Week 9

This week the babies have their first graduation from the embryonic stage to the fetal stage. They are nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weigh just a fraction of an ounce (about the weight of a paperclip). They certainly are starting to look more and more human. Essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Also this week, the heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. (Aww...) The eyes are fully formed, but eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. The babies now have tiny earlobes, and the mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. Reflex muscle movements continue and now the babies will move away if touched through the uterine wall. (cool huh?) The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that the baby's basic physiology is in place, they are poised for rapid weight gain!