Fetal development timeline

  • week 6

    week 6
    The nose, mouth, and ears that you'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beging to flow
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-6-weeks_1095.bc
  • 9 weeks

    9 weeks
    The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-9-weeks_1098.bc
  • wekk 30

    wekk 30
    Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day.
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-30-weeks_1119.bc
  • week 33

    week 33
    This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-33-weeks_1122.bc
  • 12 weeks

    12 weeks
    nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-12-weeks_1101.bc
  • 16 weeks

    16 weeks
    The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-16-weeks_1105.bc
  • 19 weeks

    19 weeks
    Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you. Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-19-weeks_1108.bc
  • week 24

    week 24
    Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop.
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-24-weeks_1113.bc
  • week 26

    week 26
    The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs.
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-26-weeks_1115.bc
  • week 40

    week 40
    It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.
    http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-40-weeks_1129.bc