Visitors since 22 JUN 2005

Welcome again, my dear daughter!  If you've gotten to this page, I guess that you've already determined that you are pregnant.  Whether you see this turn of events as cause for great rejoicing or great sadness, I leave up to you.  But here on this page, if you'll permit me, I'd like to describe in words and pictures, some of the steps of the miracle that God performs within a woman's body to produce each and every baby born into the world.  As a grandpa, I've seen just the outside changes that occurred to both my wife's and my daughter's bodies.  To tell you the truth, I'm a little jealous of you since my part in the miracle of birth was such a small part.  But with modern technology and with the help of Lennart Nilsson (who took the photographs), we can actually see what the baby looks like at every stage of development.

With the help of Mr. Nilsson, "The First Nine Months" by Focus on the Family, and "making an informed decision about pregnancy" by Frontlines Publishing as resources, let me begin.

Day 1          A sperm cell from your partner (hopefully husband) penetrates your egg and conception begins.  It is smaller than a grain of salt but Almighty God has given it a soul.  It already has 46 chromosomes and contains the blueprint for its development.  The sex, height, weight, hair color, and whether it looks like you or Daddy are already determined.

Weeks 1-2   The fertilized egg implants itself into your uterus, begins to draw nourishment from your body, and signals to your body that, "Hey, Mom!  You're pregnant!"  This stops your body from menstruating.

Weeks 3-4     The brain, spinal cord, nervous system, and heart begin to work.

Week 5       By this time, you've figured that you've missed a period.  Here is a picture of what your baby might look like.  You can see arm, fingers, toes, and eyes.

Weeks 6-8    Now is when you probably went to your friendly neighborhood pregnancy care center and took your pregnancy test.  Brain waves can be detected.  Your "little bundle of joy" is now about an inch and an eighth long with every organ present.  There is activity by his little tummy, heart, liver, and kidneys.  He's even beginning to develop taste buds!

Week 9     Your baby starts to suck his thumb!  Since the body is nearly complete, further changes are mostly due to changes in size.  Here's a picture at nine weeks.  Just look at those eyes!

Week 13  Vigorous activity shows personality.  He kicks, turns feet, curls toes, and makes a fist.  Pain can be felt.

Month 4  Your baby can grasp and turn somersaults (I knew he'd be athletic just like you!).

Month 5  Your baby responds to loud noises.  Just like John the Baptist in the womb of St. Elizabeth at the approach of Blessed Mother.

Month 6  Fine hair starts to grow.  Weight is about 22 ounces and length is around 9 inches.

Month 7  The eyelids open and he looks around (what a view!).  He recognizes your voice.

Month 8  Major growth occurs.  "Snookums" is now over 2 pounds and taking up a lot of space! (Grandma said, "Tell me about it!" when she read this.)

Month 9  Labor and childbirth occur.  Another soul for God!

That's how your baby will grow in a brief, thumbnail sketch.  If you want more information, please see your doctor. 

I hope this was as informative for you as it was fun for me to bring to you.  The older I get, the more I am touched by just how wonderful is this whole process of how God chooses to create saints for heaven.  After looking at how sophisticated and orderly this whole process of birth is, I hope you'll agree.

The next page is on another use of modern technology, the ultrasound.  If you're still not decided about what decision to make about your pregnancy, please go there.  God bless!