By: Clarence B.

Parales

Pregnancy is divided into thirds, or trimesters, each lasting about 12 to 13 weeks. Obstetrical care providers calculate your progress in pregnancy in weeks, (instead of months) beginning with the first day of your last menstrual period. Pregnancy lasts, on average, 40 weeks or 280 days

The embryonic period is the first eight weeks of development of the conceptus, beginning with fertilization. During this period, the embryo (which means grows within) undergoes an amazing transformation from a single cell to a recognizably human embryo. In the mid-twentieth century, George Streeter devised a commonly used embryo classification system by dividing the embryonic period into 23 stages. The embryonic period is followed by the fetal period, which encompasses the remainder of the prenatal development.

 1st

Month The baby is an embryo consisting of two layers of cells from which all her organs and body parts will develop.

The first week of the embryonic period begins with the last phase of fertilization and ends with the attachment of the blastocyst to the endometrium. The pre_implantation phase of the embryonic period is chiefly characterized by cell proliferation and early differentiation. Fertilization (Stage 1; Day 1), resulting in formation of zygote Cleavage (Stage 2; Days 2-3), resulting in formation of morula Blastocyst formation (Stage 3; Days 4-5), and differentiation of inner cell mass and trophoblast Blastocyst attachment (Stage 4; Day 6)

During the second week, the conceptus becomes implanted within the endometrium. This second phase of the embryonic period, implantation, is also the "week of twos": the embryo is a bilaminar embryonic disk, the trophoblast consists of two distinct layers (cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast), and there are two extraembryonic vesicles (amniotic cavity, dorsal to the embryo, and yolk sac, ventral).

The final part of the embryonic period begins with the completion of implantation. This phase, embryogenesis, is also referred to as organogenesis, or the critical or sensitive period because this is time when most of the major organ systems are formed, and the embryo is most vulnerable to teratogens. It also used to be common to call this time period the embryonic period, but that meaning is outdated.

The ball of cells - now called an embryo - growing inside your uterus is the size of an apple seed. It's divided into three layers that will later form organs and tissues. Low on the sides of the head are two folds of tissue that will become the ears. The neural tube - from which the brain, backbone, and spinal cord and nerves will sprout - develops in the top layer. The heart and the circulatory system begin to appear in the middle layer. The third layer starts to house the lungs, intestines, and beginnings of the urinary system. In the meantime, the early version of the placenta, the chorionic villi, and the umbilical cord, which delivers nourishment and oxygen to the baby, are already working.

If a woman haven't already tried a home pregnancy test, taking one now will confirm your pregnancy. There are other signs that shows pregnancy as well. Check a due date calculator. Once you get confirmation, you can call your doctor and make an appointment. Good and consistent prenatal care is one of the best ways to ensure that you and your baby will be healthy throughout pregnancy.

Mothers may not look pregnant at this point but your embryo's heart, no bigger than a poppy seed, has already begun to beat and pump blood. The heart is dividing into chambers and will find a more regular rhythm soon. The embryo itself is about a quarter of an inch/ half a centimeter long and looks more like a tadpole than a human. It undergoes a growth spurt this week. Major organs, including the kidneys and liver, begin to grow. The neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord, will close this week. The embryo's upper and lower limb buds begin to sprout - these will form your baby's arms and legs. The intestines are developing and the appendix is in place. Below the opening that will later form your baby's mouth, small folds exist where the neck and the lower jaw eventually develop. As early as this week, facial features are already forming. Nostrils are becoming distinct and the earliest version of the eyes' retinas are forming.

The embryo is the size of a lentil this week. If you could see inside yourself, you'd find the fetus has an oversized head in proportion to its body. The embryo's facial features are forming with dark spots where the eyes are, openings where the nostrils will be, and pits to mark the ears. Protruding buds that will become the arms and legs are even more noticeable now. The embryo's hands and feet look like paddles. Other developments include the growth of the pituitary gland and muscle fibers. You can't hear it yet, but the heart (which has divided into the right and left chambers) is beating at about 150 beats a minute - twice the rate of yours. Halfway through this week, the embryo makes its first movements. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until sometime in the second trimester before you get to enjoy feeling your baby's exercise sessions.

