Baby process 0 to 9 months

Fetal Development: Week-by-Week Stages of Pregnancy

Overview

What are the three stages of fetal development called?

Fetal development is an orderly and intricate process. It begins before you even know you’re pregnant and ends with the birth of your baby. Between conception and delivery, there are many detailed steps that have to occur.

There are three stages of fetal development: germinal, embryonic and fetal. Most people don’t talk about their pregnancy in these terms, but it can be helpful to know.

Germinal stage

The germinal stage is the shortest stage of fetal development. It begins at conception when a sperm and egg join in your fallopian tube. The sperm fertilizes the egg and creates a zygote. The zygote begins its journey down to your uterus over the course of about one week. During this journey, the zygote divides many times, eventually creating two separate structures. One structure eventually becomes the embryo (and later, the fetus) and the other becomes the placenta. Cell division continues at a rapid pace. Eventually, the zygote turns into a blastocyst. The blastocyst arrives at your uterus and implants into your uterine lining. If implantation is successful, your body immediately begins producing hormones to support a pregnancy. This also stops your menstrual period.

Embryonic stage

The embryonic stage lasts from about the third week of pregnancy until the eighth week of pregnancy. The blastocyst begins to take on distinct human characteristics. It’s now called an embryo. Structures and organs like the neural tube (which later becomes the brain and spinal cord), head, eyes, mouth and limbs form. The embryo’s heart begins to develop and pulse around the sixth week. Buds that will become arms and legs also form around the sixth week. By the end of the eighth week, most of the embryo’s organs and systems take shape. For a lot of people, this is the point in pregnancy where morning sickness begins.

Fetal stage

The fetal stage of development begins around the ninth week and lasts until birth. This is when the embryo officially turns into a fetus. The fetus gets its assigned sex around nine weeks of pregnancy, although your healthcare provider can’t detect it on ultrasound yet. The fetus’s major organs and body systems continue to grow and mature. Things like fingernails, eyelashes and hair also grow. The fetus is able to move its limbs, although you may not feel it until 20 weeks of pregnancy. The majority of growth — in both weight and length — happens in the fetal stage.

When does a pregnancy start?

The start of pregnancy is actually the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). This is the gestational age of the fetus. It’s about two weeks ahead of when conception actually occurs. Though it may seem strange, the date of the first day of your last period will be an important date when determining your due date. Your healthcare provider will ask you about this date and will use it to figure out how far along you are in your pregnancy.

How does conception work?

Each month, your body goes through a reproductive cycle that can end in one of two ways. You’ll either have a menstrual period or become pregnant. This cycle is continuously happening during your reproductive years — from starting your period to menopause around age 50.

In a cycle that ends with pregnancy, there are several steps. First, a group of eggs (called oocytes) gets ready to leave your ovary for ovulation (release of the egg). The eggs develop in small, fluid-filled cysts called follicles. Think of these follicles as small containers for each immature egg. Out of this group of eggs, one will become mature and continue through the cycle.

The mature follicle now opens and releases the egg from your ovary. This is ovulation.

After ovulation, the opened follicle develops into a structure called the corpus luteum. This releases the hormones progesterone and estrogen. Progesterone helps prepare your uterine lining for pregnancy. If you don’t become pregnant during a cycle, this lining is what your body sheds during your period. If sperm fertilizes the egg, conception occurs and the fertilized egg begins its journey to your uterus, where it will implant.

How long is a pregnancy?

Traditionally, we think of pregnancy as a nine-month process. However, this isn’t always the case. A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks, or 280 days. Depending on what months you’re pregnant during (some are shorter and some longer) and what week you deliver, you could be pregnant for either nine months or 10 months. This is completely normal and healthy.

Stages of Growth Month-by-Month in Pregnancy

The fetus will change a lot throughout a typical pregnancy. This time is divided into three stages, called trimesters. Each trimester is a set of about three months. Your healthcare provider will probably talk to you about fetal development in terms of weeks. So, if you’re three months pregnant, you’re about 12 weeks.

You’ll see distinct changes in the fetus, and yourself, during each trimester of pregnancy.

