This little one has won the lottery of life! A woman is born with 1 to 2 millions eggs at birth¹. If mom is 35 or older, her chances of getting pregnant are only 15-20% in a given month². But, this little one will need a lot more luck to actually be born!

The first trimester is centered around brain and critical organ development. The neural tube, spinal cord, brain, and nerves have already grown in place. Arm and leg buds are present. Facial features have begun to grow. Baby is fighting all odds to grow rapidly. If the uterus finds flaws, baby may be rejected. The older mom is (45+), the greater the odds are against the growing baby. Cells are dividing into hundreds of news cells per minute to develop inner ears, kidneys, liver, lungs, pituitary gland (growth gland), throat organs and primitive cells that will form the gender of the baby.


sources: ¹Parents.com, ² Conceive Please.com

Baby is the size of a raspberry and has discovered the gift of movement! Baby is wiggling his/her arms and legs like crazy, but mom won't feel it until baby gets bigger¹! The color baby's eyes are developing with the retina this week! The gender organs are developing this week, though ultrasound will not be able to detect it for 10 more weeks. There is a lot the ultrasound cannot yet detect- like baby's taste buds, quickly developing brain and essential organs.

Believe it or not, but researchers have found the baby can now sense forms of pain. This becomes more pronounced as nerve receptors continue to develop in the baby's body. By 15 weeks, baby can feel many types of pain because the main nerve receptors in the skin are in developed. In 2016, Utah passed a law that required doctors to give anesthesia to fetuses 20 weeks or later before aborting².

sources: ¹What to Expect, ²Live Science

Baby is the size of a plum and will continue to double in size each week¹! Baby's toes and fingers are now fully developed. baby can now open and close those tiny fingers and curl his/her toes! Hair and finger/toenails are beginning to grow in.

By now, the baby is very aware of its surroundings. It is developing a preference in sleep positions as its legs and arms elongate this week! It is able to discover its thumb as it practices swallowing and yawning, which develop the lungs & digestive tract. Baby's kidneys are beginning to work and produce urine.

Baby's bone and cartilage are forming. Bone marrow is now producing white blood cells to help it fight infection² .

Chance of miscarriage now drops to 4% or less, in most women³.

sources: ¹The Bump , ² What to Expect , ³Datayze

Baby is the size of an avocado and growing in amazing ways! By now, the baby has perfectly developed outer ears. Baby's fingers have perfect nails which start to grow. A sucking reflex is now instinctive which all infants are born with. Baby is learning the sound of its mother and father's voice, which it will recognize when born. It may love falling asleep to soothing music¹.

Baby may seem small, but don't be fooled. It's no china doll- baby's heart pumps 25 quarts of blood a day²! Baby's bones are hardening and it's immune system can support itself! The last bit of internal development will take place over the next 12 weeks, then baby's job is to pack on the pounds to prepare for birth!

sources: ¹The Bump , ² What to Expect

Baby is the size of a banana. Baby's skin is no longer translucent since the epidermis has started to develop. Vernix caseosa, a greasy, white, cheese-like coating now coats baby and protects the skin from being wrinkled at birth¹. Baby's has fully developed one-of-a-kind fingerprints. Baby is big enough for mom to feel movement for the first time!

Baby's lungs are under crucial development. Baby is working hard to develop mouth and throat muscles by thumb-sucking. Swallowing amniotic fluid will help mature baby's lungs². Fat stores are beginning to help the baby grow strong for delivery.

sources: ¹The Bump , ² What to Expect