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Embryo Development
A Month by Month Look at How Baby Grows
By Katherine Bontrager
And making it to term is quite important, as the fetus' largest growth spurt occurs between 28 and 32 weeks, Dr. Atlas says.
"There are lots of other systems that need 'finishing touches' before the baby is ready for the outside world," Dr. Patton says. "By 34 weeks (closing in on 4 pounds), the baby is starting to manufacture chemicals in the microscopic air sacs in his or her lungs that will aid in breathing atmospheric oxygen once the doctor cuts the umbilical cord."
Another incredibly important finishing touch is going on inside the baby's brain. "We know that we do all of our thinking with about the first 2 millimeters of the surface of our brain," Dr. Patton says. "Therefore, the more brain surface we have (theoretically, anyway) the better thinkers we'll be. So in the third trimester the fetus increases the surface area of its brains to astronomical proportions. In fact, so much surface area is made that it wouldn't all fit into our heads if our brains didn't fold up on themselves. So during the third trimester the brain goes from smooth to one that's full of folds and grooves. Plus, the baby begins to use his or her brains in a purposeful, rather than random, manner. The baby will start practicing things that he or she is going to need to be able to do after birth. The baby doesn't need to breathe while in the uterus, but will actually start to practice breathing exercises – moving the chest, belly and diaphragm – so he or she won't fatigue and can be sure the movement is perfected before the big entrance to the outside world."
"So that's the baby's story in a nutshell," Dr. Patton says. "Here by a matter of chance, survived due to good fortune and been busy the whole time."
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