My bones are not hidden from you,
When I was being made in secret,
fashioned in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me unformed;
in your book all are written down
my days were shaped, before one came to be.
– Psalm 139:15-16
Though still developing, the preborn baby’s heart has been beating for 2 weeks now. A first ultrasound can be done between 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy and at that time the baby’s heartbeat can be heard and a due date can be set. Also, it will determine if there are twins or multiple babies being carried by the mom. Sometimes this ultrasound is only done if complications or concerns arise and a closer look at the baby is needed. The heart is beating at 150-180 beats per minute.
Seventh week
The baby is about the size of a coffee bean or the tip of a cotton swab. The baby has doubled in size since last week. Body parts are usually out of proportion at this stage as they are rapidly growing and developing. Mouth, nostrils, ears, and eyes are getting more defined. The growing baby has large eyes, ear buds and a wide forehead. Eyelids and tongue are starting to develop. Inside the head cavity, the brain is developing. Internal organs are taking shape, including the stomach, kidneys, and bowels. The baby’s lungs are formed now too. Hands are starting to develop at the ends of the arm buds.
The umbilical cord is taking shape to better support the incredible growth of the baby. The wonder of the umbilical cord is that its incredible service is imprinted forever on a human being. Upon each person their belly button is a reminder of their mom’s dedicated love and her amazing body that carried, nourished, and loved the preborn baby to life.
Eighth week
As the 2nd month of pregnancy wraps up, the baby is currently about the size of a kidney bean or a prenatal vitamin. The baby’s features are getting more recognizable. The eyes have formed underneath a layer of skin. The nose is starting to show. The upper jaw and roof of the mouth are coming together. The inner ear and tongue are developing. The intestines of the digestive system are developing. Reproductive organs have formed but are not visible yet at this stage. Bones start to replace cartilage. Every organ is now present within the baby.
Ninth week
Now about the size of an average cherry and the length of a bottle nipple, the baby is lengthening, and the baby’s embryonic tail is disappearing. Baby’s forms are taking more of a human resemblance as the features are being more defined. Ear lobes are forming. Eyelids have formed and cover the eyes. Bones are developing but are still soft. Ribs and sternum are taking shape. Pancreas, liver, and bile ducts are forming. On an ultrasound, the baby can be seen bending, moving, and wiggling.
Tenth week
Closer now to the size of a green olive and the length of a toy block, the baby can squint, swallow, move tongue and make a tight fist with the hands. All four of the baby’s heart chambers are present now. The limbs can now bend at elbows and knees. Inside the month, twenty tiny teeth are forming in the baby’s gums.
“This tiny human is perfectly developed with long, tapering fingers, feet and toes and whose skin is almost transparent with a highway of delicate arteries and veins visible to the ends of the fingers.” (Body Tour) It is now possible to measure brain waves within the baby. The baby, at this stage, can react to noises that are loud, so the baby begins to be aware of the world outside the safe protected home of the mother’s womb. The baby even starts to hiccup. Baby is moving gracefully as a swimmer inside the mother at this stage; but she cannot feel the baby’s movements just yet due to the still very small size. At this week, the fingerprints of the baby begin to form showing the amazing uniqueness of each person that God creates.
The baby’s body continues to take an incredible journey of growth and change. It is truly a miracle that is taking form in such quiet, incredible ways.
Your heart beats because of our love,
our love beats stronger because of you. (Unborn)
References:
Referenced resources include https://www.webmd.com/baby/ss/slideshow-fetal-development, https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/first-trimester , https://www.verywellfamily.com/, and https://raisingchildren.net.au/pregnancy/week-by-week/first-trimester
Unborn quote retrieved from https://www.paperheartfamily.com/unborn-baby-quotes/
Author: Laura Stephens
