Congratulations, you’re pregnant!

Over the next eight to nine months,

your body will undergo many

changes as the baby develops –

starting as soon as three days after

conception. Once the egg is

fertilized, it divides into many cells

and passes through the fallopian

tube into the uterus so the egg can

attach to the uterine wall. At this

stage, the baby’s heart, blood, and

other organs start to generate, as

does the placenta that will nourish

the baby as he or she grows.

Over month two, your baby will grow significantly and start to develop defining features. In this stage, most

babies measure a little over half an inch in size. The legs and arms will be visible, as well as facial structure

like the eyelids, ears, and nose. The tiny toes and fingers will also be present in this phase, much to parents’

delight!

Continuing to grow, in month three the baby will measure about 2 inches, so you may

begin to feel the top of your uterus above the pelvic bone. As the baby grows larger, his

or her sex organs will develop and contribute to overall growth. With the help of special

instruments, your doctor may also be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat!

The baby’s unique identity will form

in month four, with the development

of fingerprints on tiny fingers and

toes! At this stage, the baby will

measure about 4.5 inches and weigh

around 3.5 ounces. You’ll likely be

able to feel the top of your uterus

about 3 inches below your belly

button by the end of month four.

Week 20, or the fifth month of

pregnancy, is a big one for most

moms. At this time, an ultrasound

is usually done for all pregnant

women. This will help your doctor

determine the health of the baby

and placenta. This visit will also

allow an expectant mother to

determine the sex of her baby (if

she so chooses!) as well as get to

know her little one better through

the ultrasound image. At 20

weeks, babies can suck their

thumbs, yawn, stretch, and make

faces!

This is also the time when you’ll

start to feel movement more than

ever.

In this stage, your uterus will be

about level with the height of your

belly button, and the baby will

weigh in at about 10 ounces.

The baby now weighs around 1.4

pounds, and can respond to

surroundings by moving and

increasing his or her pulse. You may

notice jerking motions or hiccups

coming from the womb. At this stage,

the baby may be able to sense being

upside down or other movements,

due to full development of the inner

ear by week 24.

During month seven, the baby

changes position often. If for any

reason premature delivery needs to

occur, this month may be an

acceptable time to ensure the baby’s

survival (be sure to ask your doctor

about preterm warning signs). This

time is also perfect for registering for

birthing classes, which will prepare

you for many aspects of childbirth like

labor, delivery, and taking care of

your newborn.

Month eight completes development and gets

your baby ready to meet the family! By now most

organs, including the brain, are fully developed.

The baby may weigh anywhere from 3-5 pounds,

depending on many factors (like parents’ size,

the number of babies being carried, or gender).

With new layers of fat growing under the skin, by

now the baby will weigh almost 4 pounds

(between now and delivery, your baby will gain

up to half of his birth weight!)

Your baby will move often in this phase – ask

your doctor to do a fetal movement chart.

This is the time to consider breastfeeding. You

may notice a yellowish fluid, called colostrum,

leaking from your breasts in order to get milk

ready.

If born between 37-39 weeks, your baby is

considered “early term.” 39-40 weeks would be

“at term,” and 41-42 weeks is “late term.”

Based on each mother’s unique pregnancy,

delivery can occur anywhere from 38 to 42

weeks on average. Once your baby is born,

cord blood (plus cord tissue and placenta

tissue) can be collected immediately by

Americord’s trusted team to expand your

baby’s (and your family’s) future options for

medical treatment. Taking this rare opportunity

to save your newborn’s stem cells is an

investment in the future health of your child. As

a licensed medical facility, Americord follows

strict protocols to ensure the viability of your

baby’s stem cells at every step of the

collection and storage process.

Americord is a leader in the advancement of umbilical cord blood, cord tissue, and placenta tissue banking. As a private bank, Americord collects, processes, and

stores newborn stem cells exclusively for each family to use in future medical or therapeutic treatments.

For more information, please visit http://americordblood.com/

or call 866-503-6005.

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