First trimester

The first trimester will span from conception to 12 weeks. This is generally the first three months of pregnancy. During this trimester, the fertilized egg will change from a small grouping of cells to a fetus that begins to have human features. The first trimester is exciting, but also when most people develop unpleasant symptoms like morning sickness and fatigue.

Month 1 (weeks 1 through 4)

Although it’s strange, the first two weeks of pregnancy are a “getting ready” period. Your body slowly releases more hormones and your uterus prepares for a potential pregnancy. At the end of the second week, your ovary releases an egg (ovulation). If sperm meets an egg just after ovulation, the process to pregnancy continues.

Week 3: Fertilization occurs during the third week. A sperm and egg join and create a zygote.
Week 4: The tiny bundle of cells turns into a blastocyst and implants into your uterine lining. The beginning of what will become the placenta forms. A water-tight sac forms around the blastocyst. This is the amniotic sac, and it provides cushioning to a fetus during pregnancy.

By the end of the fourth week, the blastocyst is about 2 millimeters (mm) long — the size of a poppy seed.

Month 2 (weeks 5 through 8)

The second month of pregnancy is when most people realize they’re pregnant. Pregnancy hormones go into overdrive, and by about the fifth week, an at-home pregnancy test will show as positive. This is when many people begin to feel symptoms of pregnancy.

Week 5: The neural tube (brain, spinal cord and other neural tissue of the central nervous system) forms. The tiny “heart” tube will beat 110 times a minute by the end of the fifth week.
Week 6: Tiny buds that become arms and legs also develop. Blood cells are taking shape, and circulation will begin. Structures that’ll become the ears, eyes and mouth take form. Your healthcare provider can probably detect a heartbeat on a vaginal ultrasound.
Week 7: Bones begin replacing soft cartilage and genitals begin to form. The embryo’s head is large in proportion to the rest of its body. Some people think the embryo resembles a small tadpole or seahorse due to its prominent tail (which becomes legs) and large head.
Week 8: All of the major organs and body systems are developing. The fetus has web-like hands and feet. Eyes become visible and ears begin to form. The umbilical cord is fully developed and helps to transport oxygen and blood to the embryo.

After the 8th week, healthcare providers refer to the embryo as a fetus. It will remain a fetus until birth.

By the end of the second month, the fetus is about 0.5 to 1 inch (in) long — about the size of a black bean.

Month 3 (weeks 9 through 12)

The third month of pregnancy is when an embryo becomes a fetus. It’s a period of rapid growth and development. The fetus develops distinct facial features, limbs, organs, bones and muscles. By the end of the 12th week, the fetus has an assigned sex, but it won’t be visible on ultrasound for several more weeks.

Week 9: The beginnings of teeth and taste buds are forming. Its muscles are forming and its body shape takes on more of a human appearance. But, its head is still 50% of its length. Your provider may be able to hear its heartbeat with a Doppler ultrasound.
Week 10: The arms, hands, fingers, feet and toes are fully formed (no more webbed fingers). Fingernails and toenails are beginning to develop and the external ears form. The external genitals also begin to form, but it’s too soon to see them on an ultrasound.
Week 11: The fetus is starting to explore a bit by doing things like opening and closing its fists and mouth. Its knees, elbows and ankles are working, but it’s too soon to feel any kicks. The bones are hardening, but its skin is still see-through. Facial features are more prominent.
Week 12: All the organs, limbs, bones and muscles are present and will continue to develop in order to become fully functional. The circulatory, digestive and urinary systems are also working and the liver produces bile. The fetus is drinking and peeing amniotic fluid.

Since the most critical development has taken place, your chance of miscarriage drops considerably after 12 weeks (the end of the first trimester). Most people begin feeling some relief from morning sickness now, too.

At the end of the third month, the fetus is about 2.5 to 3 inches long — about the size of a plum.

Second trimester

The second trimester of pregnancy is often thought of as the best part of the experience. By this time, any morning sickness is probably gone and the discomfort of early pregnancy has faded. You may also start to feel movement as the fetus flips and turns in your uterus. During this trimester, many people find out about the fetus’s assigned sex. This is typically done during an anatomy scan (an ultrasound that checks physical development) at around 20 weeks.

