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Your Pregnancy: Week 24

Your baby

• Just how big is your baby now? Though she's starting to plump up, she's still quite tiny. She weighs 540 g — a little over a pound — and from the top of her head to the bottom of her buttocks, she's about 21 cm (8.3 in) long.
• Now your baby can respond to touch and sound as she actively moves about the comfy, snug world of your womb. She hears the sounds and feels the vibrations of your beating heart, blood pumping through your blood vessels, rumblings in your stomach, and your voice, which resonates throughout your body.
• Research shows that sounds penetrate the amniotic fluid and travel to a developing baby's ears. Believe it or not, some studies suggest that newborns suck more actively when they're feeding if you read them a story that they heard frequently in the womb. Many parents also observe that their newborn baby seems to recognize voices and music that they regularly heard in utero. Encourage your partner to talk close to your belly, so your baby comes to recognize his voice, too.
 
Your bump
That uterus of yours just won't let anything get it in its way. As it grows to accommodate your developing baby, you may find it presses on your stomach and other organs, pushing up stomach acids that cause heartburn. Ahh, the joys of pregnancy!
 
To relieve heartburn and indigestion break up your main meals into smaller, more frequent meals. Try to steer clear of spicy, fried and acidic foods, and don’t lie down right after eating.
 
Who turned up the heat?
Feeling a little warm? (Maybe that's why you've got such a healthy glow!) Pregnancy increases your basal metabolic rate by about 20 percent, so you may want to dress in layers that you can peel off when the heat kicks in.
 
Breathless
And if you find yourself huffing and puffing when you climb a short flight of stairs, just blame it on that uterus of yours again. As it stretches, it may block your diaphragm from expanding completely, making you feel short of breath when you exert yourself. However, if you experience palpitations, a racing pulse, chest pain, or clammy fingers and toes, call your caregiver.
 
To register: yay or nay?
Do you think it’s savvy or tacky to register for baby gifts? We asked parents-to-be at Todaysparent.com and the results were split almost down the middle; those in favour of gift registries were ahead by a nose.
 
Looking ahead
Now is the perfect time to plan a pregnancy portrait. Think about your ideal timing: do you want to showcase your belly at its biggest, or have your portrait taken at a more, well, graceful stage? Either way, it will be a beautiful keepsake of this incredible time of your life.

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