You started your life in the womb. And you won’t believe your eyes when you see these incredible images of human development before birth.
A baby grows and develops an amazing amount in just nine months. Here’s a short summary of how your baby’s development occurs during pregnancy.
At just 4 days after fertilization.
What? That zygote doesn’t look human? Well, scientifically, it is! It’s growing, so it must be alive. It must be human because it has human parents. In actuality, that zygote has had a set sex from conception (it’s a girl!) and her own unique set of human DNA. Over the next nine months, her DNA will direct the growth of her body (and its entire lifetime!). Remember, don’t judge or discriminate against other human beings just because they don’t look like us!
At just 5-6 weeks of gestation…
Despite being only a quarter of an inch long, her nose, mouth, and ears are already taking shape! Blood is starting to circulate through her body, and her heart is pounding about 100 times per minute (nearly twice as quickly as yours). There have been noticeable brain waves for at least two to three weeks.
At just 7 weeks gestation…
At about 10 weeks…
All of her major body functions are up and running: the kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver are all working. Her tiny arms and legs can already start to flex.
At 12 weeks…
Her muscles are beginning to bulk up, so she’s busily stretching and kicking. She will probably squirm if you place your palm on your stomach since her reflexes are beginning to form, even though you won’t feel it yet.
At 16 weeks gestation…
This week, the baby is going through a growth spurt. She has already begun developing toenails, and she will soon start growing hair on her head. Her heart circulates roughly 25 quarts of blood through her body each day.
Sucking her thumb at about 18-20 weeks gestation…
Right about now, she has her own unique set of fingerprints.
At 6 months gestation…
During this month, your baby will continue to grow and develop the existing organs and systems. In addition, a layer of fat will begin to be stored. At this stage, hearing is fully developed. He or she will react to sound, pain, and light and often changes position.
Around 6-7 months gestation…
At around 8 months gestation…
This baby can hear and is beginning to recognize her mother’s voice. She already has the adorable, chubby appearance that babies have, and her skin is pink. The majority of the body’s systems and organs are fully formed, but the lungs still need time to grow. By month 8, your baby is close to 18 inches long and can weigh close to 5 lbs!
