Fetal Development

• At conception: the new life has a complex genetic blueprint that determines the child's sex, hair, eye color, height, and skin tone
• 20 days after conception: foundations of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system are already established
• 21 days after conception: the heart begins to beat
• 28 days: arms, legs, and ears have begun to show
• 35 days: fingers can be seen on the hand
• 40 days: brain waves are detected
• 7 weeks: the embryo moves spontaneously
• 8 weeks: even though the embryo is only 1" long, everything that is now present will be found in a fully developed adult and organs are functioning, it just needs time to grow.  The embryo is now called a fetus which means "young one" and his or her body responds to touch
• 13 weeks: hair has begun to grow on the head and it is apparent whether it's a boy or a girl
• Month 4: the mother will probably start to "show" now.  The ears are functioning and the baby hears quite a bit, including the mother's voice, heartbeat, and external noises
• Month 5: Half the pregnancy is now over.  The baby may become very active
• Month 6: Oil and sweat glands are functioning.  If the baby were born at this time, he or she could survive with proper care
• Month 7: The baby is now using the four senses of hearing, seeing, taste and touch
• Month 8: The skin begins to thicken and the baby is building up antibodies
• Month 9: Almost time to be born; the infant weighs between 6 to 9 lbs and his or her heart is pumping about 250 gallons of blood per day