Now about half an inch / 1.25 centimeters long, the size of a grape, the embryo has distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes. It's a jumping bean, moving in fits and starts. The liver is churning out large amounts of red blood cells until the bone marrow forms and takes over this role. The eighth week marks the beginning of a very busy developmental stage. Between now and 20 weeks, your baby will be growing rapidly, and body parts that formed in the first few weeks of life (such as the heart and brain) will become more specialized and complicated. Right now, the teeth and palate are forming, while the ears continue to develop. The fetus' skin is paper thin, and veins are clearly visible. You're in the throes of the first trimester, when many women complain of common pregnancy aches and pains. Keeping food down may be next to impossible, thanks to morning sickness, caused in part by the pregnancy hormones in your body. You may also need to urinate a lot more often than usual - your growing uterus is pressing on your bladder, and hormones are affecting the balance of fluid in your body. All will diminish as your pregnancy continues.

 2nd

Month The baby is now about the size of a kidney bean and is constantly moving. He has distinct, slightly webbed fingers.

The embryo is now called a fetus, which means offspring. The uterus expands to accommodate its new resident, which now measures approximately 0.6 inch / 1.6 centimeters. Many changes take place this week - the embryonic tail is gone, and all organs, muscles, and nerves are beginning to function. The hands now bend at the wrist, and the feet begin to lose their webbed appearance. Eyelids are beginning to cover the eyes. The pregnancy is changing your figure as well. Your breasts may have grown large enough that you'll need bigger bras with better support than your old ones. You may notice your waistline expanding as well, forcing you to pack away your favorite jeans until next year. If you drink plenty of fluoridated water - eight glasses or more a day - you should be getting enough fluoride so calcium and phosphorus will bond well in your baby's developing teeth and bones.

By the tenth week of pregnancy, you may find yourself riding pregnancy's emotional roller coaster, feeling moody one day and joyful the next. Disturbing as this is to some women who pride themselves on being in control, what you're going through is normal and will probably continue throughout your pregnancy. Up-and-down emotions are partly caused by raging hormones. At week's end, your fetus measures approximately 0.9 inches / 2.3 centimeters long. In both shape and size, it resembles a peapod and weighs less than a tenth of an ounce / 2 grams. The eyelids are fused and won't open until week 27. The wrists are more developed, ankles have formed, and the fingers and toes are clearly visible. Arms are growing longer and bend at the elbows. By week's end, the inner workings of the ears are complete. Though you can't yet identify the sex of the fetus by ultrasound, its genitals have begun to form. By now the placenta has developed enough to support most of the critical job of producing hormones. You will soon need to make decisions about prenatal screening, and we have a complete guide to prenatal tests. If you're over 35 or have a family history of genetic illness, you may want to consider a chorionic villus sampling (CVS), an prenatal test usually carried out between ten and 12 weeks that screens for birth defects and abnormalities.

The fetus is only about 1.2 inches / 3 centimeters long from crown to rump and weighs less than a sixth of an ounce / 4 grams. Even so, it's busily swallowing and kicking. Each day more minute details start to appear, such as fingernails and peach-fuzzy hair. The vital organs - the liver, kidneys, intestines, brain, and lungs - are fully formed and functional, while the head is almost half the length of the entire body. The forehead temporarily bulges and sits high on the head, but later will change into a more humanlike feature. If you could take a look at your baby this week, you'd be able to see the clear outline of his spine. Spinal nerves stretch out from the spinal cord. The uterus is now the size of a grapefruit. With the help of a Doppler, a hand-held sound wave stethoscope, you can hear the fetus's rapid heartbeat - one expectant mother likened it to the sound of tiny horses galloping.

You're getting close to the end of the first trimester. Most of the baby's critical development will be behind you after the next couple of weeks, and the odds of miscarriage will soon drop considerably. Measuring from the crown of his head to his rump, your 1.5inch/ 4-centimetre fetus has all his parts, from tooth buds to toenails. The baby is busy kicking and stretching; his movements are so fluid they look like water ballet. Fingers and toes have fully separated. Now the fetus's main task during the next six months will be to grow larger and stronger until it can survive on its own outside the womb.
A dark vertical line of pigmentation, called the linea nigra, may appear on your abdomen. Your uterus has risen above your pelvic bones and your midwife can now feel it during an external examination.

Your baby's face is beginning to look more human, even though she is only about 2 inches/5.5cms long from her crown to her rump and weighs slightly less than half an ounce/ 14 grams. The eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together. The ears are almost in their normal position on the side of the head. The liver is making bile and the kidneys are secreting urine in the bladder.

