PREGNANCY CALENDER

WEEK 1 This is normally counted from the first day of your last period. WEEK 2 The womb is getting itself ready to welcome the embryo. WEEK 3 Conception or fertilization takes place. WEEK 4 The embryo is now firmly implanted in the walls of the uterus. WEEK 5 The embryo now develops a head as well as a tail end. WEEK 6 Looks like the baby has a neck, a brain and small bump that looks like the beginning of a head. WEEK 7 The embryo is now a full-fledged fetus, which means ‘young one’. Its brain and spinal cord is almost close to completion. WEEK 8 Most of the internal organs like the heart, brain, liver, lungs, kidneys and guts have developed in their basic forms. WEEK 9 Your baby is actually beginning to look like a baby now. WEEK 10 This week sees the completion of the inner part of the baby’s ear as the external parts are beginning to make their appearance felt. WEEK 11 The baby’s internal organs will have completely developed and most of them will begin to function. WEEK 12 This week your baby will pass urine for the very first time. WEEK 13 This week sees the neck fully formed and well able to support the head movements. The face has also taken complete shape WEEK 14 The growth of the baby speeds up considerably as the internal organs mature and he increases in size. WEEK 15 Let the music play and be careful what you say as your baby could be listening. WEEK 16 This week it looks like the baby’s body is finally trying to catch up with the head, though the head still looks much larger. WEEK 17 You should be able to identify movement this week, if you haven’t already as all his joints are completely ready and he is certainly in action. WEEK 18 This week you can be sure it is not just your hyperactive imagination when your baby kicks or throws a few punches as he begins to test his reflexes. WEEK 19 This week your baby probably measures nine inches or 22.5cm. WEEK 20 Your baby is exactly half the size that you can expect at birth. WEEK 21 The legs will have finally grown in proportion to the body. WEEK 22 Looks like your baby’s movements are not coordinated with your own. WEEK 23 This is an exciting week for the father as he could attempt hearing his baby’s heartbeat by putting his ear to your abdomen. WEEK 24 By this week your baby is fairly well developed in terms of most of his vital organs. WEEK 25 This week he will grow fatter and heavier rather than taller. WEEK 26 This is the week when the ‘bronchi’ develops. WEEK 27 This week your baby opens his eyes for the very first time. WEEK 28 This is the first week of your final trimester and the fetus is finally ‘viable’. WEEK 29 You can now identify his knee from his feet or his bottom from his head WEEK 30 Right now, your baby is probably curled up with his knees bent, arms and legs crossed as his chin gently touches his chest. WEEK 31 Over the next seven days the lungs will develop fast in preparation for delivery which is not too far away. WEEK 32 Finally the baby’s head is in correct proportion to his body and he looks very much like he would at birth. WEEK 33 This week your baby will mostly have settled in the head downward position getting ready to make his or her appearance in the world. WEEK 34 Your baby has learnt to blink and as he can differentiate between light and dark. WEEK 35 Your baby is growing plumper by the week as more fat is being deposited all over his body. WEEK 36 By now most of the baby’s organs have matured and he has a 90% chance of survival were he to be born this week. WEEK 37 Keep your bags packed as he or she could appear anytime between now and week 42. WEEK 38 You might notice your baby has more hiccups this week. This is because he may be trying to use his lungs as he practices breathing. WEEK 39 By this week, your baby’s intestine is filled with ‘meconium’, which is made up of the excretions from the alimentary glands. WEEK 40 Your baby’s skin will be extremely soft and smooth, as most of the lanugo will have disappeared.