Stepwise development of the child in the womb by weeks
A small cell that developswhich will later become your baby, begins around the third week, descending through the fallopian tube into the uterine cavity. The length of the future embryo is less than a millimeter, but it is already beginning its active development, completely changing the life of its mother. The third to seventh week is the time of active development of the embryo, which still bears little resemblance to a real person. A living creature begins to emerge from a set of cells, the nervous and circulatory systems, and the brain develop. The simplest organs gradually grow: the lungs, liver, and the head takes on familiar outlines. The weight of the fetus at this time is only a couple of grams, and its height is up to 12 mm. But it is already a real living creature, which is distinguished by its ability to feel. In the eighth to eleventh week of intrauterine development, the baby already looks like a person, its appearance is actively forming, but the internal organs are still in an embryonic state. His heart is beating, his brain has not yet begun its active development, the bones of the axial skeleton and skull are just beginning to appear. His legs are trying to make movements resembling running, but they are very weak.
- 12-13 weeks - this is the middle of pregnancy,when the threat of miscarriage disappears. They try to determine the sex of the baby, as the reproductive system begins to form. The child begins to perceive the taste of food that the mother eats, light, sounds. The weight grows rapidly - 15-20 g, height - 60-70 mm.
- 14-16 weeks - your future baby beginsmanifest itself, it reacts to substances in the amniotic fluid, to light, sounds. The formation of the heart is almost complete, the first leukocytes appear in the blood. Fluff forms on the surface of the body, which will later completely disappear. At this time, the mother's vaginal discharge increases, but this is completely normal. The baby himself begins to pee more, his bladder empties every forty minutes. Weight - about 110 g, height - 12 cm.
- Week 17 - the baby's heart begins to work, its first beats can be heard through a stethoscope. Hair pigment begins to be produced, the baby begins to hear and perceive sounds.
- Week 18 is the time when the digestive system begins to work, the baby swallows amniotic fluid, although there is no need for this. Height is up to 18 cm, weight is 200 g.
The first manifestation of baby's activity
- 19-21 weeks - this is the time of baby's activity,when he moves his arms, legs, pushes his mother. The development of the respiratory system and the general condition of the baby occurs. He can smile, play with the umbilical cord, and make many other movements. The spleen takes an active part in blood formation, the skin finishes its formation.
- 22-23 weeks - this is a crucial period information of the baby. At this time, the mother should undergo another ultrasound, which will show whether the baby's organs have formed correctly. Now it is possible to determine the sex of the future baby, if he shows it, and is not "embarrassed". This is the time of development of the brain and nerve connections, the first feces begin to form in the child's intestines, the baby receives nutrition through amniotic fluid, the placenta. Height - up to 28 cm, weight - 500-510 g.
- The 24th week is considered the most active in recent years.time, the baby's body begins to develop rapidly, hair, eyelashes, ears are formed, the sense organs begin to work, the child may show discontent. At this time, you need to start talking to the baby, show positive emotions. The child's weight is up to 600 g.
- 25th week: behavior is increasingly active, daily routine often does not coincide with mother's routine. Weight - 700-750 g, height - up to 33 cm.
- 26th week: the baby's skin is wrinkled, but gradually smoothes out, the heart rate is 120-160 beats per minute. Height - 32.5 cm, weight - 800 g.
- 27th week: the endocrine system begins to form, growth hormone is produced. The baby trains the muscles of the lungs. Height - 33-35 cm, weight - 1 kg.
- Week 28:the production of hormones starts, as the baby's brain has already established contact with the adrenal cortex. The child gradually begins to rebuild its body for life outside the uterus. The legs are now crossed, tightly pressed to the chest, the baby's arms reach for the face. At this time, the superciliary arches begin to form, the eyes open more often, the nail plates begin to appear. The skin becomes denser, similar to the skin of a newborn. At this time, the baby has already clearly determined which hand will be the main one, that is, whether he will be right-handed or left-handed. Many people mistakenly believe that little depends on upbringing. The weight is 1-1.3 kg, the height is up to 35 cm.
- Week 29:the kidneys begin their work, the baby can excrete up to 500 ml of urine per day, androgen-like substances are produced in the adrenal glands, and red blood cells are independently produced in the blood. The navel is still located low, but there is less and less space for the baby in the mother's belly. This begins to stimulate it to turn over little by little, taking the correct position for childbirth. Weight is up to 1.3 kg, height - 35 cm.
Preparing for the birth
- Week 30 is the time when the expectant mother can already go on maternity leave, visit the doctor to prepare for childbirth, and begin to take all kinds of tests.
The baby's brain begins to develop and he is capable ofnow remember and analyze information. At this time, the child begins to try to do breathing exercises little by little, training his small lungs for the difficult first breath. His height at this time is 37 cm, weight - about 1400 g.
