The baby inhales and exhales, and the chin is no longer resting on the chest. At this point, all nourishment is from the placenta. The liver begins secreting bile. By week 14, your baby is probably sucking his thumb regularly. Thumb sucking has been seen as early as 7 weeks.. Lanugo (fine hair) covers the body to protect the skin from the water. Eyebrows and scalp hair are beginning to grow. Hearing is present as early as 14 weeks. The genitals may be well enough developed to be able to determine gender. The baby has reached 5 inches and weighs 3-4 ounces by the end of this month.

Fat begins to form beneath the skin. You can see the baby’s breathing from the regular movements of the chest. Pads are forming on the fingers and toes. The skeleton is transforming from cartilage to bone. Vermix (cheese-like material) forms on the skin for additional protection toward the end of this month. Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs. Vocal chords form. Baby is swallowing amniotic fluid and the kidneys are making urine. Inside the intestines, the first stool, called meconium, is forming. Rapid eye movements (REM) characteristic of dream states have been demonstrated at 17 weeks.  The number of nerve cells increases rapidly this month. By week 20, the nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. The baby can be startled or calmed, depending on the sounds heard from outside the womb. The baby at this point is about 10-12 ounces and 7 inches.

White blood cells are under production. Skin has changed from transparent to more opaque. The tongue, eyelid and eyebrows is fully formed. At the start of this month, the eyelids slowly open. Fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers. Taste buds begin to be formed. The bones are getting harder. If born at 23 weeks, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, with odds improving with each passing day. Week 24, the baby is considered viable, weighing 1.5 pounds and being 10 inches long.