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The story of your baby's life begins when a sperm fertilizes
an egg. Within half an hour, the fertilized egg begins dividing at a furious rate while
traveling down the Fallopian tube to the uterus. The bundle of cells then implants itself
into the wall of the uterus, where it will continue to develop and grow.
At three weeks, the bundle of cells can now be called an "embryo," and the tiny
heart begins to beat.
By the end of the fourth week, we can now easily make out the head, which has a
rudimentary brain inside, as well as the buds that will become arms and legs
At the beginning of the second month, we can observe signs of the eyes, nose and ears. The
embryo can move it's head, body and limbs slowly when stimulated. The embryo's
communication with the external world has begun. She can also respond to tactile
stimulation as her coordination improves.
Development between the third and eighth weeks is highly important since the outlines of
all internal and external structures are developed.
As we go into the third month, her heart is beating much stronger. Her face is broad, the
eyes quite separated, and she can now experience smell. Although she is already moving,
her movements are still imperceptible to the mother.
Fetal Development During Second Trimester of
Pregnancy
The head is developing more actively than the rest of the
body; the eyes, mouth, nose, and ears are almost completely formed, creating a
well-defined face. Her eyes are already sensible to light. She has acquired new abilities,
like the capacity to react to music and to loud noises.
By the fifth month, your baby exercises her senses of touch and movement. By now, she
moves her arms and legs strongly enough to be perceived by mom. Her fingers have become
more agile and move freely. As her abilities sharpen, the fetus explores its aquatic
universe, developing coordination and strength.
After the fifth month, something extraordinary occurs, she can actually begin to hear! She
hears the sounds coming from your body, your voice and the voices of other people who are
speaking closely to you. She can also hear environmental sounds. Rhythmic music calms her
and strident sounds excite her.
She can hear and learn. Memory and the ability to react to stimuli are already present.
Fetal Development During Third Trimester of
Pregnancy
By the 7th month, the nervous system has matured
to the point that it now controls respiratory functions and body temperature. The lungs
would be capable of breathing if she was born at this point. Her movements are more
organized, and her muscles stronger. During this month, she begins to show signs of
personality and intentional behavior. Not only does she move to the rhythm of music, but
she also prefers some types of music to others.
By the end of this month, she can see! She reacts to changes in lighting and can follow a
flashing light.
In the eighth month, the nervous system is fully formed and ready to operate
through a complex mass of neurons. The signals they emit turn into messages, ideas,
decisions and memory.
During the 9th month, she will continue growing and developing until birth. Many
internal physiological transformations are occurring, preparing her for her transition to
the world outside the womb.
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