The fetus squirms if your abdomen is prodded, although you cannot yet feel movement. Fetal nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly and synapses (neurological connections in your brain) are forming. The fetus has acquired more reflexes: touching the palms makes the fingers close, touching the soles of the feet makes the toes curl down and touching the eyelids makes the eye muscles clench.

Your doctor can now feel the top of the uterus, also known as the fundus, low in the abdomen. As you enter the second trimester, you may find yourself donning looser, less restrictive clothing. Soon you won't be able to fit into your regular clothes any more.

 3rd

month

By now your baby is around 7cm to 8cm (3in) long and weighs about the same as half a banana. Her tiny, unique fingerprints are now in place.

The fetus is now nearly 3 inches / 7 to 8 centimeters long from crown to rump and weighs nearly an ounce / 23 grams - about half a banana. Its unique fingerprints are already in place. And when you poke your stomach gently and she feels it, your baby will start rooting - that is, act as if she's searching for a nipple. If you're having a girl, she now has approximately 2 million eggs in her ovaries; she will have only a million by the time she's born. She'll have fewer eggs as she gets older, and by age 17, the number will have dropped to 200,000. As for you, the fog may be lifting, so to speak. For many women, the side effects of early pregnancy - frequent urination, intense fatigue, nausea - diminish sometime in the second trimester. Your uterus, while large enough to announce to onlookers that you're indeed pregnant, isn't so huge that it gets in your way. Even though birth is months away, your breasts may already start making colostrum, the fluid that will feed your baby for the first few days before your milk comes in.

Crown to rump, your baby is around 3 and a half inches / 9 centimeters long and weighs one and a half ounces / 43 grams. The body is now growing faster than the head. This week, its parchmentthin skin covers itself with lanugo (ultra-fine, downy hair that usually disappears before birth). Though eyebrows are beginning to grow and the hair on top of the head is sprouting, this hair may change in both texture and color after birth. About now, the fetus can grasp, squint, frown, and grimace. It may even be able to suck its thumb. Researchers believe these and other movements probably correspond to the development of impulses in the brain. If you haven't yet made an appointment for maternal serum screening (also known as the triple test), you may want to do so now. The test provides more information about your baby, and screens for Down's syndrome and other birth defects. Also, your doctor may recommend an amniocentesis between 15 and 18 weeks for women over 35 and those with a history of birth defects.

You may not know it when it happens, but your tiny tenant frequently gets the hiccups, which babies master before breathing. Babies don't make any sound because their trachea is filled with fluid rather than air. Although you've probably gained between 5 and 10 pounds / 2.2 - 4.5 kilograms, the fetus weighs in at around only 2.5 ounces / 70 grams. It measures nearly 4 inches / 11 centimeters long, crown to rump. Legs are growing longer than the arms now, fingernails are fully formed and all the joints and limbs can move. You may be able to find out the sex of your baby by ultrasound now, since the external genitals may be developed enough that the ultrasound technician can tell you if you're going to have a boy or a girl. If the idea of having a baby seems so remote, nothing makes it feel more real than feeling your baby move for the first time. Most moms-to-be discern movement (called quickening) between 16 and 20 weeks. If you've been pregnant before, you'll feel things earlier rather than later. What you may first think is a rumbling stomach may be your baby doing some back flips. Make note of when you first start feeling the baby and tell your doctor at your next visit. This middle stage of pregnancy is a good time to start exercising.

Your baby is now about the size of an avocado (about 5 inches / 11.6 centimeters long from crown to rump and weighing approximately 4 ounces / 100 grams). In the next three weeks he'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling his weight and adding inches to his length. In or out of the womb, babies are playful creatures. Yours may already have discovered his first toy - the umbilical cord - which he'll enjoy pulling and grabbing. Sometimes he may even clutch it so tight that less oxygen gets through, but don't worry - he doesn't hold onto it long enough to harm himself. The circulatory system and urinary tract are in full working order, and he's inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid through his lungs. Sometimes, when you move suddenly, you may a feel a slight pain in your sides. Ligaments on each side of your uterus and pelvic walls are stretching as your baby grows. It's normal to feel some pain, but if it continues for a few days or escalates, talk to your doctor.

 4TH

MONTH
Your baby is now about 13cm (5.5in) long and weighs 140g (5oz). His skeleton is starting to harden from rubbery cartilage to bone.

