you live in an older house that may contain lead-based paint because paint dust containing lead is not healthy for growing babies.

Story from a Mama who has been there

'I was surprised by how much my husband enjoyed our prenatal class. He took away lots of helpful information and actually used it during our labor. It was nice to know he was so interested in being a part of the labor and I really relied on him when things got tough. The other couples in our class have become our close friends and we still get together, four years after our class ended.'

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