Baby Development

 

Overview of Fetal Development

By Sarah Terzo
Editor’s note. This appeared at clinicquotes.com.
Day 1: Sperm joins with ovum, to form one cell smaller than a grain of salt. The new life has inherited 23 chromosomes from each parent, 46 in all. This one cell contains the complex genetic blueprint for every detail of human development – the child’s sex, hair and eye color, height, skin tone

day 21-25

Days 3 – 4: The fertilized egg travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where the lining has been prepared for implantation
Days 5 – 9: During this time, the fertilized egg implants itself in the rich lining of the uterus and begins to draw nourishment.
Days 10 – 14: The developing embryo signals its presence through placental chemicals and hormones, preventing the mother from menstruating
Day 20: Foundations of the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system are already established
Day 21: The heart begins to beat
Day 28: The back bone and muscles are forming. Arms, legs, eyes and ears have begun to show.
Day 30: At 1 month old, the embryo is 10,000 times larger than the original fertilized egg – and developing rapidly. The heart is pumping increasing quantities of blood through the circulatory system. The placenta forms a unique barrier that keeps the mother’s blood separate while allowing food and oxygen to pass through to the embryo.

day 37-40

Day 35:5 Fingers can be discerned on the hand. The eyes darken as pigment is produced.
Day 40: Brain waves can be detected and recorded

Week 6

Week 6: The liver is now taking over the production of blood cells, and the brain begins to control movement of muscles and organs. The mother is about to miss her 2nd period and has probably confirmed that she is pregnant.
Week 7: The embryo begins to move spontaneously. The jaw forms, including teeth buds in the gums. Soon the eyelids will seal to protect the embryo’s developing light-sensitive eyes, and will reopen at about the 7th month

week 7

Week 8: At a little more than an inch long, the developing life is now called a fetus – Latin for “young one” or “offspring.” Everything is now present that will be found in a fully developed adult. The heart has been beating for more than a month, the stomach produces digestive juices and the kidneys have begun to function. 40 muscle sets begin to operate in conjunction with the nervous system. The fetus’s body responds to touch, although the mother will not be able to feel movement until the 4th or 5th month.
Week 9: Fingerprints are already evident in the skin. The fetus will curl its fingers around an object placed in the palm of its hand.
Week 10: The uterus has now doubled in size. The fetus can squint, swallow and wrinkle its forehead.

week 9-10

Week 10

Week 11: At this time, the fetus is about 2 inches long. Urination occurs. The face has assumed a baby’s profile, and muscle movements are becoming more coordinated

Week 12

Week 12: The fetus now sleeps, awakens and exercises its muscles energetically – turning its head, curling its toes, and opening and closing its mouth. The palm, when stroked, will make a tight fist. The fetus breathes amniotic fluid to help develop its respiratory system.
Week13: Fine hair has begun to grow on the head, and sexual differentiation has become apparent

14 weeks

Month 4: By the end of this month, the fetus is 8 to 10 inches in length and weighs a half pound or more. The mother will probably start to “show” now. The ears are functioning, and there is evidence that the fetus hears quite a bit: the mother’s voice and heartbeat as well as external noises. The umbilical cord has become an engineering marvel, transporting 300 quarts of fluids per day and completing the round-trip of fluids every 30 seconds.

Week 16- 4th month

Month 5: Half the pregnancy has now passed, and the fetus is about 12 inches long. The mother has definitely begun to feel movement by now. If a sound is especially loud or startling, the fetus may jump in reaction to it

Week 20 (5th month)

Month 6: Oil and sweat glands are functioning. The delicate skin of the growing baby is protected from the fetal waters by a special ointment called “vernix.” If the baby were born in this month and given the proper care, he would survive.

Month 7

Month 7: The baby now uses the 4 senses of vision, hearing, taste and touch. He can recognize his mother’s voice.
Month 8: The skin begins to thicken, with a layer of fat stored underneath for insulation and nourishment. Antibodies increasingly build up. The baby absorbs a gallon of amniotic fluid per day; the fluid is completely replaced every 3 hours.

Month 8

Month 9: Toward the end of this month, the baby is ready for birth. The average duration of pregnancy is 280 days from the 1st day of the mother’s last menstrual period, but this varies. Most babies (85% to 95%) are born somewhere between 266 and 294 days. By this time the infant normally weighs 6 to 9 pounds and his heart is pumping 300 gallons of blood per day. He is fully capable of life outside the womb.

Source:  “The First 9 Months” Focus on the Family 1989

Source: NRLC News