To determine when your pregnancy began, at FemmPro OB/GYN we measure from the first day of your last menstrual period. This is actually about two weeks before the egg was fertilized and implanted in your uterus, but it helps us determine your due date and where you and your baby are in development.
Curious to know what’s going on inside you as your baby develops? Here’s a timeline of your baby’s progress month by month.
During week one of your pregnancy, you’re not actually pregnant! But, your body is working hard to get you ready for pregnancy. Inside, your uterine wall thickens to host the fertilized egg once it implants.
In week two, ovulation and conception occur! You may have light bleeding at this time, but that’s not your period -- it’s a sign that the fertilized egg has attached to the lining of your uterus and that an embryo is about to develop.
The placenta begins to develop to transfer nutrients from what you eat and drink to your baby and filter out waste. Your baby starts to form the first signs of a face with large, dark circles for eyes and a noticeable mouth and lower jaw. Your baby is now about ¼ inch long.
Your baby starts to develop little skin folds at the side of the head that will eventually become their ears. Arm and leg buds form on the torso, and the beginnings of fingers, toes, and eyes also start to emerge.
Your baby’s brain, spinal cord, and other aspects of the central nervous system are formed now, and the digestive tract and sensory organs begin to form. The soft cartilage that has made up much of the embryo so far begins to turn to bone.
We can usually hear your baby’s heartbeat about halfway through this month -- at six weeks gestation.
Your baby is about 1-inch long now!
Your baby now has fully formed arms, hands, fingers, and toes -- even fingernails and toenails start to develop!
Your baby has ears now and the foundation of teeth. Although the baby’s reproductive organs start to form now, too, they’re hard to make out on ultrasound.
By the end of this month, your fetus is fully formed. The circulatory and urinary systems work, and your baby’s liver produces bile.
At the end of this month, your baby is about 4 inches long.
You’ve entered the second trimester, and often, morning sickness and extreme fatigue for mom fades.
Your baby has well-defined fingers and toes and even starts to develop eyelids, eyebrows, lashes, and hair. With these newfound body parts, your baby can explore by sucking their thumb, stretching, and making faces.
During the fourth month, your baby’s nervous system starts to function, the reproductive organs and external genitalia are visible. This is when we can see the sex of your baby on ultrasound.
Your baby is now about 6 inches long.
You may start to feel a squirm in your belly. The sensations are much like a fluttering. Your baby begins to grow hair on their head, and the whole fetus is covered in lanugo, a soft fine hair that will shed within the first week of life.
By the time month five ends, your baby is 10 inches long or so and weighs as much as a pound.
Your baby now looks reddish and wrinkled with visible veins. They have notable finger and toe prints, and the eyes begin to open.
Your baby may hiccup and kick. At 12 inches long, you are well aware of the person growing inside you.
Your baby has fully developed hearing. They change position all the time and respond to things like pain, light, and sound. The amniotic fluid begins to diminish.
Your baby is now 14 inches long and continues to gain weight and develop body fat.
You’re getting excited -- delivery is getting closer. But, remember, pregnancy can go into the 10th month! Pregnancy lasts 40 weeks.
During this 8th month, your fetus continues to mature and develop body fat. Their brain is growing and developing quickly. Your baby has senses like seeing and hearing but may still have immature lungs.
The baby is about 18 inches long and may weigh as much as 5 pounds at this stage.
During month nine, your baby’s lungs are nearly fully developed. They have reflexes and can blink, close their eyes, grasp, and respond to stimuli.
Now, your baby is 17-19 inches long and can weigh more than 6 pounds.
This is really weeks 37-40. You could go into labor at any point. Your baby may be moving less, as their quarters are tighter now since they’ve gotten bigger. It’s common for you, Mom, to feel uncomfortable as the baby’s head is positioned downward and their body drops down into your pelvis to prepare for delivery.
We at FemmPro OB/GYN are here for you every step of the way during pregnancy and are ready to support you when labor and delivery do occur.
If you believe you might be pregnant or you’re thinking about getting pregnant soon, contact FemmPro OB/GYN today, so we can co-create a tailored birthing plan for you. Call one of the offices today or use the online tool to set up an appointment. We look forward to going on this exciting journey with you.
