There are three stages of pregnancy. These are
the first, second and third trimesters. The first trimester runs from week
one to week fourteen, the second covers weeks 15 – 26, then the third is
weeks 27 – 40.
Week 1+2: This is actually before you get
pregnant. It’s the stage where your body prepares itself by ovulating. And
it’s in these 14 days that the egg is fertilized by the sperm
Week 3: The fertilized egg now moves down the
fallopian tubes, fluid passes into the ball of cells, dividing them into
two. The inner cells will form your baby and the outer cells will form the
placenta. Your body, at this stage, is still unaware that it is pregnant.
The implantation begins as the cell ball reaches the wall of the uterus. In
this process the cells actually bury into the uterus wall, which can
sometimes lead to you having spotting. The implanted cell ball now becomes
an embryo.
Week 4: This is a week of rapid development,
and your body now realises it is pregnant. The amniotic sac and cavity begin
to develop and also the Yoke sac appears (this will later form the baby’s
digestive system). The placenta now starts to form where implantation took
place and blood from you will now go into the placenta. It is usually about
day 27 that we start to feel the morning sickness.
Week 5: The primitive streak (the fore runner
of the brain and spinal cord) is now developing. Through this primitive
streak the cells will develop into three layers:
The endoderm: the bottom layer – develops the
glands, lung linings, tongue, bladder, digestive tract, tonsils, urethra and
associated glands.
The mesoderm: the middle layer – forms the
muscles, bones, heart, lungs, spleen, blood cells, and the reproductive and
excretory systems.
The ectoderm: the top layer – forming the
skin, nails, hair, eye lens, nose, mouth, anus, tooth enamel, pituitary
gland, mammary glands, and all parts of the nervous system.
Other cells will be starting to develop the
spine (called the notochord). The first steps towards forming the embryos
head, and the first formation of the babies blood cells happen this week.
Week 6: The first few days of this week is when
your baby’s heart starts beating. The aorta (the largest artery in the
whole body) will be starting to form at around day 40. By mid week many
organs are starting to form: eyes, arm buds, liver, gall bladder, stomach
and intestines, lungs and pancreas.
Week 7: This is a busy week for your growing
baby. During this week your baby will double in size. The lenses of the eyes
are developing and there is also a recognisable tongue. The legs and arms
are developing into paddles, the jaws are now visible.
Week 8: The cerebellum starts to form this
week. That’s the part of the brain responsible for the movement of
muscles. Also hand and foot plates, elbow and wrist areas are forming.
Towards the end of the eight week the hand plate has formed ridges where the
fingers will be. There is further development of the eye; pigment is now
appearing on the retina. Teeth buds are now forming within the gums, along
with the wind pipe, bronchi, and voice box. The heart is now starting to
develop the four chambers.
Week 9: Your baby is now starting to form
cartilage and bones. During this week the ovaries will develop into the sex
organ determining whether you’re having a boy or a girl. The fingers and
thumbs are now taking shape. Also the baby is now becoming more active.
Week 10: It’s now that your embryo has become
a baby, all be it on a rather small scale. There is a fully formed upper
lip. The development of the heart now slows as it is past the critical
stage. By mid week the earlobes are fully formed. Toes start to develop on
the foot plate. As the bones of the palate (roof of the mouth) start to fuse
together, the tongue starts to develop taste buds.
Week 11: as the morning sickness starts to
subside, you may feel your appetite increase. Your baby’s body starts to
straighten. In males the penis is now distinguishable and in females the
vagina is beginning to develop. This stage is where the baby starts to show
individuality, as the muscle structure varies in each baby.
Week 12: Your baby will start to develop
fingernails over the next three weeks. The brain is now the same structure
as it will be at birth. By the end of the week, the gall bladder and
pancreas will be fully developed. Also the baby will now be opening and
closing its mouth.
Week 13: This week vocal chords will form in
the larynx. Also the intestines will move from the umbilical cord into the
abdomen, and will start to form folds and become lined with villi.
Week 14: You may have noticed some changes to
the areola (the area around your nipple); it may be getting larger and
darker. Your baby’s heart beat will now be able to be heard using a
Doppler. Breathing, sucking and swallowing motions will be being practised.
The breathing practises will take the amniotic fluid in and out of the
lungs. Baby’s hand also becomes more functional.
Week 15: The baby’s neck is now defined, with
the head now resting on the neck rather than the shoulders. The hair pattern
of the baby will be defined by the 102nd day of the pregnancy your baby will
now be able to turn its head, open its mouth, kick, press its lips together
and turn its feet.
Week 16: This week the baby’s toe nails will
start to grow. The muscles will be growing stronger and the neck and head
are growing straighter. As the uterus starts moving upwards you may start
showing more, but this does mean less pressure on your bladder, making you
feel like urinating less.
Week 17: Your baby will be working on more
reflexes this week; blinking, sucking, and swallowing. Development is
carrying on with all the existing structures. Through the course of this
month your baby’s weight will increase 6 times.
