| There are three stages of pregnancy. These are | | | | prints will start to developlater in the week. |
| the first,second and third trimesters. The first | | | | Myelinization, a process of coating thenerves with |
| trimester runs fromweek one to week fourteen, | | | | a fatty substance called myelin which speedsup |
| the second covers weeks 15 - 26,then the third is | | | | nerve cell transmission and insulates nerves, will |
| weeks 27 - 40. | | | | starthappening this week. Also by the second day |
| Week 1+2: This is actually before you get | | | | of this weekmeconium (faecal waste) will start |
| pregnant. It'sthe stage where your body prepares | | | | developing in the baby'sbowels. |
| itself by ovulating. | | | | Week 19: A creamy looking substance that |
| And it's in these 14 days that the egg is fertilized | | | | covers the baby'sbody, vernix coseosa, will start |
| bythe sperm | | | | to form. This protects thebaby and its developing |
| Week 3: The fertilized egg now moves down the | | | | glands and sensory cells. If you'rehaving a baby |
| fallopiantubes, fluid passes into the ball of cells, | | | | girl primitive egg cells are now developed inthe |
| dividing theminto two. The inner cells will form | | | | ovaries, in fact females are born with all the |
| your baby and the outercells will form the | | | | eggstheir ovaries will ever have. |
| placenta. Your body, at this stage, isstill unaware | | | | Week 20: Most of the major development has |
| that it is pregnant. The implantation beginsas the | | | | now taken place,and the danger zone of the first |
| cell ball reaches the wall of the uterus. In | | | | three months is now over. |
| thisprocess the cells actually bury into the uterus | | | | Your baby will be waking and sleeping, just as |
| wall, whichcan sometimes lead to you having | | | | newborns do. |
| spotting. The implantedcell ball now becomes an | | | | Also the formation of fine scalp hair and |
| embryo. | | | | eyebrows willbegin. |
| Week 4: This is a week of rapid development, | | | | Week 21: Your body is replacing the amniotic fluid |
| and your bodynow realises it is pregnant. The | | | | verythree hours at this stage of your pregnancy. |
| amniotic sac and cavitybegin to develop and also | | | | Baby's leg andarm movements increase as the |
| the Yoke sac appears (this willlater form the | | | | muscles and bones becomestronger. By the end |
| baby's digestive system). The placenta nowstarts | | | | of the week a stethoscope will be ableto detect |
| to form where implantation took place and blood | | | | the baby's heart beat. |
| fromyou will now go into the placenta. It is usually | | | | Week 22: If the baby is a boy, the testes will |
| about day | | | | start tomove from the pelvic area into the |
| 27 that we start to feel the morning sickness. | | | | scrotum. The hair on thehead and eyebrows is |
| Week 5: The primitive streak (the fore runner of | | | | now visible as white and short. |
| the brainand spinal cord) is now developing. | | | | Week 23: The bones in the middle ear start |
| Through this primitivestreak the cells will develop | | | | hardening makingthe conduction of sound possible. |
| into three layers: | | | | The baby will start togain some considerable |
| The endoderm: the bottom layer - develops the | | | | weight between now and next month. |
| glands, lunglinings, tongue, bladder, digestive tract, | | | | The size of the baby's body will start to get |
| tonsils,urethra and associated glands. | | | | intoproportion though the head will remain larger |
| The mesoderm: the middle layer - forms the | | | | than the restof the body. |
| muscles, bones,heart, lungs, spleen, blood cells, and | | | | Week 24: The skin of your baby is wrinkled, but |
| the reproductiveand excretory systems. | | | | will smoothout as fat is deposited. Also by the |
| The ectoderm: the top layer - forming the skin, | | | | end of this week thebaby's heart beat is so |
| nails,hair, eye lens, nose, mouth, anus, tooth | | | | strong it is some times possible tohear it by |
| enamel, pituitarygland, mammary glands, and all | | | | placing an ear on your stomach. |
| parts of the nervous system. | | | | Week 25: Baby's skin is now turning a reddish/pink |
| Other cells will be starting to develop the spine | | | | ascapillaries start to develop. The nostrils will now |