Month 4 (weeks 13 through 16)

Many people begin showing signs of being pregnant at this point in pregnancy, especially if you’ve been pregnant before. Your pregnancy care provider can hear the fetal heartbeat loud and clear on a Doppler ultrasound. The fetus can even suck its thumb, yawn, stretch and make faces.

Week 13: Vocal cords form and the fetus’s large head begins to grow proportionate to its body.
Week 14: The fetus’s skin starts to thicken and fine hair begins to grow. It can start bringing its fingers to its mouth and turn its head. External genitals are fully developed and fingerprints begin to form.
Week 15: Some organs, like intestines and ears, are moving to their permanent location. The fetus still uses amniotic fluid to practice breathing, but its lungs are beginning to develop. The fetus begins to make more purposeful movements, like sucking its thumb or smiling.
Week 16: The fetus has lips and its ears are developed enough that it can hear you talk. Even though its eyes are closed, the fetus can react to light by turning away from it.

By the end of the fourth month, the fetus is about 5 inches long and weighs about 4 ounces. For reference, that’s about as big as an avocado.

Month 5 (weeks 17 through 20)

By the end of the fifth month of pregnancy, most people begin to feel the fetus moving around. The first movements are called quickening and can feel like a flutter. If your pregnancy has been healthy to this point, you’ll finally get your first ultrasound. You may even get to find out the fetus’s assigned sex.

Week 17: The fetus still has thin skin, but will start to put on fat. Its skin is covered with a whitish coating called vernix. This “cheesy” substance is thought to protect fetal skin from long-term exposure to amniotic fluid.
Week 18: The fetus is covered in lanugo, a peach fuzz-like hair. It helps keep the fetus warm and provides another layer of protection. The fetus may have a sleep-wake cycle, and loud noises may wake the fetus if it’s asleep.
Week 19: The fetus is getting stronger and most people begin to feel kicks and punches. The fetus also has its own unique set of fingerprints and can hiccup.
Week 20: The fetus’s nails grow towards the end of its fingers. The area of the brain responsible for its five senses begins to develop.

By the end of the fifth month, the fetus is about 9 to 10 inches long and weighs about 1 pound.

Month 6 (weeks 21 through 24)

If you could look inside your uterus right now, you’d see that the fetus’s skin is reddish in color, wrinkled and veins are visible through translucent skin. In the sixth month of pregnancy, its eyelids begin to part and you may notice regular, jerky movements. The fetus responds to sounds by moving or increasing its pulse.

Week 21: Limb movements are coordinated and frequent. The fetus has bone marrow that helps it produce blood cells.
Week 22: The fetus’s grasp is getting stronger and it can touch its ears and the umbilical cord. It can hear your heartbeat, your stomach rumble and your breathing.
Week 23: If born prematurely, the fetus may survive after the 23rd week with intensive care. It will begin rapidly adding fat to its body.
Week 24: The fetus’s lungs are fully developed, but not well enough to work outside your uterus.

By the end of the sixth month, the fetus is about 12 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds.

Month 7 (weeks 25 through 28)

The fetus continues to mature and develop reserves of body fat. The fetus changes position frequently and responds to stimuli, including sound, pain and light. The amniotic fluid begins to diminish.

Week 25: More body fat makes the fetus’s skin less wrinkled and plumper. Its nervous system is quickly maturing.
Week 26: The fetus makes melanin, the substance that gives skin and eyes their color. The fetus’s lungs start to make surfactant, a substance that helps it breathe after birth.
Week 27: The fetus can open its eyes and blink. It also has eyelashes.
Week 28: The fetus may begin turning head-down in your uterus as it gets ready for birth. At the end of the seventh month, the fetus is about 14 to 15 inches long and weighs between 2 and 3 pounds.

Third trimester

This is the final part of your pregnancy. You may be tempted to start counting down the days to your due date and hope that it comes early, but each week of this final stage of development helps the fetus prepare for birth. Throughout the third trimester, the fetus gains weight quickly, adding body fat that’ll help after birth.

Your healthcare provider will monitor you closely as you approach your due date. You’ll visit your provider biweekly and then weekly. Make sure to ask your provider any questions you have about labor and delivery.

