At the third month of gestation, the baby can smile. They breathe in amniotic fluid and the teeth develop. The fetus weighs about one ounce and the pancreas begins to secrete hormones. This is when many of the organs begin to develop. Movement cannot be detected by the mother but it is happening during this month. The fetus can urinate and the urine makes up a part of the amniotic fluid. The fetus can hear at 15 weeks‟ gestation. During the fourth month of gestation, the fetus is about eight inches tall. The baby‟s movements can be felt by the mother and thumb-sucking can occur. There is complete formation of the fingernails and they are long enough to need to be clipped at the time of birth. The umbilical cord attaches the fetus to the placenta and provides nutrients to the fetus. In the fifth month of gestation, the fetus weighs fifteen ounces. It has full hearing capabilities and is extremely active. The fetus has a head heavier than the body so it goes into a head down position for the birth process. There are eyebrows and there is lanugo hair that covers the entire body. Vernix is a creamy substance that coats the lanugo hair and can be seen on the baby at the time of birth. In the sixth month, the fetus has gained a pound. They have improved coordination and can open their eyes. Fat deposits begin to develop and the fetus can tell the difference between darkness and lightness. By month seven, the fetus develops wrinkled skin from being inside the amniotic fluid. Eyelashes develop and more fat is deposited. The testes descend into the scrotum by the seventh month in male fetuses. The baby can regulate its own body temperature. The baby now weighs about two to four pounds. By the eight month, the irises in the eyes can dilate or contract depending on the light and the fetus weighs about four to six pounds. They have a distinct pattern of sleeping and waking. They are active and can cry. Surfactant is being created that helps mature the fetus‟s lungs at the time of birth. Babies can be born now and have a good chance of survival. In the ninth month of gestation, the infant gains about a pound every week and has fully functioning organ systems. The placenta sends antibodies to the fetus to provide passive immunity to several childhood diseases. The fetus weights about five to seven pounds and is ready to be born. The head is down in most cases, which is the preferred method of delivery. By the time of birth, the baby weighs approximately seven and a half pounds.
INFANT DEVELOPMENT The development of the infant is divided into four separate categories. The first is social development. This involves the interaction of the baby to other humans. They learn to interact with the human voice and the face of loved ones. They can coo and smile. Some infants suffer from social delays because of hearing or visual defects, or defects in intellectual or emotional development. 4|Page