Week 18: By mid week your baby’s eyes and
ears will now be in the right places. The finger tips and toes will develop
pads, and toe and finger prints will start to develop later in the week.
Myelinization, a process of coating the nerves with a fatty substance called
myelin which speeds up nerve cell transmission and insulates nerves, will
start happening this week. Also by the second day of this week meconium (faecal
waste) will start developing in the baby’s bowels.
Week 19: A creamy looking substance that covers
the baby’s body, vernix coseosa, will start to form. This protects the
baby and its developing glands and sensory cells. If you’re having a baby
girl primitive egg cells are now developed in the ovaries, in fact females
are born with all the eggs their ovaries will ever have.
Week 20: Most of the major development has now
taken place, and the danger zone of the first three months is now over. Your
baby will be waking and sleeping, just as newborns do. Also the formation of
fine scalp hair and eyebrows will begin.
Week 21: Your body is replacing the amniotic
fluid very three hours at this stage of your pregnancy. Baby’s leg and arm
movements increase as the muscles and bones become stronger. By the end of
the week a stethoscope will be able to detect the baby’s heart beat.
Week 22: If the baby is a boy, the testes will
start to move from the pelvic area into the scrotum. The hair on the head
and eyebrows is now visible as white and short.
Week 23: The bones in the middle ear start
hardening making the conduction of sound possible. The baby will start to
gain some considerable weight between now and next month. The size of the
baby’s body will start to get into proportion though the head will remain
larger than the rest of the body.
Week 24: The skin of your baby is wrinkled, but
will smooth out as fat is deposited. Also by the end of this week the
baby’s heart beat is so strong it is some times possible to hear it by
placing an ear on your stomach.
Week 25: Baby’s skin is now turning a
reddish/pink as capillaries start to develop. The nostrils will now start to
open, as they have been plugged unto now. The lungs will start developing
blood vessels and the finger and toe nails will now be covering half the
nail bed.
Week 26: with the nostrils now open, muscular
breathing will start. By the end of the week the lungs will be secreting
surfactant, a substance which prevents the lung tissue sticking together.
Also with the formation of blood vessels in the lungs, they will now also be
developing air sacks. Brain wave activity starts this week for auditory and
visual activity.
Week 27: Bumping and thumping is becoming
stronger as your baby grows stronger, you should be feeling around 10 kicks
in a two hour period. Baby’s lungs are growing rapidly and there is
continual development with brain patterns.
Week 28: This is when the eyelids un-fuse and
open up. Muscle tone is improving, and the lungs are capable of breathing
air. The chances of a baby being born premature from now on, has a greatly
improved chance of surviving.
Week 29: Eye lashes have now grown, and
although still unable to focus, baby’s eyes are now sensitive to dark and
light. At this stage of pregnancy the senses of sound, smell and taste are
developing. By the end of the week your baby will be able to move its eyes
in their sockets.
Week 30: Baby is now storing up nutrients taken
in by you. Calcium for skeletal development, protein for growth and iron for
blood cells. By the end of the week the languno (the small hairs that
covered the baby’s body), is nearly all gone apart from some patches on
the shoulders and back.
Week 31: As the actual growth starts to slow
down, the internal organs are still maturing, so make sure your still
getting enough folic acid, iron and calcium. Should your baby be born this
week they would have the ability to breath, see, listen learn and remember.
Week 32: The baby’s iris is now reacting to
light. All five senses are now registering with your baby, although smell is
limited as baby can’t breathe air in the uterus.
Week 33: your baby may now be sucking its
fingers. Constipation could be starting for you as your uterus puts more and
more pressure on your bowels.
Week 34: The pigment of the eyes is not quite
fully developed yet, this leaves the eyes looking blue regardless of final
colour. And this week your baby will start to develop its own immune system.
Week 35: In baby boys the decent of the testes
will complete any time now. Your baby may now shift into your pelvis in a
head down position, but not all babies’ do this before birth.
Week 36: Dimples on the elbows and knees will
be forming as well as creases in the neck area due to continual deposits of
fat. Also this fat will help baby maintain its body temperature.
Week 37: Around 85% are born within two weeks
of their actual due date (either before or after), so as you enter this
stage be aware for signs of labour. The baby is practising being more aware
of its surroundings; this is the ‘orientating response’. This is where
the baby will turn towards any source of light. The end of this week marks
the end of development, growth will now slow down.
Week 38: Meconium is accumulating in the
intestines. Meconium is a dark green mass of waste product and cells from
the gall bladder, liver and pancreas. Although shortly after birth this will
all come out.
Week 39: as the baby is settling into your
pelvis, you maybe feeling clumsy and off balance. This is because your
centre of gravity shifts. Make sure you’re prepared for your trip to the
hospital.
Week 40: welcome to the final week, that’s if
you have not given birth already. Your body will be giving the baby
antibodies so it can protect its self from many diseases. The baby will
finish dropping into its resting place before birth. So congratulations and
welcome to your new born child.
The Compleat Mother Magazine
