During the ninth month, the baby is moving into position for birth by getting head down and tucked into the mother’s pelvis. The skin is becoming pink and smooth, and the lungs are now mature. The baby is gaining about ½ pound each week and is developing sleeping patterns. By the end of this month, your baby will be 19-20 inches long, weigh 6 to 9 pounds and be ready for birth!

During the eighth month, the baby’s overall growth is rapid. Tremendous brain growth continues as it forms its different regions. The brain and nerves are directing bodily functions. The kidneys are mature. The skin is less wrinkled.

The baby can hiccup, cry and taste. In boys, the testicles have dropped from his abdomen. The baby is too big to move around much but can kick strong enough to be seen from the outside. At the end of this month, the baby will be about 16-18 inches long and weigh approximately 4 pounds.

During the seventh month, the baby can hear over mom’s heartbeat and can also sense light changes. Taste buds have developed. The organs are maturing, and fat layers are forming. The baby exercises by kicking and stretching. If born now, the baby has a good chance of survival. At the end of the month, the baby will be about 15 inches long and weigh 2 to 2½ pounds.

During the sixth month, the brain is in a period of rapid development. The baby’s skin is wrinkled, red and covered with a vernix covering. Eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed. The bones are becoming solid. The eyelids part and begin to open. Toenails begin to grow. The baby is able to hiccup. Brown fat, which keeps the baby warm at birth, is forming. The baby is almost fully formed, but the lungs are not yet fully developed. By the end of this month, the baby will be 11-14 inches and weigh about 1½ to 2 pounds.

During the fifth month, the baby is growing rapidly and is becoming much more active as the muscles are being strengthened. The baby sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. It is likely that you will feel movement at this time. The internal organs are maturing, and fat is being stored beneath the skin. Body hair is beginning to grow, and the skin is covered with vernix, a protective covering. Fingernails reach the tips of the fingers. Tonsils are developed, and milk teeth begin forming under the baby’s gums. The baby’s gall bladder begins producing the bile required for digestion. By the end of this month, the baby will be 8-12 inches long and weigh between ½ and 1 pound!

During the fourth month gender becomes identifiable by ultrasound. At this time the baby sleeps, wakes, moves and kicks. Reflexes such as sucking and swallowing develop, and the baby may begin sucking his thumb. Eyebrows and eyelashes begin to appear. Bronchial tubes are branching. The baby’s skin is pink, transparent and covered with soft hair. Sweat glands appear. The placenta is fully formed, and the umbilical cord continues to thicken. By the end of this month, the baby will be 6 – 7 inches long and weigh about 5 ounces.

During the third month, Ultrasona welcomes patients to witness the miraculous development of their baby. The heart has four chambers and beats at 120 to 160 beats per minute. Eyes are almost fully developed but still remain shut. The fingers and toes are more defined and now have soft nails. Earlobes are formed. Buds which will become teeth have formed under the gums. Kidneys are developed and begin draining urine to the bladder. Most bones have begun to develop, and the umbilical cord becomes fully formed. By the end of this month, the baby will be about 4 inches long and weigh slightly over an ounce.

During the second month, the embryo goes through rapid development. The heart is functioning. All major organs and body systems begin to develop, including the brain, lungs, liver and stomach. Eyelids form but remain sealed shut. The inner ear begins formation, as do the face and features. The first bone cells appear. Ankles, wrists, fingers, toes and sexual organs are developing. The placenta is functioning and the umbilical cord is present. The baby looks more like a person than a tadpole and will measure slightly more than an inch and weigh less than 1ounce at the end of this month.

In your first month of pregnancy the embryo resembles a tadpole. The arms and legs begin as tiny buds. Nerve development begins and the backbone, spinal cord and lungs begin to form. The heart also begins to develop and will start beating near the end of this month. The placenta is present but not fully developed. The embryo will be approximately ½ inch long and will weigh a fraction of an ounce at the end of the first month.