Your baby is now nearly 5.5 inches/ 13 centimeters long from crown to rump and weighs approximately 5 ounces/ 140 grams. Her skeleton is mostly rubbery cartilage, which will harden later. A protective substance called myelin slowly begins to wrap around the spinal cord. With the help of a special stethoscope, you can now hear your baby's heartbeat. There's almost nothing more comforting or exciting than hearing your baby's heartbeat galloping along. On days when you're worried about how your pregnancy is progressing, hearing the heartbeat lets you know that your baby's developing and growing. For times when boredom strikes and you feel as if you'll be pregnant forever, it can be a pleasant reminder of what will come at the end of 40 weeks of waiting. Your growing uterus has shifted your center of gravity and you've probably been feeling a bit off-balance. Be careful and wear low-heeled shoes. Finding it hard to settle when you go to bed? Check our tips for sleep in the second trimester. If you haven't had an amniocentesis yet and plan to, this week is a good time. One perk: You'll get a long look at your baby through the ultrasound scan used during this procedure. Sometimes, when you move suddenly, you may a feel a slight pain in your sides. Ligaments on each side of your uterus and pelvic walls are stretching as your baby grows. It's normal to feel some pain, but if it continues for a few days or escalates, talk to your doctor.

Your baby is approximately 6 inches/ 14.2 centimeters long from crown to rump and she weighs about 7 ounces/ 190 grams. Her chest moves up and down to mimic breathing but she's not taking in air, only amniotic fluid. A mid-pregnancy ultrasound scan is often done sometime in the second trimester (usually between 18 and 22 weeks) to assess fetal growth and development, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord and determine whether the gestational age is accurate. During this scan, you might see your baby kick, flex, reach, roll, or even suck her thumb. Bring your partner along, and whether or not he's able to accompany you, make sure you ask for printouts of the baby in various poses. If you're having a girl, the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes are in place. If it's a boy, the genitals are distinct and recognizable.

The top of your uterus now reaches your belly button and will grow about a centimeter per week. The fetus measures around 6 inches/ 15 centimeters long from crown to rump and weighs about 9 ounces/ 240 grams. She has started to swallow amniotic fluid, and her kidneys continue to make urine. Hair on the scalp is sprouting.

Sensory development reaches its peak this week. The nerve cells serving each of the senses - taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch - are now developing in their specialized areas of the brain. Nerve cell production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections. If you're carrying a baby girl, she already has roughly six million eggs in her ovaries. By the time she's born, she'll have about one million.
You may have felt the kicking and somersaulting of your growing baby. At times, you might find that she is so mobile that you can't sleep. The next ten weeks or so will be your baby's busiest and most active time, until the womb gets too crowded.

Your baby measures about 6.5 inches/ 16.5 centimeters from crown to rump and is steadily gaining weight. A whitish coat of a slick, fatty substance called vernix caseosa begins to cover your baby and protects the skin during its long immersion in amniotic fluid. It also eases delivery. The baby's swallowing more this week, good practice for the digestive system. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. You may want to look into a prenatal class if you haven't done so already. Whether you are a first-time parent or want a refresher course, you will benefit from a structured class either way. No matter what the philosophy behind it, a prenatal class can help prepare you for the rigors of labor and birth. You should plan to have completed the classes by 37 weeks, when you'll be considered full-term and labor could start at any time. Be extra vigilant about getting enough iron. Your baby needs it to make red blood cells, among other things. In fact, it's almost impossible for you to get too much from food alone without overeating. Iron-rich foods include lean red meat, poultry, fish, lentils, spinach, and iron-fortified cereals.

 5TH

MONTH
Eyebrows and eyelids are now in place. Your baby would now be more than 27cm (10.5in) long if you stretched out her legs.

The fetus now weighs about three-quarters of a pound/ 360 grams. Up until now she has been measured from crown to rump but from this point on the measurement will be from crown to heel. And from crown to heel she is approximately 10.5 inches/ 27 centimeters long. The eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed and the fingernails cover the fingertips. Your baby can now hear your conversations. If you talk, read, or sing to your baby, expect her to hear you. Some studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero. If you want to try, pick a book now and read it out loud. Make sure you won't mind reading it over and over once the baby is here. It may be your baby's favorite bedtime story for a long time after birth. You're probably feeling quite comfortable these days. This, in fact, may be the most enjoyable time in your pregnancy. You're not too big yet, and the usual aches and pains associated with pregnancy like nausea, frequent urination, and fatigue are for the most part gone. Relax and enjoy while you can. The third trimester is just around the corner and with it comes some mild discomfort from carrying a baby that is nearly full-term.

