Week 24
Wednesday March 09th 2005, 6:43 pm
Filed under:
Family
Your fundus
(top of the uterus) reaches just above your navel! You are now aware of
your baby's movements and may even be able to tell the sleep/wake
cycles of your little one.
It is important to recognize the signs of premature labor. Premature labor is actually more common in the summer months,
thought to be caused by dehydration in some women, so continue drinking
lots of water! Call your practitioner if you have any of the following:
Contractions or cramps, more than 5 in one hour
Bright red blood from your vagina
Swelling or puffiness of the face or hands, a sign of preeclampsia
Pain during urination, possible urinary tract, bladder or kidney infection
Sharp or prolonged pain in your stomach (preeclampsia signs)
Acute or continuous vomiting (preeclampsia signs)
Sudden gush of clear, watery fluid from your vagina
Low, dull backache
Intense pelvic pressure
Baby:
Your
baby is almost completely formed, and is beginning to deposit brown fat
on his or her body. The purpose of the brown fat is to retain body
heat. Newborns are notoriously bad at regulating body temperature at
first. This is particularly a problem for a baby born early.
Babies
born at this point have some chances of survival with very special
care. They will be in the Intensive Care Unit, probably for many weeks.
Usually we say that you can expect them to stay in the NICU until their
due date.
A major problem with premature babies is lung development. If preterm labor is detected early enough a steroid shot, called Betamethasone, can sometimes be given to enhance lung development.
S/he weighs in at 1 lb 5 ounces (595 grams) and 30 cms or 11.8 inches total length! |
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