Your First Nine Months
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Short Description: Briefly lists the major milestones that are documented by scientific research
during the first nine months of life.
Full Text: Your first nine months of life were the most eventful you have ever experienced. Here are the major milestones of that life before birth, the first chapter in your own biography:
Conception: Father's sperm penetrates mother's egg cell. Genetic instructions from parents interact to begin a new and unique individual, no bigger than a grain of sugar.
1st Day: The first cell divides into two, the two into four, and so on.
5-9 Days: New individual burrows into the wall of the womb. Sex can be determined.
14 Days: Mother's menstrual period is suppressed by a hormone produced by child.
15 Days: Heart is forming; eyes develop.
20 Days: Foundations of brain, spinal cord and nervous system are laid.
24 Days: Heart begins to beat.
28 Days: Muscles are developing along the future spine. Arms and legs are budding.
30 Days: Child has grown 10,000 times to 6-7mm (1/4 inch) long. Brain has human proportions. Blood flows in veins (but stays separate from mother's blood).
35 Days: Pituitary gland in brain is forming. Mouth, ears and nose are taking shape.
40 Days: Heart's output is 20% of adult's.
42 Days: Skeleton is formed. Brain coordinates movement of muscles and organs. Reflex responses have begun. Penis is forming in boys. (Mother misses second period.)
43 Days: Brain waves can be recorded.
45 Days: Spontaneous movements have begun. Buds of milk teeth have appeared.
7 Weeks: Lips are sensitive to touch. Ears may resemble family pattern.
8 Weeks: Child is well-proportioned, small-scale baby, 3cm (1 1/8 inch) sitting up and a gram (1/30 oz) in weight. Every organ is present. Heart beats sturdily. Stomach produces digestive juices. Liver makes blood cells. Kidneys begin to function. Taste buds forming.
9 Weeks: Child will bend fingers around an object placed in the palm. Thumb sucking occurs. Fingernails are forming.
10 Weeks: Body is sensitive to touch. Child squints, swallows and frowns.
11 Weeks: Baby urinates, makes complex facial expressions, even smiles.
12 Weeks: Child can kick, curl toes, make a fist, move thumbs, bend wrists, turn head, open mouth and press lips together. Breathing is practiced.
13 Weeks: Face is prettier, facial expressions resembling parents'. Graceful movements. Vocal cords forming (but without air baby cannot cry). Sex organs are apparent.
4 Months: Child can grasp with hands, swim and turn somersaults.
4-5 Months: Mother senses movements.
5 Months: Sleeping habits appear. Child responds to sounds in frequencies too high or low for adults to hear.
6 Months: Fine hair grows on eyebrows and head. Eyelash fringe appears. Weight is about 640g (1 lb, 6 oz) and height 23cm (9 inches). Babies born at this age have survived.
7 Months: Eye teeth are present. Eyelids open and close, eyes look around. Hands grip strongly. Mother's voice is recognized.
8 Months: Weight increases by 1kg (over 2 lbs) and baby's quarters get cramped.
9 Months: Child triggers labor and birth occurs, usually 255-275 days after conception.
Adapted from "Milestones of Early Life" by permission of Heritage House 76, Inc. Documented by scientific research. Slight variations of hours and days may exist.
© 2004 Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
Translated by permission of Good News Publishers
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