This is how your baby develops in 40 weeks

From the first day of fertilisation the development process is already set in motion.

“During week four of pregnancy, the heart, lungs and spinal cord have started to develop,” says Sister Leah Nkosi from the maternity ward at Far East Rand Hospital (FERH).

Later in this week the rest of your baby’s organs and body parts will develop from the two layers of cells that now make up the embryo.

Week six

• Your baby already has tiny hands and feet shaped like paddles, with thick webbing between the developing fingers.

• The heart is now beating almost twice as fast as yours and beginning to divide into right and left chambers.

• Inside your baby’s tiny mouth, the tongue and vocal cords are just beginning to form.

Week nine

• Your baby has earlobes, with eyelids that are now fused shut and won’t open until 27 weeks.

• The tips of the fingers are slightly enlarged where his”touch pads” are developing.

• Your baby can now move his limbs as all the major joints are working, including the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles.

Week 13

• He or she now has their own unique set of fingerprints.

Week 14

• Your baby’s arms have lengthened and by the end of this week, they’ll be in proportion with the rest of the body.

• Thanks to brain impulses, facial muscles are getting a workout as they squint, frown, and grimace.

Week 15

• Although your baby’s eyelids are fused shut, it can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, it’s likely to move away from the beam.

Week 17

• The baby’s sense of hearing is developing.

Week 19

• This is a crucial time for sensory development. Your baby’s brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.

• Hair is sprouting on your baby’s scalp.

Week 21

• Your baby’s eyelids and eyebrows are now fully developed.

Week 28

• Your baby now has eyelashes and will turn her head to a continuous bright light from outside.

Week 32

• Some babies have a full head of hair by this point while others only have peach fuzz.

• The fingernails and toenails have now grown in.

Week 34

• Lungs are well developed now. About 99 percent of babies born at this stage can survive outside the womb, and most have no major long-term problems.

Week 36

• The baby is probably in a head-down position by now, which is optimal for a smooth delivery.

Week 38

• If your baby is born with brown eyes, they’ll likely stay brown.

• If born with dark gray or blue eyes, they may stay that colour or turn brown, green or hazel during the first year.

• He or she has a firm grasp now.

Week 39

• The baby is fully grown now and getting ready to see the real world.

• He or she is still putting on layers of fat to help control body temperature after birth.

Source: www.babycenter.com