The baby now weighs almost one pound/ 430 grams, measures nearly 11 inches/ just over 27 centimeters long from crown to heel, and is proportioned like a newborn, albeit a thinner version since her baby fat hasn't yet developed. Although she's getting heavier every day, her skin still appears wrinkled because she needs to gain more weight. The lips are distinct and the eyes are formed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. Even this early, the first signs of teeth appear in the form of tooth buds beneath the gum line. Before you know it, your baby will be born, and soon after, her first teeth will come through.

You've probably gained between 12 and 15 pounds/ 5.4 and 6.8 kilograms. Starting now, you'll begin to put on weight more steadily, averaging about half a pound/ 225 grams per week. You may crave certain foods and you may notice an increased (but not bloody) vaginal discharge. Both are a normal part of being pregnant.

Your baby now weighs a little over one pound/ 500 grams and measures about 11.4 inches/ 29 centimeters from crown to heel. Her hearing is well established and she can make out a distorted version of your voice, the beating of your heart and your stomach rumblings. Loud noises often heard in utero, such as the barking of a dog next door or the roar of a vacuum cleaner, probably won't bother your child when she hears them outside the womb. Some studies seem to indicate that the unborn prefer classical music.

In addition to advances in your baby's hearing, her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing. She's swallowing but she normally won't pass her first stool (called meconium) until after birth.
If your baby were to be born now, she would have a small chance of survival (about 16 per cent) with the right care. Every day in the womb makes a difference at this stage. If she was born at 24 weeks her chance of survival would rise to 44 per cent. As for you, you may feel clumsy now that your centre of gravity has shifted. Your gums may bleed when you brush your teeth and your belly button, once an 'innie', may now stick out. Don't worry. It'll revert to its pre-baby state soon after you give birth.

Your fetus weighs more than 1.3 pounds/ 600 grams. Though she still has little body fat and her skin is thin and fragile, she's now wellproportioned. Her brain is growing rapidly, and she is starting to fill the space in your uterus. From crown to heel she could measure 11.8 inches/ 30 centimeters. If you went into labor at this time, however, many obstetricians and doctors would make every effort to halt the progress of premature labor to enable your baby to continue maturing.

You may be noticing faint, red or brown streaks known as striae or stretch marks on your abdomen, hips and breasts. While creams won't erase them, wearing a supportive bra may help prevent or minimize them on your breasts. They are very common at this stage of the pregnancy - about 90 per cent of women get them. After you've given birth, the reddish or brown pigmentation in the stretch marks gradually fades, and the streaks become lighter than the surrounding skin.
Also, your eyes may be light-sensitive and may feel gritty and dry. This is a perfectly normal pregnancy symptom known as dry-eye. To ease your discomfort, use an artificial tears solution to add moisture.

 6th

month

Your baby weighs about a 660g (1.5lb). His wrinkled skin is starting to smooth out as he puts on baby fat.

The baby now weighs nearly 1.5 pounds/ 660 grams and is approximately 13.5 inches/ 35 centimeters long from crown to heel. He makes breathing movements but has no air in his lungs yet. At 26 weeks, 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.

At every prenatal visit, your doctor will take your blood pressure and do tests on a sample of your urine. In this way, pregnancyrelated conditions such as pre-eclampsia and diabetes can be detected and treated.
Your fingers, wrists and hands may be feeling achy and numb. The carpal tunnel in the wrist is swollen, as are many other tissues in your body. Nerves that run through the tunnel end up pinched, creating pressure that manifests itself as shooting or burning pain. Wearing a brace may help; so will taking vitamin B6. Talk to your doctor about other ways to cope.

Measuring your baby from top to toe with his legs extended, he is about 14 inches/ 35.6 centimeters. He weighs a little more than 1.6 pounds/ 760 grams. Your baby's eyes begin to open around now. Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. He also continues to take small breaths and although he's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when he's born. Since your baby is now growing so fast, and brain development is so intense at this stage, your nutrition is very important. Continue to eat a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of grains and vegetables. Fiber-rich foods, including whole-grain breads and cereals, lentils and brown rice are high in vitamin B and help fend off constipation. Your prenatal classes should start sometime in the next few weeks, if it hasn't already. Classes should provide you with good, clear information about the birth and the early days of parenthood. Keeping informed goes a long way toward calming any concerns you may have about giving birth.

