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Parentpedia
First Trimester Growth
If you had a window on your baby during this period, you might get dizzy tracing all her changes.
She starts out as a bundle of cells the size of a grain of sand and blossoms into a walnut-sized human who has veins and organs.
Because the baby develops so rapidly in these weeks, she is at greatest risk. You should always take care of your health, but be particularly aware right now of what you eat and drink and how much you sleep. Try to minimize stress. If you get through this period with a healthy baby, your chances of a miscarriage drop dramatically.
Ushering the baby through these weeks also has a heart-warming payoff: You can hear the heartbeat and watch the baby jump around on the ultrasound screen. You won't be able to feel the movements for months yet.
First Trimester Highlights
First three weeks: The fertilized egg travels down your fallopian tube toward your uterus, dividing all the while into a ball of 16 identical cells. It burrows into your uterine wall.
Weeks 4 through 6: The heart, kidneys, and liver begin forming and the heart starts beating. Blood starts to circulate, making the circulatory system the first functioning organ system. The stretch of greatest risk is from now through Week 10. By the end of this period, the nose, mouth, and ears start to take shape.
Weeks 7 through 9: The umbilical cord, the tube that connects the embryo to the placenta, is now visible. Hands and feet are emerging, growing from little paddles into webbed extremities. The tail disappears. By the end of this period, your baby begins to look human. The heart finishes dividing into chambers.
Weeks 10 through 12: You can hear the heartbeat! Your baby becomes a fetus, meaning the bulk of the critical development is complete. He or she can swallow and move about (though you won't be able to feel any movement for weeks yet). The vital organs are in place and starting to function. The fingers and toes have separated and the fingernails and toenails start to grow.
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