My Baby's Development: Week 31

The rate of physical growth slows down just a bit, but even though she doesn't get much longer, she will gain a lot of weight the rest of the pregnancy. Fat continues accumulating. This layer of fat turns her skin from red to the rosy pink she will have as a newborn. Calcium, phosphorus and iron are being stored and his bones are growing and hardening.

Your baby is 16.2 inches (41.1cm) long and weighs 3.3 pounds.

Her brain enters another period of rapid growth, producing hundreds of billions of new nerve cells! Amazing! She may move to the rhythm of music. Studies with heart rates show that she also prefers some types of music to others -- already! Lungs are the only major organ left to complete development. Remember, that while you may be anxious to meet your little one that these last few weeks can be vital - with each day increasing your baby's ability to breathe on her own.

My Baby's Development: Week 26

Your baby may weigh about two pounds now (average is 1.7 pound, 760gm) and is 14 inches (35.6cm) in length. To support the fetus's growing body, the spine is getting stronger and more supple. Though no longer than the span of the average adult hand, it is now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments. Air sacs in the lungs form now.

Lungs begin to secrete a greasy substance called surfactant. Without surfactant the fetal lungs would stick together and couldn't expand after the baby is born. Although they've been sealed shut for the last few months, your baby's eyes are opening and beginning to blink this week. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first 6 months of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes. Retinas begin to form.

Brain wave activity for hearing and sight begins to be detectable. Fetal brain scans show response to touch. If you shine a light on your abdomen, your baby will turn his head, which according to researchers, means his optic nerve is working.

My Baby's Development: Week 21

White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense sytems. They help fight infections and diseases. Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque. Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son or daughter practicing giving you a raspberry!

If your baby is a girl, her womb and vagina are formed. Unlike males, females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth. Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system! Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets her internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as her signals.

Length is now measured crown to heel. Baby measures about 10.51 inches (26.7cm) and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces (360g).

My Baby's Development: Week 17

By week 17, your baby weighs about 4.97 ounces (140gm) and is 5.12 inches (13cm) long.
He or she has a much more normal "human" appearance now. She holds her head more erect and her body and limbs are longer in proportion to her head. Pads are forming on his tiny fingertips and toes. Soon those individual swirls and whorls will be apparent. Her eyes are looking forward now, but they are still firmly closed.

Meconium (composed of products of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid), is accumulating in the bowel. This black gooey substance will become your baby's first poop!
The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger and continues to rush blood and nutrients to your growing baby. Her skeleton is tranforming from cartilage to bone. The bones remain flexible to make the journey through the birth canal easier.

My Baby's Development: Week 11

Nearly all structures and organs are formed and beginning to function.
Fingers and toes have separated - Take a glimpse at how incredibly precious your child's tiny feet are at this point. Hair and nails begin to grow. The genitals begin to take on the proper gender characteristics - It will be just a few more weeks before your ultrasound can show if you are having a boy or a girl! Have you been dreaming of pink or blue?
Amniotic fluid begins to accumulate as the kidneys begin to function - This fluid, consisting primarily of water, helps provide a cushion for your baby while she's nestled within your womb. The muscles in the intestinal walls begin to practice contractions that digest food. Your baby is about 1.61 inches (4.1 cm) long and weighs 0.25 ounce (7gm).

My Baby's Development: Week 6

The arms and legs continue to develop - These limbs are stretching out more and more. Later on you will be feeling those feet and elbows up close and personal right in your bladder! Brain is growing well - Did you know that over the course of the remaining months that your baby's brain will develop over 100 billion neurons? This is just the beginning!

Lenses of the eyes appear - If you could catch a glimpse inside, you would notice your baby's appearance becoming increasing like a newborn's.
Nostrils are formed - The position of the nose seems to shift into its proper place as well. Soon, the nerves running from the nose to the brain appear. Intestines grow - Initially these are actually located outside the baby's body within the umbilical cord.
Pancreas - Your baby is now equipped to deal with digestive enzymes and take on processing the insulin and glucagons the body needs to function.