Month 8 (weeks 29 through 32)

The fetus continues to mature and develop reserves of body fat. The brain develops most rapidly during this time. The fetus can see and hear most stimuli. Most internal systems are well-developed, but the lungs may still be immature.

Week 29: You may notice the kicks and jabs feel more like pokes now that the fetus is getting cramped in the amniotic sac.
Week 30: The fetus can control its own body heat. Its brain is maturing and growing rapidly.
Week 31: The fetus can process more information and stimuli. You can probably notice more distinct patterns in when it’s awake and when it’s asleep.
Week 32: The fetus’s skin isn’t translucent anymore. Other than the lungs and brain, most other organs are well-formed and ready for birth.

The fetus is about 17 to 18 inches long and weighs as much as 5 pounds.

Month 9 (weeks 33 through 36)

During this stage, the fetus continues to grow and mature. The lungs are close to being fully developed at this point in pregnancy. The ninth month is mostly about putting the finishing touch on growth and brain development.

Week 33: The fetus’s bones are hardening, with exception of its brain, which needs to be soft to descend the birth canal.
Week 34: The vernix that protects the fetus’s skin starts to get thicker.
Week 35: The fetus’s brain continues to grow, but still only weighs two-thirds of what it should at birth.
Week 36: The fetus loses its lanugo and it has hair on its head.

The fetus is about 17 to 19 inches long and weighs from 6 to 7 pounds.

Month 10 (Weeks 37 through 40)

In this final month, you could go into labor at any time. At this point, the fetus’s position may have changed to prepare for birth. Ideally, it’s head-down in your uterus. You may feel very uncomfortable in this final stretch of time as the fetus drops down into your pelvis and prepares for birth. Your provider may encourage you to perform kick counts, which is a way to track how much the fetus moves.

Week 37: The fetus’s toenails reach the end of its toes. You may start to feel the fetus drop into your pelvis.
Week 38: The fetus is packing on 0.5 pounds per week to get to its final size.
Week 39: The fetus is full-term and ready to meet the world!
Week 40: It’s your due date week. Call your pregnancy care provider if you notice any signs of labor.

The fetus is about 18 to 20 inches long and weighs about 7 to 9 pounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early can I know I’m pregnant?

From the moment of conception, the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) will be present in your blood. This hormone is created by the cells that form the placenta (food source for the growing fetus). It’s also the hormone detected in a pregnancy test. Even though this hormone is there from the beginning, it takes time for it to build within your body. It typically takes three to four weeks from the first day of your last period for the HCG to increase enough to be detected by pregnancy tests.

When should I reach out to my healthcare provider about a new pregnancy?

Most healthcare providers will have you wait to come in for an appointment until you’ve had a positive home pregnancy test. These tests are very accurate once you have enough HCG circulating throughout your body. This can be a few weeks after conception. It’s best to call your healthcare provider once you have a positive pregnancy test to schedule your first appointment.

When you call, your healthcare provider may ask you if you’re taking a prenatal vitamin. These supplements contain folic acid. It’s important that you get at least 400 mcg of folic acid each day during pregnancy to make sure the fetus’s neural tube (beginning of the brain and spine) develops correctly. Many healthcare providers suggest that you take prenatal vitamins with folic acid even when you aren’t pregnant. If you weren’t taking prenatal vitamins before your pregnancy, your provider may ask you to start as soon as possible.

What weeks are most important for fetal development?

Each trimester or phase of pregnancy carries its own unique risks. It’s hard to pinpoint specific weeks as being more or less important. However, most healthcare providers will say the most important time for fetal development is the first 13 weeks of the pregnancy (or the first trimester). The risk of miscarriage drops after the first trimester, when the fetus’s major organs and systems are formed and working. This isn’t to say that your pregnancy becomes less important after 13 weeks. It just means a lot of the critical steps and processes are complete and that a lot of the most major birth disorders occur in the first trimester.

What does full-term mean in a pregnancy?

Once you get close to the end of your pregnancy, healthcare providers may use several terms to describe when you go into labor. These terms are labels that divide up the last few weeks of pregnancy.