Your baby now weighs nearly 2 pounds/ 875 grams and measures 14.5 inches/ 36.6 centimeters from head to toe. Her eyes open and close, she sleeps and wakes at regular intervals and she may suck a finger or thumb.

Some experts believe that babies begin to dream by the 28th week. What do they dream about? No one knows for certain but the brain is active this week as well. The characteristic grooves on the brain's surface start to appear and more brain tissue develops.
Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of the hiccups, which are common this week and throughout the pregnancy. Your baby has them but is breathing in amniotic fluid rather than air. A paper bag can't cure her hiccups, obviously, but an episode usually lasts only momentarily. The sensation for you may be strange but not unpleasant. Since your uterus is now up near your rib cage, you may now find yourself short of breath if you haven't already. Starting now and continuing through the last three months of pregnancy, you may be plagued by leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins and an itchy abdomen. Are pregnancy discomforts getting you down? Try some natural remedies to perk you up. If you were found to be Rh-negative earlier in pregnancy, you'll probably be tested for Rh antibodies this week or next and have an anti-D injection to combat the incompatibility. You may be offered a repeat injection at 36 weeks.

You're in the home stretch. The third trimester typically starts at week 29 and lasts until week 40 and sometimes even beyond. (Don't worry - 42 weeks is the maximum! After that, a woman usually is induced to give birth.) Most women gain an average of 11 pounds/ 5 kilograms during this trimester. By this week, your baby weighs nearly 2.3 pounds/ a little over 1 kilograms and may measure 14.8 inches/ 38 centimeters from top to toe. At about this time, your baby can open his eyes and turn his head in utero if he notices a continuous, bright light shining from the outside. His fat layers are forming and his fingernails appear.

You're probably vacillating between feeling as if you've been pregnant forever and being nervous about labor and birth. Checking off things on your to-do list can help. Start selecting possible baby names and begin thinking about life after the birth as well.

Your baby now weighs around 2.5 pounds/ 1.1 kilograms and measures about 15 inches/ 38 centimeters from head to toe. In boys, testicles descend from near the kidneys through the groin en route to the scrotum. In girls, the clitoris is relatively prominent because it's not yet covered by the still-small labia. These will grow to cover it in the last few weeks before birth. Your baby's head is getting bigger, and brain growth is very rapid at this time. Nearly all babies react to sound by 30 weeks.
Your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during the third trimester. You'll need plenty of protein, vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and calcium (about 200 milligrams is deposited in your baby's skeleton every day), so eat foods rich in these nutrients. The skeleton hardens even more and the brain, muscles, and lungs continue to mature. So take a look at our eating well guide to make sure you are getting the right minerals and vitamins.

 7th

month

By now, your baby is more than 40cm (15in) long. She can open and close her eyes and probably see what's around her.

Your baby's lungs and digestive tract are almost fully developed. While your baby may soon slow up growing in length, (he measures about 15.7 inches/ 40 centimeters from crown to toe by now), he will continue to gain weight until he's born. This week your baby continues to open and shut his eyes. He can probably see what's going on in utero, distinguish light from dark and even track a light source. If you shine a light on your stomach, your baby may move his head to follow the light or even reach out to touch the moving glow. Some researchers think baring your stomach to light stimulates visual development. But don't expect 20/20 vision when your baby is born - newborns can see a distance of only about 8 to 12 inches/ 20 to 30 centimeters. (Children with normal vision don't reach 20/20 vision until about age 7 to 9.) To complete the picture, your baby now has eyebrows and eyelashes.

A pint and a half/ around a liter of amniotic fluid now surrounds your baby but that volume decreases as he gets bigger and has less room in your uterus. As you and the baby continue to grow, don't be alarmed if you feel breathless, as if you can't get enough air; it's just your uterus pressing against your diaphragm. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. At about 34 weeks (or just before birth, if this is your second or third pregnancy), your baby's head will move down into your pelvis as the baby gets into the right position for birth. That will make breathing and eating a lot easier.

