Mom

Your heart has increased its capacity by 20 percent and you can tell; you feel more energetic than before.

Baby

The baby is now 9 centimeters long and weighs 60 grams, about the size of a peach.
You can’t feel it yet, but the baby is becoming increasingly active and can already move its arms and legs. The baby has space to move, because more and more amniotic fluid is added to the uterus. The child in your uterus is moving all the time, although you can’t feel it yet. It is kicking its legs, waving its hands (this can often clearly be seen on an ultrasound), clenching its fists and can even make faces already. In the meantime, the baby is swimming around in the amniotic fluid; after all, it still has plenty of room. Occasionally it pushes against the uterus with an elbow or foot. You will not feel these soft movements until a few more weeks have passed.

Your baby’s vocal cords are now developed, but of course your child cannot make a sound, because this requires air. Your baby is now also getting some downy hair. This is covering its entire body. This downy hair stays put until approximately the 37th week. Most likely its purpose is to keep in place the sebum produced by the sebaceous glands. Sebum is needed to protect your child’s skin against the softening effect of the amniotic fluid and against infections. If your child is born earlier than at 40 weeks, fine hair can still be present on the shoulders, back and face.