The Babies Website

The spark that ignites a new human life emerges from touch ­ the sensual contact between two loving people, mirrored by the fusion of egg and sperm. From a single cell at conception, the new organism evolves complex human features within weeks, rapidly developing the essential systems for physical, emotional, and intelligent life.

THE GROWING BODY

Days 1 -­ 4 An opaque bubble, the fused egg and sperm divides and multiples as it journeys along the fallopian tube to the womb. There, it forms a primitive placenta -­ its home and source of nourishment for nine months.

7 weeks old Floating in warm amniotic fluid, the embryo's needs are fully met via the vessels in the umbilical cord. You may have have only just discovered you are to be parents, yet your baby's heart is already pumping.

Between 12 and 16 weeks the foetus completes basic development and can coordinate movements. If you press your abdomen, it squirms. At 18 weeks, it starts to kick. By six months, its brain waves may move to your voice.

At 28 weeks, fully formed and growing fast, the baby starts to lay down fat. Now, it has every chance of survival in the outside world. At 40 or so weeks, it is ready to leave its cramped home and, with your help, emerges into the world.

THE SENSES

Even before leaving the womb, your baby is already an aware individual ­ one who can touch, taste, see, hear, move, feel, and respond. Only our sense of smell remains dormant until the first intake of breath.

From the second month, fingers reach into the watery surround. As it grows, the baby may show dislike of being poked with a well-placed kick, but the mother can communicate with her baby at any time by gently stroking her abdomen. The father-to-be may also enjoy sharing this gesture.

The womb is never silent, from heart "booms" to blood "shushing" to stomach rumblings. The brain starts to interpret sensory patterns at six months. The baby hears the mother' s voice, responds to noises, and relaxes to calming sounds. No wonder popular drum rhythms are 80 beats/minute ­ the same tempo as the heartbeat.

Our first taste is the neutral flavour of amniotic fluid, but we don't know it - taste buds don't develop until the seventh month. Even at this stage, the baby appears to like sweetness. But although it can't directly taste nutrients supplied via its mother's bloodstream, it is susceptible to toxins passed through the placenta.

Eyes don't open until eight months, but from early on the baby is sensitive to light.

At sixteen weeks, bright light shone on the abdomen may penetrate a baby's consciousness even through closed lids. Taken unawares, the baby may suck its thumb. But by birth, it can see its mother's face from less than a foot (30cm) away.

From reflex to emotion In the first few months, the unborn child appears to feel simple sensations as physical reflexes. These may become real emotions in the last three months as the now-complex brain translates sensory messages into meaningful experiences.

STARTING RIGHT

Your baby is a unique being with its own destiny.
Nonetheless, its health is enhanced by the caring attitude you ­ and the father-to-be ­ show in the fragile period of prenatal life. Experiences in the womb ­ its comforts and discomforts ­ are thought to form deep unconscious patterns that may well influence behaviour throughout our lives.

The bond between between mother and baby.
Nourished by your blood, your baby is bound to you in the closest possible way. The quality of its present and future existence can be significantly influenced by the care you take of yourself during pregnancy.

Relax your body and mind.
Throughout pregnancy, periods of rest and silent introspection help to relieve your body of accumulated tension, free your mind from anxieties, and encourage a beneficial state of calm, both for you and your baby. Further on, we'll show you some simple, effective methods.

Give your baby a healthy start.
Ideally, your diet should be a good balance of fresh, natural foods, minimising salt, sugar, coffee, fat and refined foods. As a gesture of consideration, try to give up smoking, alcohol, drugs and caffeine ­ their negative influences are proven.

Prenatal tests.
Medical opinion remains divided not only on amniocentesis but also on ultrasound scans. It is therefore worth considering and discussing their advantages and disadvantages before agreeing to them.

The role of father-to-be.
An expectant father may feel excluded, and unconnected with the tiny individual you helped to create. But the more you understand the changes taking place in your partner, the more involved you feel. Recognising her quiet periods, giving her space, and protecting her from disruptive influences are all vital aspects of being a good father.