Week 23!!!

  This is the beautiful mosaic we saw on our last visit to the hospital for my honey’s check-up.  We have enjoyed reading sections of  “The Complete Mothercare Manual (an illustrated guide to pregnancy, birth and childcare)” which was lent to us by a good friend here in Oman who recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  Here’s a line I enjoyed from the book: ”Weeks of waiting and wondering will finally culminate in the moment of birth. This is a period of change-physical change as the baby develops and grows in the womb and emotional change as the idea of a new life becomes real.”Here are some of the Milestones in a baby’s development:

• By week 6 of pregnancy (4 weeks after fertilization), the heart is beating. 1 week later, the earliest movements of the arms have started.
• By week 8 most of the baby’s important organs are formed.
• In week 9, the soft cartilage of the skeleton starts to change to bone.
• By week 12, the baby’s eyelids are closed over. The eyes, finger and toenails are present and the sex organs are identifiably male or female.
• After week 12, the form of the organs is finally completed and they gradually increase in size and become capable of functioning.
• By week 14, a fine downy hair covers your baby and he has eyebrows and eyelashes.
• By weeks 17 to 20, the fetal movements are sufficiently strong for the mother to feel them.
• Week 24 is the earliest age at which a premature baby can survive with expert care.
• In our baby’s current stage (weeks 19-24), he is able to react to loud noises and may be able to sense the rhythm of music.We are really enjoying this exciting period of our lives and once again, we stand in awe of God and the whole process of life and how He has ordained the development of babies! Life is good because God is good!