YOUR PREGNANCY

Here’s What’s Going On Inside OF YOU

FERTALIZATION

Your child begins the first day of his or her life within your body. At this point, the sperm and egg combine to form a new human being who carries enough genetic information as 50 sets of a 33-volume encyclopedia. This DNA will determine all of this little person’s physical characteristics and much of his or her intelligence and personality.

dAY 2

Your baby is three cells big. His or her cells will continue to divide as they start down your Fallopian tube towards your womb. It is there that your baby will get the food and shelter they need to grow and develop.

day 6-7

Implantation into your uterus begins, and your baby continues to grow. As their cells multiply, they differentiate to perform specific functions – circulatory, muscular, neural and skeletal.

2-3 weeks

2 Weeks: Implantation is completed around this time, and you miss your first menstrual period.

3 weeks: Your baby’s heart, brain, spinal column, and nervous system are almost complete, and their eyes begin to form.

Your baby’s heart begins to beat!

4 weeks

Your little boy or girl is now approximately 1/4 inch long. The blood flowing in his or her veins is completely different from your blood! Kidneys, the liver and the digestive tract are already taking shape.

5-7 weeks

5 Weeks: Your son or daughter’s face is taking shape; their forehead, eyes, nostrils and mouth are evident; external ears are beginning; hand and foot plates appear in her limb buds.

6 Weeks: The brainwaves of your little child can be recorded. His or her different muscles begin working together.

7 Weeks: Your baby’s fingers and toes are fairly well defined, and fingerprints—a unique and defining feature of every human being—are permanently engraved on their skin. All of his or her organs are present, complete, and functioning (except the lungs).

9-13 weeks

9-10 Weeks: All areas of your baby’s body are sensitive to touch. He or she sucks their thumbs, swallows, squints, frowns and puckers their brow. If his or her palm is stroked, they will make a tight fist.

11-12 Weeks: Your baby now has fingernails, toenails and working taste buds. The baby can also make all facial expressions, including a smile.

13 Weeks: Although this baby was already a boy or girl at fertilization, his or her sex is now identifiable.

4 months

Your little baby’s heart is pumping six gallons of blood every day. Soon, you will start to feel him or her jumping around and turning somersaults, exercising the muscles and lungs they will need to live outside your womb. Rapid eye movement can be recorded while the baby is sleeping, indicating that he or she is dreaming.

5-6 months

Your child now weighs about one pound and is a foot long. If they were to be born now, he or she would have a 50 percent chance of surviving with the help of dedicated doctors and nurses.

7-8 MONTHS

Your baby can open and close their eyes and recognize your voice! Their weight continues to increase. If he or she would be born now, their chance of surviving increases to 90 percent.

9 MONTHS

When the baby is ready to be born, he or she will release hormones to trigger labor. Your child may weigh between seven and nine pounds and can be between eighteen and twenty-one inches long!