Your baby's arms, legs and body continue to fill out - and they are finally proportional in size to her head. She weighs about 3.3 pounds/ 1.5 kilograms and looks more like a newborn. She measures about 16 inches/ 41 centimeters from crown to toe. You may notice your baby isn't moving around as much. Don't worry; she's just running out of space in your uterus. As long as you can feel her squirming, you'll know she's just fine. Believe it or not, she still has plenty of growing to do. You can expect her to gain at least two more pounds/ 900 grams before birth.
Your baby's organs are continuing to mature and she is passing water from her bladder: good practice for the urinating she'll do after she's born. Soon you can wonder what your baby is wishing for - brain scans have shown that fetuses have periods of dream sleep around month eight. You've probably gained three to four pounds/ 1.3 to 1.8 kilograms this month. Gaining a pound/ 450 grams a week is quite normal during the last trimester as your baby has a final growth spurt before birth.

Your baby now weighs approximately 3.75 pounds/ 1.7 kilograms and is about 17 inches/ 42 centimeters long from head to toe. Although his lungs won't be fully developed until just before birth, your little one is inhaling amniotic fluid to exercise his lungs and practice breathing. Some babies have a head of hair already, others have only a few wisps. Thick hair at birth doesn't necessarily mean thick hair later on but children with fine hair in childhood usually have thinner hair in adulthood. If your baby is a boy, his testicles should be descending from his abdomen into his scrotum. Sometimes however, one or both testicles won't move into position until after birth. In two-thirds of all baby boys who have undescended testicles at birth, the condition corrects itself by the boy's first birthday. You're probably gaining a pound/ 450 grams a week, largely because your baby is likely to gain more than half his birth weight during the seven weeks before birth. Make sure you are eating well in these last few weeks.

Your baby now weighs about 4.2 pounds/ 2 kilograms and measures approximately 17 inches/ 44 centimeters from head to toe. Your baby should already be getting ready for birth by turning upside-down - his head should be pointing down.

Your doctor will be paying careful attention to your baby's position in the coming weeks - some babies do decide to turn back round again.
Your baby's skull is still quite pliable and not completely joined, so he can ease out of the relatively narrow birth canal. But the bones in the rest of his body are hardening. Your baby's skin is also gradually becoming less red and wrinkled. If you're a first-time mother, your child's head may move into the pelvis this week and press firmly against your cervix. (This happens for about half of all first-time mothers.) If you're a second-time mom, you can expect this to happen a week before labor - and for some this won't happen until the start of labor. You may notice that your feet and ankles are quite swollen by the end of the day. Water retention, also known as edema, is often worse in warm weather and late in the day. Surprisingly, keeping hydrated helps reduce water retention. Your body - particularly your kidneys - and your baby need plenty of fluids, so drink up. If you suddenly feel swollen or puffy in your hands or face, however, call your doctor - it may be a sign of preeclampsia.

 8th

month

Your baby now weighs about 2.2kg (4.7lb). His layers of fat are filling him out, making him rounder, and his lungs are well developed.

Your baby now weighs more than 4.7 pounds/ 2.2 kilograms and is 18 inches/ over 45 centimeters from top to toe. She's filling out and getting rounder - she'll need her fat layers later to regulate her body temperature. If you don't already talk to your baby, this is a good time to start - at 35 weeks her hearing is fully developed. Don't feel ridiculous if you're already chatting in baby talk. Some evidence shows that newborns pay closer attention to high-pitched tones. If you've been nervous about going into premature labor, you'll be happy to know that 99 per cent of babies born at week 35 can survive outside the womb - and most have no major problems. Although your baby's central nervous system is still maturing, her lungs are nearly fully developed by now. Many women start to notice a tingling sensation or numbness in the pelvic region or pain as they walk. This may be caused by the pelvic joints loosening, ready for labor. If you're terribly uncomfortable, mention it to your doctor.

Your baby now weighs about 5.25 pounds/ 2.4 kilograms and measures approximately 18 inches/ 45 centimeters from head to toe. His elbow, foot or head may protrude from your stomach when he stretches and squirms about. Soon, as the wall of your uterus and your abdomen stretch thinner and let in more light, your baby will begin to develop daily activity cycles. This week, your little one is now sporting fingernails and has a fully developed pair of kidneys. His liver can also process some waste products. There's much less amniotic fluid and much more baby in your uterus, which has expanded to a thousand times its original size. You've probably put on between 25 and 30 pounds/ 11 and 13.6 kilograms and your weight gain has hit its peak. Even your belly button has got bigger and has popped outward. You may be feeling breathless now that the top of your uterus is up under your ribs. Try getting down on all fours to take deeper breaths. Although the pressure on your bladder will make the bathroom your second home, don't drink any less water - your baby needs the fluids. But you may like to cut down on diuretic drinks like tea and coffee, which will make you have to urinate even more often.

