Understanding Baby Development Stages Pt. 2
In our previous blog post — and the first in this blog series on fetal development — we talked about what you can expect in the first half of your pregnancy, in this post we will finish our journey through the stages of baby development. Here at Sweet Baby Face, we are an ultrasound clinic, and are experts at gender reveals and stunning images of your child. As you read, remember that we’re not your OBGYN, and if you have any specific questions about your pregnancy, ask them! However, if you have questions about when to schedule ultrasounds, how early you can determine your baby’s gender, and more, contact us in Louisville!
Continue reading to learn more about your baby’s development and what you can expect in the second half of your second trimester and your third trimester.
Second Trimester
In month five, or weeks 17 through 20, you may be able to feel your baby moving around. Those first movements can feel like a flutter and it is called ‘quickening.’ During this time your baby begins to grow hair and your baby’s skin is covered with a whitish coating to protect them from the amniotic fluid.
Around week 21 and through week 24, your baby’s finger and toe prints become visible and the eyelids begin to part. The sixth month is a great time to schedule an ultrasound because you may be able to see your baby’s eyes for the first time. By the end of the sixth month, your baby is about twelve inches long and weighs around two pounds.
The last month of your second trimester, month seven, your baby’s hearing is fully developed and they will be able to hear your voice. During this time, the baby will change position frequently as it responds to stimuli like sound and light.
The second trimester is a great time to finalize plans for maternity and paternity leave as well as taking a childbirth education class. It’s also a good time to create a birth plan and start lining things up for the eventual birth and the first few months with your child.
Third Trimester
You’re nearly there! Each stage of pregnancy brings its own ups and downs, and in this stage, you may find yourself oscillating between being tired and worried and excited about meeting your child. You may be tempted to start a countdown to your due date, but know that each and every day in this final stage of development is helping prepare you and your baby for birth. More so, even though we say that pregnancy lasts nine months, you may actually be pregnant for 10, since the full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks. It’s also possible to go past your due date by a week or two.
Your baby is growing a lot during this time, and its brain is rapidly developing. They are also quickly gaining weight, and you’ll notice your belly growing much more quickly than earlier in your pregnancy. In month nine, your baby’s lungs will be close to fully developed and their reflexes so coordinated that they can blink, turn their head, grasp firmly, and respond to sound, light, and touch.
In the final month of your pregnancy, you may notice that your baby moves less because it’s getting pretty cramped in there! Your baby’s position may change to prepare for birth, and ideally, the head is pointing down. You probably feel pretty uncomfortable and ready to have your child enter the world. Don’t worry, they’ll enter the world soon enough, and you’ll get to see their sweet face in person rather than through an ultrasound.
Sweet Baby Face – Louisville Ultrasounds
We hope you enjoyed this blog post — and the other in the series that talked about the first half of pregnancy.
If you’re looking to schedule an ultrasound in Louisville, look no further than Sweet Baby Face. We offer 3D ultrasound, 4D ultrasound, and HD ultrasounds as well as ultrasound baby gifts like heartbeat animals. Want to make an elective ultrasound appointment? Contact our ultrasounds clinic in Louisville today!