| (calledthe notochord). The first steps towards | | | | startto open, as they have been plugged unto |
| forming the embryoshead, and the first formation | | | | now. The lungs willstart developing blood vessels |
| of the babies blood cellshappen this week. | | | | and the finger and toe nailswill now be covering |
| Week 6: The first few days of this week is when | | | | half the nail bed. |
| your baby'sheart starts beating. The aorta (the | | | | Week 26: with the nostrils now open, muscular |
| largest artery in thewhole body) will be starting to | | | | breathingwill start. By the end of the week the |
| form at around day 40. Bymid week many | | | | lungs will besecreting surfactant, a substance |
| organs are starting to form: eyes, arm buds,liver, | | | | which prevents the lungtissue sticking together. |
| gall bladder, stomach and intestines, lungs | | | | Also with the formation of bloodvessels in the |
| andpancreas. | | | | lungs, they will now also be developing airsacks. |
| Week 7: This is a busy week for your growing | | | | Brain wave activity starts this week for |
| baby. Duringthis week your baby will double in size. | | | | auditoryand visual activity. |
| The lenses of theeyes are developing and there is | | | | Week 27: Bumping and thumping is becoming |
| also a recognisabletongue. The legs and arms are | | | | stronger as yourbaby grows stronger, you should |
| developing into paddles, thejaws are now visible. | | | | be feeling around 10 kicksin a two hour period. |
| Week 8: The cerebellum starts to form this | | | | Baby's lungs are growing rapidly andthere is |
| week. That'sthe part of the brain responsible for | | | | continual development with brain patterns. |
| the movement ofmuscles. Also hand and foot | | | | Week 28: This is when the eyelids un-fuse and |
| plates, elbow and wrist areasare forming. | | | | open up. |
| Towards the end of the eight week the handplate | | | | Muscle tone is improving, and the lungs are |
| has formed ridges where the fingers will be. | | | | capable ofbreathing air. The chances of a baby |
| Thereis further development of the eye; pigment | | | | being born prematurefrom now on, has a greatly |
| is now appearingon the retina. Teeth buds are | | | | improved chance of surviving. |
| now forming within the gums,along with the wind | | | | Week 29: Eye lashes have now grown, and |
| pipe, bronchi, and voice box. The heartis now | | | | although stillunable to focus, baby's eyes are now |
| starting to develop the four chambers. | | | | sensitive to dark andlight. At this stage of |
| Week 9: Your baby is now starting to form | | | | pregnancy the senses of sound,smell and taste |
| cartilage andbones. During this week the ovaries | | | | are developing. By the end of the week yourbaby |
| will develop into thesex organ determining | | | | will be able to move its eyes in their sockets. |
| whether you're having a boy or agirl. The fingers | | | | Week 30: Baby is now storing up nutrients taken |
| and thumbs are now taking shape. Also thebaby is | | | | in by you. |
| now becoming more active. | | | | Calcium for skeletal development, protein for |
| Week 10: It's now that your embryo has become | | | | growth andiron for blood cells. By the end of the |
| a baby, allbe it on a rather small scale. There is a | | | | week the languno |
| fully formedupper lip. The development of the | | | | (the small hairs that covered the baby's body), is |
| heart now slows as it ispast the critical stage. By | | | | nearlyall gone apart from some patches on the |
| mid week the earlobes arefully formed. Toes | | | | shoulders and back. |
| start to develop on the foot plate. Asthe bones | | | | Week 31: As the actual growth starts to slow |
| of the palate (roof of the mouth) start to | | | | down, theinternal organs are still maturing, so |
| fusetogether, the tongue starts to develop taste | | | | make sure your stillgetting enough folic acid, iron |
| buds. | | | | and calcium. Should yourbaby be born this week |
| Week 11: as the morning sickness starts to | | | | they would have the ability tobreath, see, listen |
| subside, youmay feel your appetite increase. Your | | | | learn and remember. |
| baby's body startsto straighten. In males the | | | | Week 32: The baby's iris is now reacting to light. |