They’re helpful in determining how likely a baby is to have complications at birth. For example, babies that are born in the early term period (or before it) generally have a higher risk of breathing issues than babies born at full term.

When you’re looking at these labels, it’s important to know how they’re written. You may see the week first (38) and then two numbers separated by a slash mark (6/7). This stands for how many days you currently are in the gestational week. So, if you see 38 6/7, it means that you’re on day 6 of your 38th week.

The last few weeks of pregnancy are divided into the following groups:

Early-term: 37 0/7 weeks through 38 6/7 weeks.
Full-term: 39 0/7 weeks through 40 6/7 weeks.
Late-term: 41 0/7 weeks through 41 6/7 weeks.
Post-term: 42 0/7 weeks and on.

Talk to your healthcare provider about any questions you may have about gestational age and due date.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

There’s a lot that needs to happen for a pregnancy to occur, grow and result in a birth. Learning about how the fetus grows can be exciting and eye-opening, especially when you realize how many organs, systems and body functions develop within a nine-month period. Both you and the fetus growing inside of you go through many changes during pregnancy. Ask your pregnancy care provider about these changes and any other questions you have. They’re there to be a resource to you and give you the best possible care.

Pictures of Fetal Development Month-by-Month

Reviewed by Traci C. Johnson, MD on February 20, 2023

You're pregnant. Congratulations! Are you curious how big your developing baby is, what your baby looks like as it grows inside you, and when you'll feel it move? Take a peek inside the womb to see how a baby develops from month to month.

Fertilization happens when a sperm meets and penetrates an egg. It's also called conception. At this moment, the genetic makeup is complete, including the sex of the baby. Within about three days after conception, the fertilized egg is dividing very fast into many cells. It passes through the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it attaches to the uterine wall. The placenta, which will nourish the baby, also starts to form.

At this point the baby is developing the structures that will eventually form their face and neck. The heart and blood vessels continue to develop. And the lungs, stomach, and liver start to develop. A home pregnancy test would show positive.

The baby is now a little over half an inch in size. Eyelids and ears are forming, and you can see the tip of the nose. The arms and legs are well formed. The fingers and toes grow longer and more distinct.

The baby measures about 2 inches and starts to make its own movements. You may start to feel the top of your uterus above your pubic bone. Your doctor may hear the baby's heartbeat with special instruments. The sex organs of the baby should start to become clear.

The baby now measures about 4.3 to 4.6 inches and weighs about 3.5 ounces. You should be able to feel the top of your uterus about 3 inches below your belly button. The baby's eyes can blink and the heart and blood vessels are fully formed. The baby's fingers and toes have fingerprints.

The baby weighs about 10 ounces and is a little more than 6 inches long. Your uterus should be at the level of your belly button. The baby can suck a thumb, yawn, stretch, and make faces. Soon -- if you haven't already -- you'll feel your baby move, which is called "quickening."

An ultrasound is usually done for all pregnant women at 20 weeks. During this ultrasound, the doctor will make sure that the placenta is healthy and attached normally and that your baby is growing properly. You can see the baby's heartbeat and movement of its body, arms, and legs on the ultrasound. You can usually find out whether it's a boy or a girl at 20 weeks.

Shown here is a 2D ultrasound (inset) contrasted with a 4D ultrasound, both at 20 weeks.

The baby weighs about 1.4 pounds now and responds to sounds by moving or increasing their pulse. You may notice jerking motions if they hiccup. With the inner ear fully developed, the baby may be able to sense being upside down in the womb.

The baby weighs about 2 pounds, 6 ounces, and changes position often at this point in pregnancy. If you had to deliver prematurely now, there is a good chance the baby would survive. Ask your doctor about preterm labor warning signs. Now is the time to register for birthing classes. Birthing classes prepare you for many aspects of childbirth, including labor and delivery and taking care of your newborn.

The baby weighs almost 4 pounds and is moving around often. The baby's skin has fewer wrinkles as a layer of fat starts to form under the skin. Between now and delivery, your baby will gain up to half their birth weight. Ask your doctor how to do a fetal movement chart. Think about breastfeeding. You may notice a yellowish fluid leaking from your breasts. That is colostrum, and it happens to get your breasts ready for making milk. Most women go to the doctor every two weeks at this stage of pregnancy.

