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Week 1: Last Menstrual Period
The official start date of a woman's pregnancy is the first day of her last period period. -
Week 2: Fertilization
The egg is fertilized by sperm in the fallopian tube. The egg will begin to divide and multipy so that the baby can begin to form. -
Week 3: Cells Join, Divide- New Life Begins
The fertilized egg will attach to the lining of the uterus. -
Week 4: Implantation
The egg is called a blastocyst at the stage in pregnancy. At this stage the baby is barely the size of a pinhead. It also releases a hormone into the bloodstream called human gonadotrophin hormone (hCG). -
Week 5: The Embryonic Stage Begins
In this stage, the placenta is beginning to form. The embryo will double in size from the week 4 embryo by the edn of week 5. -
Week 6: The Heart Begins to Beat
Spinal cord is closing, brain is splitting into five parts, a tiny little heart forms and will begin to beat, and the arms and legs are begiining to go into place from their cells. Oxygen and nourishment will be given to the baby through its developing umbilical cord. -
Week 7: Arms and legs Begin to Grow
The heart has one chamber and is now beating. The arms and legs are beginning to bud. The lungs, the liver, the pancreas and the thyroid gland are beginning to form. -
Week 8: Starts to Practice Moving
The baby's entire face is beginning to form: the eye hollows, the mouth, nose, and teeth are all developing. The baby also is developing its muscular system so it can practice moving. -
Week 9: Fingers and Toes Form
Many more body parts are forming such as the tongue, the bones, eyelids, etc. The fingers and toes are the most defined. The baby is developing in a little bag of fluid which it is swimming around in. -
Week 10: Embryo is Now a Fetus
The embryo is now called a fetus until birth. The fetus is the size of a small strawberry. The fingerprints are becoming evident in the skin and the nipples and hair follicles are forming as well. -
Week 11: Neurons Multiply
The fetus is now able to stick out its tongue and swallow. If it is a male it will start to produce the hormone testosterone. The fetus' taste buds are now developing and its toes and fingers are now seperated. -
Week 12: Fingernails and Toenails Appear
The fetus is beginning to move a lot more. The face is also beginning to look a lot more like a baby's face. The pancreas is beginning to function. -
Week 13: Baby Flexes and Kicks
The baby now weighs about 1 ounce and is approximately three inches in length. The fetus' ribs are beginning to show and the baby can open and close its mouth, -
Week 14: Hormones Start Up
The baby's eyes are beginning to move toward the center of the face. The fetus' kidneys are now producing urine. If it is a boy, the prostate gland is forming, however, if it is a girl the ovaries begin to move into the pelvis. -
Week 15: Bones and Muscles Grow
The fetus is now over four inches in length. The skin is still very thin, however, the toenail and fingernails are now visible. -
Week 16: Facial Expessions are Possible
Fat is beginning to develop underneath the thin skin. The baby can now move a lot more. He/she is aslo able to hear its mothers voice and other outside noises, as well as dream and sleep. -
Week 17: Fat Accumulates
The umbilical cord attched to the fetus' belly button is becoming thicker and stronger. The eyes (retina) are becoming more sensitive to light in this stage and the first stools are beginning to acquire in the baby. -
Week 18: Baby Begins to Hear
The baby can now hear more sounds and may even be alarmed by louder noises. A protective wax layer is forming around the baby's skin. -
Week 19: Genitals Recognizable
The placenta is beginning to grow more to nourish the fetus. The genitals are now recognizable. Hair is beginning to grow on the baby's head. -
Week 20: The Halfway Point
The movements of the baby can most likely be felt by the mother now. The skin is becoming thicker and hair is also starting to grow on the rest of the fetus' body. The baby also weighs about 11 ounces and is around 7 inches. -
Week 21: Nourishment Evolves
Fat is being added to the baby's body causeing it to steadily gain weight. The small intestine is also beginning to absorb the body's sugars. -
Week 22: Taste Buds Develop
The fetus sleeps and wakes up more regularly and can be waken up from the mother moving. Taste buds are developing on its tongue. The baby weighs about 1 full pound. -
Week 23: Sense of Balance Develops
The baby's eyebrows are showing and the bones in the middle of its ears are becoming hard. The baby moves a lot more to have sort of a daily workout. -
Week 24: Practices Breathing
If the baby is born at this stage it has a chance of survival even if it is very early on. While the lungs are developing more, the baby practices breathing by inhaling the liquid it swims in. -
Week 25: Exploration Continues
The baby is mainly focused on exploring the uterus. Its sexual organs are done developing and its brain cells are starting to mature. -
Week 26: Second Trimester Ends This Week
The fetus' hands are moving a lot more and its eyes are beginning to open. The baby also weighs about 1.7 pounds at this stage. To calm itself down, the baby will suck its thumb. -
Week 27: Eyes Can Open
This is the start of the third trimester and the baby now looks almost exactly how it will when it is born. The eyes can now fully blink. -
Week 28: May Recognize your Voice
The fetus' milk teeth have fully developed under its gums. Talking, reading, and singing to the baby will sooth it and slow its hard rate down. -
Week 29: Movement is More Forceful
Baby is doing a lot more kicking and stretching because of it becoming more cramped. Its brain is forming and developing tons of neurons. -
Week 30: Baby Puts on Pounds
The baby now can control its own body temperature. The skin is becoming less wrinkly. The baby is getting fatter and will continue to put on half a pound a week. -
Week 31: Baby Detects Light
Due to the eyes completely opening up, the fetus can now detect light and darkness. The baby likes to move along to the rhythm of music and prefers some rather than others. -
Week 32: Reproductive Development Continues
The baby should be around 17 inches and weigh 4 pounds at this stage. The fat layer under the skin is aslo getting much thicker. The ligaments in the mothers pelvis are softnening, preparing for birth. -
Week 33: Lanugo is Disappearing
The lanugo, also known as baby fuzz, is beginning to disappear from the baby's body. The fingernails are continuing to grow and the baby has a chance of scratching their face. -
Week 34: Rapid Growth Continues
The chances of survival outside the womb are very high. The baby may already be in the birthing position at this stage. At this stage the baby should weigh around 5.25 pounds. -
Week 35: Reflexes are Coordinated
Lungs are close to full development, the reflexes of the baby are coordinated, and the baby should weigh over 5.5 pounds at this stage. The baby's movement has more force to it. -
Week 36: Baby May Drop Into the Birth Canal
The baby's body is becoming more chubby. Contractions may start to occur. These are known as Braxton hicks contractions. The baby dropping into the birthing position is known as "lightening" or "dropping". -
Week 37: Pregnancy is Considered 'at term'
The baby is growing rapidly and the mothers water could break anytime especially starting this week.The fetus should weigh up to 7 pounds by this week. -
Week 38: Development is Complete
Baby should be reaching the final stage of the birthing position. Its skin should be wrinkle free. When your water breaks, all the amniotic fluid (which is 4-5 cups) is what is coming out. -
Week 39: Very Close Now
The space in the uterus is very cramped for the baby. The umbilical cord will stop working when the baby is born. -
Week 40: Your Due Date Arrives
Birthing contractions will begin anytime during this stage. The baby is getting into proper position in the birthing canal to finally come out.
