Week 24 - Our 2nd Milestone

Our first milestone was the beginning of the second trimester - when the chance of miscarriage significantly drops.


Our second milestone is one that I hope passes by without any reason to care about it, but I am so glad it is here. For the most part, babies born before 24 weeks don't receive any life-saving procedures because they are considered too undeveloped to survive. After 24 weeks, the hospital will do everything they can to try to keep them alive. I know the chance of survival at 24 weeks is slim, but at least now I feel like they have a chance. Every cramp or pain that I have had over the past 3 weeks has been a reminder that we still hadn't met this important milestone. I am so glad we made it and I hope it passes quietly by until we reach our next milestone at 28 weeks.


How your babies' are growing:
Your babies' are growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since they are almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), they cut a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and they will soon start to plump up. Their brains are also growing quickly now, and their taste buds are continuing to develop. Their lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. Their skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon. See what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.


I usually skip the links, but this one seemed appropriate since they are both facing the head down like the picture.