Your baby’s developed oil and sweat glands are now functioning. Her fingernails, toenails, eyebrows and eyelashes are now fully present and will continue to grow until birth. The fetus can respond to sound and can hear you and those around you. Although we assume that the uterus is a quiet place, the baby has been surrounded by noise for a long time. Things like your heartbeat, digestion, other body functions and external noises are heard by the baby. In fact, you may feel the baby jump at a sudden noise. Your baby is now about 14 inches and weighs a little under two pounds.
The uterus also allows some light to be seen so your baby is aware of light and dark. Your baby’s skin is wrinkled and translucent and may have a reddish color due to the presence of dermal blood vessels. Veins are visible through your baby's skin, although it is quickly changing from transparent to opaque. The following months will see increase in body fat. The lungs continue to mature with the development of “air sacs” and begin to secrete surfactant (a substance that will help your baby’s lungs expand at birth. At this stage of development the various organs have formed.
As the blood vessels in the lungs began last week, the air sacs in the lungs begin this week. The lungs begin to secrete surfactant which covers the inner lining of the air sacs which then allows the lungs to expand normally during breathing.
Besides the active lung growth, the brain kicks in with brain wave activity for the visual and auditory systems.
Although your baby's eyes have been sealed shut for the last few months, they will soon open and begin to blink. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first year of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes. Eyelashes are growing in, as is more hair on the head.
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