Your baby is still gaining weight - about an ounce/ 28 grams a day. She weighs nearly 6 pounds/ 2.7 kilograms and is 19 inches/ 45 centimeters long from head to toe. You may begin to feel an increased pressure in your lower abdomen and notice that your baby is gradually dropping. This is called lightening or engagement, and your lungs and stomach will finally get a chance to stretch out a little - breathing and eating should become easier. However, walking may become increasingly uncomfortable - some women say it feels as if the baby is going to fall out. Also, you may still feel as if you need to go to the toilet all the time. Stock up on those last minute nutrients with our eating well guide. The good news is that by the end of this week, your pregnancy will be fullterm and you could give birth any day now. (Babies between 37 and 42 weeks are considered full-term - a baby born before 37 weeks is premature and after 42 is post-term.) At your weekly visit, your doctor may check to see if you've started dilating (when the cervix opens) and effacing (when the cervix thins). The doctor will also check what position the baby is in, in order to estimate how far the baby has dropped into the pelvis. This information will be entered into your maternity notes so that your doctor in will know the position of the baby when you go into labor.

Your baby weighs close to 6.5 pounds/ 2.8 kilograms and may be about 20 inches/ 50 centimeters long from head to toe. Your baby's head is now cradled in your pelvic cavity - surrounded and protected by your pelvic bones. This position clears some much-needed space for her growing legs and buttocks. Many babies now have a full head of hair, with locks maybe around one inch/ 2.5 centimeters long. But don't be surprised if her hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes taken aback when their children are born with bright red or blond hair, and fair-haired couples likewise can produce babies with dark hair. And then, of course, some babies don't have any hair at all. Speaking of hair, most of the downy coat of lanugo that covered your baby from 26 weeks has disappeared, and so has most of the vernix caseosa, the whitish substance that also covers her. Your baby will swallow her lanugo and exterior coating, along with other secretions, and store them in her bowels. These will become your infant's first bowel movement, a blackish waste called meconium. Around now many women start worrying about whether they will know if they are in labor.

Can you tell if you're carrying a boy or a girl? One hint may come from the size of your baby - boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls. Babies at week 39 weigh about 6.8 to 7 pounds/ 3 to 3.2 kilograms and continue to build the fat stores that will help regulate body temperature after birth. Your little one's organ systems are fully developed and in place, but the lungs will be last to reach maturity. (Even after your baby is born, it may take a few hours before she establishes a normal breathing pattern.) Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? Most Caucasian babies are born with dark blue eyes and their true eye color - be it brown, green or blue - may not reveal itself for weeks or months. The color of your baby's eyes in the first minutes after birth won't last - exposure to light changes a baby's initial eye color. Most African and Asian babies usually have dark grey or brown eyes at birth - their dark eyes becoming a true brown or black after the first six months or year. Multiracial children often turn out to have the most beautiful colored eyes.

 9th

month

Your baby is almost due. At birth, the average baby is more than 51cm (20.5in) long from head to toe and weighs approximately 3.4kg (7.5lb), but babies vary widely in size at this stage.

The average baby is about 20.5 inches / 51 centimeters long from head to toe and weighs approximately 7.5 pounds / 3.4 kilograms at birth, but anywhere between 5 pounds 11.5 ounces and 8 pounds 5.75 ounces / 2.5 and 3.8 kilograms is a healthy range for newborns.

Your amniotic fluid, once clear, is now pale and milky from your baby's shedding vernix caseosa. The outer layers of skin are also sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
In TV programs, labor always begins with the waters breaking - in the middle of a crowded room, of course - just before contractions start. If you've been worrying that this scenario will happen to you, you can stop. Membranes rupture in less than 15 per cent of pregnancies and when it does happen, the baby's head tends to act like a cork at the opening of the uterus. (If you lie down, however, you may notice fluid leaking.) You should stay calm - it may be hours before you feel your first contraction - and call your doctor right away. Your body will produce more amniotic fluid until the baby is born, so your curers may suggest you wait at home until contractions are under way or may suggest an induction. And if the week passes and there's still no baby? Don't panic - only 5 per cent of babies are born on their scheduled due date. Most doctors wait another two weeks before considering a pregnancy overdue.