Babies differ in size, depending on many factors, such as gender, the number of babies being carried, and size of the parents. So your baby's overall rate of growth is as important as the actual size. On average, a baby at this stage is about 18.5 inches and weighs close to 6 pounds. The brain has been developing rapidly. Lungs are nearly fully developed. The head is usually positioned down into the pelvis by now. Your baby is considered at 'term' when they are 37 weeks. They are an early term baby if born between 37-39 weeks, at term, if they're 39-40 weeks and late term if they're 41-42 weeks.

A mother's due date marks the end of their 40th week. The delivery date is calculated using the first day of their last period. Based on this, pregnancy can last between 38 and 42 weeks with a full-term delivery happening around 40 weeks. Some post-term pregnancies -- those lasting more than 42 weeks -- are not really late. The due date may just not be accurate. For safety reasons, most babies are delivered by 42 weeks. Sometimes the doctor may need to induce labor.

IMAGES PROVIDED BY:

(1) Copyright © LookatSciences / Phototake – All rights reserved.
(2) Dr. David M. Phillips / Visuals Unlimited / Getty Images
(3) 3D4Medical.com / Getty Images
(4) Copyright © Scott Camazine / Phototake -- All rights reserved.
(5) Copyright © LookatSciences / Phototake – All rights reserved.
(6) Nestle / Petit Format / Photo Researchers, Inc.
(7) © Lennart Nilsson Photography AB. All rights reserved worldwide.
(8) a) Dr.Benoit/Mona Lisa. Copyright © LookatSciences / Phototake -- All rights reserved. b)Vincenzo Lombardo / Photographer's Choice / Getty Images
(9) Dr. Benoit/Mona Lisa. Copyright © LookatSciences / Phototake -- All rights reserved.
(10) © Lennart Nilsson Photography AB. All rights reserved worldwide.
(11) Jose Manuel Gelpi Diaz / iStockphoto
(12) © Lennart Nilsson Photography AB. All rights reserved worldwide.
(13) © Yoav Levy / Phototake -- All rights reserved.

SOURCES:

American Academy of Family Physicians.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: "How Your Baby Grows During Pregnancy."

KidsHealth.org: "Pregnancy Calendar."

March of Dimes: "Prenatal Care – Ultrasound."

US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Women’s Health: "Pregnancy: Breast Changes."

Child Development Calendar from the Health of the Nation

The Child Development Calendar from the Health of the Nation medical center is a convenient system that tells parents by months how the baby is developing.

Child development by months

Newborn

How does the baby behave in the first weeks of life? Should I be worried if he sleeps 18 hours a day? What you need to know about the features of feeding the crumbs, and what recommendations for care should be followed?

1 month

What happens to a child at the age of one month, how his behavior changes. Features of development and the emergence of new actions. What you need to know about nutrition, daily care. Planned visits to doctors and testing.

2 months

What happens in the life of a child at the age of 2 months? What behaviors should be taken into account? The appearance of the first emotions of the baby, the development of the vocal apparatus.

3 months

What discoveries do parents expect when a child turns 3 months old? The emergence of new skills, the first conscious manifestation of emotions and desires. What you need to know about the features of feeding?

4 months

What happens to a 4 month old baby? The first serious games and interaction with the outside world. What you need to know about the features of feeding, and what recommendations for care should be followed?

5 months

Transition period from horizontal position. What you need to know about the features of feeding crumbs? What should parents of a five-month-old baby be prepared for?

6 months

What did the baby learn at 6 months of age? How critical is the discrepancy with accepted norms? What you need to know about the features of feeding crumbs, how to introduce the first complementary foods?

7-9 months

What happens to a child aged 7-9 months? The baby begins to sit, crawl or even take the first steps. The first attempts to speak appear. Toys are used in a new capacity.

10-12 months

How does a 10-12 month old baby behave? How does his daily routine change and what games will be more interesting to play closer to the first birthday?

12-15 months

How does a 12-15 month old child behave? What has changed in behavior, and what features of development is important to remember?

15-18 months

How does the child behave at the age of 15-18 months? What you need to know about the features of behavior, what to pay attention to?