- At 31 weeks, the baby begins its preparation forbirth. His eyes are often open, although he squints in bright light, the color of his eyes is blue. The pancreas grows, the blood volume increases, as does muscle mass, the liver gains weight. The child is actively growing stronger, his skin becomes bright pink, the network of blood vessels is clearly visible, since the subcutaneous fat has not yet formed. Weight is 1.6 kg, height - 40 cm.
- At 32 weeks, the baby already has excellent discriminationvoices, all sounds. The last wrinkles disappear from his face, a large amount of hair appears on his head. Weight is quickly added, receiving immunoglobulins, the baby is no longer as spacious and cozy in the womb as before. At 32 weeks, the baby can begin to gradually turn head down, although this is not necessary, some children wait a couple more weeks. The baby begins to push hard, behave very actively. This is the most restless time for the mother. To calm the baby, it is recommended to lie quietly on the couch, stroke the stomach. The woman's navel may begin to protrude at this time, but this is normal, there is no need to worry. The baby's weight is now about 2 kg, height - about 42 cm.
- 33 weeks - time for a repeat ultrasound,which will show how ready the baby is for the upcoming birth and whether there are any developmental pathologies. The brain is fully formed, the number of neural connections is growing. The fat layer continues to accumulate, the heart is gradually gaining mass. The baby's face is already formed, the fat layer under the skin is gradually increasing, the baby requires more and more nutrients from the mother, as its body is growing rapidly. Height and weight do not change much compared to the previous indicators.
- Week 34 is a period of active developmentsucking reflex, for which he uses his thumb. It is at this stage that the child begins to prepare for how to properly eat in his first months. All the bones begin to gradually strengthen, for which the child requires a lot of calcium from the mother. The baby is already cramped in the womb, he begins to actively toss and turn, turns head down, preparing to be born. The lungs are completely ready to receive oxygen. The baby's height at this time is up to 45 cm, weight - up to 2.4 kg.
- At 35 weeks, the baby's skin begins to formcover, begins to gradually deposit fatty tissue. The fluff has almost disappeared, the adrenal glands are actively developing, the nail plates have almost grown. The ears have unfolded, they have taken their correct position. The child's intestines have now accumulated the original feces, which will come out after birth. The weight is 2-2.6 kg, height - 43-45 cm.
The last intrauterine weeks
- Week 36 is the period when the baby is alert,is full of strength, actively moving, as there is not enough space for it in the uterus. Its head is oriented downwards, at this time the active improvement of the circulatory, thermoregulation, and nervous systems begins. The heart is fully formed, only a very small opening remains between the atria, but it will close as soon as the baby takes its first breath after birth. The baby's body becomes more rounded, a fat layer begins to form, the endocrine, immune, and nervous systems are polished. In fact, the child is already ready for its birth, only small details remain. The baby's weight is 2.7 kg, height - 44-45 cm.
- At the 37th weekthe formation of the reproductive system, the sucking effect develops, that is, the baby is fully ready for breastfeeding. Now fat is actively accumulating, up to about 30 g per day, the baby's body is covered with original grease, all the cartilages become very dense, reliable, strong. The child begins to gradually train the lungs, preparing for the first sigh.
- Week 38 is the time when it startsthe vernix caseosa is lost, the adrenal glands enlarge, the hair on the head is about 1-2 cm long. In boys, the testicles begin to descend into the scrotum. The baby's weight is approximately 3 kg, height - up to 45 cm.
- Week 39:The baby's organs are already fully developed, they are in their places. The baby is ready for birth, the last changes in its body are taking place. The nails are already fully grown, although very soft. The body length is about 50 cm, weight - up to 3 kg.
- 40 weeks is the time just before the birth,when the baby is already completely ready to meet his mother and the bright world around him. The baby's bones are still very soft at this time, which allows him to calmly pass through the birth canal, norepinephrine and adrenaline begin to be actively released into his blood, which will help cope with oxygen starvation during childbirth. The sugar content in the blood also increases, the heart rate increases. At this time, the baby's body length is from 48 to 54 cm, its weight is from 3200 to 3800 g.
Magic intrauterine process and its completion
Childbirth is a completely separate process,deserving its close attention and understanding what exactly is happening. The expectant mother should prepare for childbirth not only physically, but also mentally, since the appearance of the baby in her life will completely change the usual way of life. With modern achievements of medicine, it is possible to say exactly what is happening to the unborn child in the mother's womb. This process can be called a real miracle, when a small person gradually develops from one cell, already from its first days perfectly understanding and feeling everything. The development of a child in the womb of the mother is a real magical process that takes nine months, during which the baby gradually increases in size, at this time its body is actively formed, a small heart starts to start, the child acquires the ability to feel and hear. It is not for nothing that many experts recommend communicating with your unborn baby, constantly talking to him, singing songs, reading fairy tales.
