Harmful factors
The first twelve weeks of your baby’s development are critical, especially for the intricate cell formation of his brain and nervous system. Many factors can have a harmful effect at this early stage. Factors such as malnutrition, smoking, alcohol and drug consumption and infections can cause brain cells to move to the wrong position or connect incorrectly
Baby's senses
As your baby’s brain develops, certain neurological pathways are formed and your baby develops each of his five senses.
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Hearing - Your baby’s ears are fully formed by 20 weeks and can pick up sound vibrations by 24 weeks. His ears become fully functional so he can hear noise by 30 weeks and by 34 weeks he is able to distinguish between different sounds.. |
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Sight - Your baby’s eye is well formed by 10 weeks but he cannot see until necessary receptors have been stimulated by light. In the second trimester, he will form all of the 100 million neurons in his primary visual cortex but it is from the fifth month through to one year old that his vision matures. His eyes are fused shut from 8 weeks and he can start to open them as early as 18 weeks. He can see bright lights through his mother’s abdomen, and in the womb he sees shapes in shades of grey, white and black |
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Taste - By 12 weeks, your baby’s taste buds are fully mature and as his swallowing and sucking reflexes kick in at the same time, the taste receptors are stimulated from this early stage. He begins to develop distinctions between sweet and sour, savory and salty and this may affect his favorites in later life. |
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Smell - Your baby’s nose is filled with a tissue plug until about 24 weeks and this acts to stop the chemical reaction to smell. However, from about 28 weeks, your baby’s sense of smell is well developed and he can smell the different odors within the womb caused by, for example, strong foods that you may have eaten. |
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Touch - is the very first sense to develop and your baby can feel on his nose and lips by 5 weeks, his arms by the ninth week and by week twelve, he can sense touch over his whole body, except the top and back of his head. This area does not develop any sensation to touch until after birth, probably to help during the actual birthing process. He can feel when he is being ‘touched’ when you stroke or pat your bump. |
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