How To Track Your Baby’s Development Month By Month

The miracle of life starts from the moment of conception when fertilization takes place. Conception happens when a sperm meets an egg, completing the creation of a baby or embryo as it’s known at this stage. The sex of the child and other genetic factors such as eye and hair color, for example, are decided from day one and can usually be seen in an ultrasound. The embryo then attaches itself to the wall in the uterus in which the now fetus will grow until ready to be born approximately 40 weeks later.

Called the gestation period or more commonly, pregnancy, it’s amazing to think that what starts out as the size of a pea grows into a beautiful bundle of joy nine months later. While you are expecting, you’ll naturally want to know what changes and developments are happening to your baby along the way.

Keep reading to find out all about the stages of baby development month by month in the womb throughout your pregnancy.

First Trimester (Week 1 – 12 / Month 1 – 3)

During this stage, the fetus begins to take the form of a baby, slowly developing the internal organs and general bodily structure which is visual if you get a 5 weeks ultrasound. At the beginning of the third month of pregnancy, a baby is still smaller than an inch in size and yet eyelids and ears are beginning to develop and the arms and legs are already formed.

Towards the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, women should start to feel the baby move with doctors being able to hear the heartbeat using special medical equipment. Additionally, this is the time when sex organs begin to grow and become clear.

Second Trimester (Week 13 – 27 / Month 4 – 6.5)

In the second trimester at the end of the fourth month, babies inside the womb can already blink and measure in at just over 4 inches approximately. Another astonishing fact is that at this time, babies already have the fingerprints that will identify them as individuals for the rest of their lives on both their fingers and toes.

With their growth, babies start to weigh in around 10 ounces and they start to show more signs of activity within the womb including yawning, thumb-sucking and stretching. If it hasn’t happened previously, the mother-to-be will start feeling their little one move around inside during this stage

Around the beginning of the fifth month of pregnancy, during an ultrasound, the doctor will ensure that the placenta is healthy and functioning correctly to ensure the baby’s adequate growth.

Towards the end of the second trimester, the baby can now respond to sounds by moving around or with an increased pulse rate. They can also hiccup.

Third Trimester (Week 28 – 40 / Month 6.5 – 9/10)

Into the third trimester, the baby is often active and moves around frequently. At any time in this trimester, a baby could be born prematurely and would most likely survive but it is best to be informed on the subject just in case.

Around the eighth month of pregnancy, the baby starts to lose the wrinkles as seen on ultrasounds as they grow layers of fat under the skin. By this point, many women start to experience leakage of yellowish fluid from their breasts, which simply means the body is preparing itself for breastfeeding.

By the end of the eighth month, the baby’s brain and lungs are nearly entirely developed and he/she demonstrates that they are almost ready to leave the womb by positioning themselves upside down with their head downwards towards the pelvis.

In this last trimester, the baby is considered full term by 39 weeks, just under ten months, and could be born at any moment. Some are born before, around 37 weeks, and others later, up to 41 weeks, and are considered within the full term range but are named either early or late.

Baby Evolution Through The Stages Of Pregnancy

Monitoring the stages of your pregnancy is a great way to keep yourself aware of any issues that may come up. It also allows you to bond with your baby before birth by playing music or by reading to your bump once your unborn baby is able to hear. Being conscious of how far along your baby is in their developmental stages will only help to make you feel more connected to them emotionally and will prepare you to welcome them into the world with open arms.