You are now 24 weeks along. That’s 6 months! Your baby’s growing steadily, having gained
about 4 ounces since last week. That puts them at a pound and a quarter. Since they are a foot long,
your baby cuts a lean figure at this point. The body is filling out proportionally and will start fattening up
now. The brain is quickly growing every day. The taste buds are continuing to develop and sometimes
you can see them stick out their tongue. The lungs are developing “branches” of the respiratory “tree”
as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help the air sacs inflate once your baby is
born. Their skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon also. On ultrasound you
will see the baby practice their breathing more often. I have even caught the baby with the hiccups at
this stage. More coordinated movements are seen now, and I have captured pictures of babies propping
up their chin on their hand like a newborn picture. Even though ultrasound will not show you the color
of your baby’s hair, if it could, at this stage, it would be white. The hair does not have any pigment at
this stage. That comes later. On the color ultrasound, distinctive facial characteristics are now clearly
seen. Mom’s smile or dad’s nose are evident at this stage. They will only get clearer and more detailed
as the baby grows.