| penis is now distinguishableand in females the | | | | All fivesenses are now registering with your baby, |
| vagina is beginning to develop. Thisstage is where | | | | although smellis limited as baby can't breathe air in |
| the baby starts to show individuality, asthe muscle | | | | the uterus. |
| structure varies in each baby. | | | | Week 33: your baby may now be sucking its |
| Week 12: Your baby will start to develop | | | | fingers. |
| fingernails overthe next three weeks. The brain is | | | | Constipation could be starting for you as your |
| now the same structureas it will be at birth. By | | | | uterus putsmore and more pressure on your |
| the end of the week, the gallbladder and pancreas | | | | bowels. |
| will be fully developed. Also the babywill now be | | | | Week 34: The pigment of the eyes is not quite |
| opening and closing its mouth. | | | | fullydeveloped yet, this leaves the eyes looking |
| Week 13: This week vocal chords will form in the | | | | blue regardlessof final colour. And this week your |
| larynx. | | | | baby will start todevelop its own immune system. |
| Also the intestines will move from the umbilical | | | | Week 35: In baby boys the decent of the testes |
| cord intothe abdomen, and will start to form folds | | | | willcomplete any time now. Your baby may now |
| and become linedwith villi. | | | | shift into yourpelvis in a head down position, but |
| Week 14: You may have noticed some changes | | | | not all babies' do thisbefore birth. |
| to the areola | | | | Week 36: Dimples on the elbows and knees will |
| (the area around your nipple); it may be getting | | | | be forming aswell as creases in the neck area due |
| largerand darker. Your baby's heart beat will now | | | | to continual depositsof fat. Also this fat will help |
| be able to beheard using a Doppler. Breathing, | | | | baby maintain its bodytemperature. |
| sucking and swallowingmotions will be being | | | | Week 37: Around 85% are born within two |
| practised. The breathing practiseswill take the | | | | weeks of theiractual due date (either before or |
| amniotic fluid in and out of the lungs. | | | | after), so as you enterthis stage be aware for |
| Baby's hand also becomes more functional. | | | | signs of labour. The baby ispractising being more |
| Week 15: The baby's neck is now defined, with | | | | aware of its surroundings; this isthe `orientating |
| the head nowresting on the neck rather than the | | | | response'. This is where the baby willturn towards |
| shoulders. The hairpattern of the baby will be | | | | any source of light. The end of this week |
| defined by the 102nd day of thepregnancy your | | | | marksthe end of development, growth will now |
| baby will now be able to turn its head, openits | | | | slow down. |
| mouth, kick, press its lips together and turn its | | | | Week 38: Meconium is accumulating in the |
| feet. | | | | intestines. |
| Week 16: This week the baby's toe nails will start | | | | Meconium is a dark green mass of waste product |
| to grow. | | | | and cellsfrom the gall bladder, liver and pancreas. |
| The muscles will be growing stronger and the | | | | Although shortlyafter birth this will all come out. |
| neck and headare growing straighter. As the | | | | Week 39: as the baby is settling into your pelvis, |
| uterus starts moving upwardsyou may start | | | | you maybefeeling clumsy and off balance. This is |
| showing more, but this does mean lesspressure | | | | because your centreof gravity shifts. Make sure |
| on your bladder, making you feel like urinatingless. | | | | you're prepared for your tripto the hospital. |
| Week 17: Your baby will be working on more | | | | Week 40: welcome to the final week, that's if |
| reflexes thisweek; blinking, sucking, and swallowing. | | | | you have notgiven birth already. Your body will be |
| Development iscarrying on with all the existing | | | | giving the babyantibodies so it can protect its self |
| structures. Through thecourse of this month your | | | | from many diseases. |
| baby's weight will increase 6times. | | | | The baby will finish dropping into its resting place |
| Week 18: By mid week your baby's eyes and | | | | beforebirth. So congratulations and welcome to |
| ears will now bein the right places. The finger tips | | | | your new born child. |
| and toes will developpads, and toe and finger | | | | |