18-24 months

How does a child aged 18-24 months behave? What did the baby learn in 2 years? How to make a diet?

". .. in the community, under guidance, with the help of a child can always do more and solve the most difficult problems than on their own." A.V. Zaporozhets, a well-known Russian psychologist.

I want to draw the attention of parents to a very important period in the development of the baby, which we call "pre-speech". It is during this period that the baby is preparing for further speech development, which is not yet noticeable, but is already very actively taking place. From my many years of experience, I know that many mothers pay little attention to the cooing and babbling of the baby, many do not even know what it is and how they differ.

But the first symptoms of trouble can manifest themselves precisely during this period, when the child's nervous system is still very plastic and pliable to therapeutic effects. You should also not make preliminary diagnoses, because we are adults too, very different. Someone is talkative, someone is called a "silent person", one cannot live without communication, and the other likes to be alone. And our children are ours and, of course, they look like us. Along with the norm, I give examples that, in combination with other symptoms, should alert parents.

Often there is nothing serious behind these symptoms, only minor correction is needed. Mothers with perfectly healthy children come to see me, who had features of babbling and cooing. Yes, not everyone who had deviations in pre-speech development later developed problems with speech and reading, very often everything returned to normal. But all children with speech difficulties necessarily had violations of early speech and pre-speech development.

Stages of pre-speech development

The first year of life is called the period of pre-speech development, during which preparation for mastering speech takes place. From the very first day of life, the child is preparing for speech. From the moment of birth, there are voice reactions - screaming and crying. With these signals, the baby reports that he is ill, he is hungry, sick. A healthy newborn makes separate sounds, intermediate between "a" and "e".
Pay attention if the baby sobs on sigh, with a characteristic nasal tint, or there is a piercing, painful, continuous cry, which is commonly called "brain". If these symptoms do not go away, you should consult a specialist.
Gradually, the child learns to listen to his speech and the speech of others. From the 1st month, the baby calms down when he hears a lullaby. An increased interest in human speech in the form of a concentration reaction appears at 4-5 weeks. When an adult leans over a child, gently talks to him, he stops crying and moving, “listens”. At 5-8 weeks, in response to the speech of an adult, the child smiles, from 8 weeks - a real smile, by 9-12 weeks laughter appears. Starting from 6-8 weeks, in response to an attempt by an adult to make contact, the baby utters separate sounds - cooing (initial cooing). True humming or melodious humming appears on the 2-3rd month. The child, being in a calm state, makes long vowel sounds.
With certain pathologies of the nervous system, the child may not show interest in the speech of an adult, not respond to surrounding objects. In children in such cases, negative reactions usually predominate (monotonous crying, prolonged crying on one tone), a smile is extremely rare, and there is no cooing.
By 5-6 months, the nature of the sounds becomes more complicated. Combinations appear: “baaa, maaa”, “taaa, paaa”. Observing the child, it can be noted that at the moment of pronouncing sounds, he slows down his vocal movements, as if listening and imitating himself, pronounces sounds in the form of chains. By about the 5th month of life, sound and syllabic pronunciation begin to acquire some semblance of words. By 5-6 months, the cooing gradually turns into clear and distinct speech sounds, babble appears. The first babble consists of short chains of syllables: ba-ba-ba, ma-ma-ma. Parents sometimes take such babble chains for meaningful speech, but these, of course, are not words yet.
Children with a lack of cooing, low expressiveness of speech, and a lack of imitation deserve special observation. A child with initial signs of early childhood autism may be clearly non-contact, passive, orienting reactions will be reduced or, conversely, physical activity, anxiety, negative emotional reactions to new objects (crying, screaming) will prevail.
By 9 months babbling is enriched with new sounds, intonations, develops into long rows of syllables. Babble becomes a constant response to the adult's voice appeal and accompanies various actions with objects and toys. AT 9months, the child demonstrates understanding of the speech addressed to him, reacts to his name, perceives some simple verbal instructions and responds to them with an action: “open your mouth”, “give a pen”, press your cheek to the mother at the request “kiss mom”, raise your head and eyes to the lamp to the question “where is the light?”, they are looking for a toy hidden in front of their eyes, at the word “no” they stop reaching for any object, or stop pulling it into their mouth, etc. Children 9-10 months old are characterized by active babbling, consisting of 4-5 syllables or more. The child repeats new syllables after the adult, which he himself has not previously pronounced, copies the intonation well, accompanying it with expressive facial expressions and gestures. By 9-10 months he pronounces separate words consisting of the same paired syllables (mom, dad).
A child of 11-12 months increasingly pays attention to the face of the speaker, begins to nod his head as a sign of affirmation and shake it as a sign of denial. The syllables included in the babbling become components of the words: ma-ma-ma - “mother”. The kid begins to designate certain objects with sound combinations, for example: a car - “beep”, etc. At the same time, children of this age usually show a new interest - looking at picture books. Recognizing familiar objects in pictures or showing them at the request of an adult, children designate them with babble words.
By the year, the dictionary usually reaches 8-10, and sometimes more "words" (baba, kitty, mu, be, etc. ) that have a specific meaning. By the age of 1, the child understands and follows 5-10 simple instructions: “bring this and that”, “close the door”, “give me a cup”, etc. Thus, in the first year of life, the child’s speech apparatus is being prepared for the pronunciation of sounds. At the same time, there is an active process of developing speech understanding.

