Week 7: Baby's head develops Seven weeks into your pregnancy, or five weeks after conception, your baby's brain and face are growing. Depressions that will give rise to nostrils become visible, and the beginnings of the retinas form.
Your 6-week old baby is tiny, but the folds in its head have started to form a little face. Even though the baby still looks a bit like a tadpole, its jaw, chin, and cheeks are starting to take shape.
Ideally for labor, the baby is positioned head-down, facing your back, with the chin tucked to its chest and the back of the head ready to enter the pelvis. This is called cephalic presentation. Most babies settle into this position with the 32nd and 36th week of pregnancy.
Week 31: Baby's rapid weight gain begins
Thirty-one weeks into your pregnancy, or 29 weeks after conception, your baby has finished most of his or her major development.
Ninth month of pregnancy
The brain has a huge growth spurt this month, which is why waiting for labor to begin on its own is best. Typically, your baby has been in a head-down position or will assume one as birth nears.
When does your belly start feeling hard during pregnancy? This varies, but it's usually during your second or third trimester. As your uterus grows, it eventually pushes against your abdominal wall, making your abdomen feel firm. The muscles and ligaments around your uterus stretch, too, which can cause mild cramping.
Below are some of the highlights that occur during the embryonic stage. Nervous system. This is one of the first things to develop. It includes the formation of your baby's brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Babies born too early may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born later. Being pregnant 39 weeks gives your baby's body all the time it needs to develop. Your baby needs 39 weeks in the womb because: Important organs, like your baby's brain, lungs and liver, need time to develop.
The lungs are the last major organ to finish developing. When fully mature, they produce a chemical that affects the hormones in your body.
Most traits that babies inherit are the result of multiple genes working together to form their appearance. When those genes come together, some of the effects are amplified while others are reduced. Still others are completely turned off. Scientists have some understanding of why babies develop the features they do.
The baby grows quickly and the placenta is rapidly developing – it'll be fully formed at about 12 weeks. The bones of the face are formed now. The eyelids are closed and will not open for a few months yet.
Babies usually start looking you in the eye when they are about six to eight weeks old. Your face is going to be what they look at most, so if your baby doesn't make eye contact by their two month well visit, be sure to mention it to your pediatrician so they can take another look.
The rate of lung development can vary greatly, and the lungs are among the last organs to fully develop – usually around 37 weeks. From fluid to air: While in the womb, lungs are filled with fluid and oxygen is supplied through the umbilical cord.
Not only is sperm safe, but there may be some benefits to having sex and contact with sperm before and during pregnancy: Sperm and vaginal sex can help induce labor when the time comes. Oxytocin, one of the key hormones involved in progressing labor, is released during sex, and orgasms mimic contractions.
Protein is crucial for your baby's growth throughout pregnancy. Good sources: Lean meat, poultry, seafood and eggs are great sources of protein. Other options include beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products.
Only about 5% of babies will arrive on their due date and focusing on this single date can make the end of pregnancy quite stressful. It may be more helpful to be prepared for you baby arrive some time after 37 weeks, and to focus on 42 weeks as the time by which you have a good chance of having given birth.
Based on live births recorded in the National Survey of Family Growth, about 12% of first babies are born preterm, compared to 10% of other babies. And if “late” means after 40 weeks, first babies are more likely to be late: about 15%, compared to 10% of other babies.
Braxton Hicks contractions occur from early in your pregnancy but you may not feel them until the second trimester. If this is your first pregnancy, you might start to feel them from about 16 weeks. In later pregnancies, you may feel Braxton Hicks contractions more often, or earlier. Some women won't feel them at all.
Your baby's gender is determined at the moment of conception – when the sperm contributed a Y chromosome, which creates a boy, or an X chromosome, which creates a girl. Boys' and girls' genitals develop along the same path with no outward sign of gender until about nine weeks.
Boys tend to show the first physical changes of puberty between the ages of 10 and 16. They tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and 15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later than that of girls.
Eat healthy
Omega 3 fatty acids are absolutely essential for baby's brain development. Make certain you include foods that have a good content of omega 3, such as, fish, soybeans and spinach, in your diet. Also, iron found in leafy vegetables, like spinach, helps the flow of oxygen to the baby's brain cells.
Weeks 21 to 24: Faster Baby Growth
As you make your way through the second trimester, you might notice your baby bump expanding quickly, even week by week. During this month in particular, your baby is growing at a faster pace.
Even in your third trimester of pregnancy, bending is still considered safe for your baby. You'll probably find it becomes increasingly difficult for you, though, if not impossible. Apart from your extra body weight, the size of your belly is increasing.
During the first trimester
Hardening is mostly due to excessive stretching of abdominal muscles. This generally happens around weeks 7 and 8. It is normal for the lower abdomen to appear more swollen and harder than when you were not pregnant.
Although babies born at 36 weeks are generally healthy and are at lower risk for health complications than babies who are born earlier than this, they may still experience some health issues.