What to do for a mother

"Infecting" the baby with positive emotions, the mother stimulates his interest in the outside world, and since the satisfaction of this interest is associated with the expenditure of physiological resources, she stimulates in a certain direction both metabolic processes and differentiation of tissues in the body of her baby . On the contrary, by conveying negative emotions to an infant, we suppress not only his interest in the outside world, but also certain biological processes in his body. It is not better when the adults around the child "infect" him with too strong affective emotions.

These energy-intensive emotions drain the child's nervous system and can lead to somatic illnesses. The adult's mechanical fulfillment of routine moments, his indifferent, indifferent attitude towards a small child excludes the possibility of any kind of emotional contact at all. With such an adult, the child does not have the need to communicate, and therefore the cognitive experience does not develop and the necessary communicative and cognitive means are not formed. There is a threat of mental retardation and a disorder in the further interaction of the child with an adult. The child's brain develops incorrectly or is delayed, in the absence or deficiency of external stimuli.

And vice versa: interest in an adult, curiosity about the outside world, and communicative-cognitive activity are evoked and supported, as we have seen, by positive emotions emanating from an adult. Therefore, we can repeat once again that for infancy, the emotional communication of a child with an adult is not a luxury, but a prime necessity, a condition for the formation of his psyche according to a human social type. Depriving the infant of the emotional attention of an adult leads at this early age primarily to abnormal development of the child's personality.

If parents have noticed trouble, and this is not one symptom, but several (lack of babbling, cooing, change in voice, behavior), then you should contact a specialist. And then, along with speech therapy correction (massage, articulatory gymnastics, stimulation of voice reactions), medication, physiotherapy, etc. are prescribed.

How to stimulate speech development specialists, the better the results will be: the reserve capabilities of the brain are especially high at an early age, during the period when speech is actively developing.

At the stage of pre-speech development (1-3 months) it is necessary to encourage motor and communication functions, develop and reinforce the child's need to communicate with adults, strengthen the ability to fix the gaze and follow a moving object. Gradually move on to active stimulation of fine motor skills. In the absence of cooing at this stage, violation of voice reactions, the doctor may prescribe, along with the use of drug therapy, speech therapy correction (facial massage, breathing and articulation exercises). At the 3rd stage of pre-speech development (3-6 months), the baby manipulates toys, pulls them into his mouth, rolls over and crawls to an object that interests him, throws toys and follows their movement. In cases where there is a delay in pre-speech skills, it is advisable to conduct their purposeful stimulation. For example, create situations that cause a child to laugh, coo, as imitation reactions. If necessary, speech therapy correction may consist of active speech therapy massage, activities aimed at the development of babbling. At the 4th stage (6-9months) and the 5th stage (9-12 months), the possibilities of speech therapy assistance are expanding.

Along with active massage and gymnastics, tongue movements, chewing movements, and lip movements begin to be stimulated. Stimulate the ability to recognize the intonation coloring of addressed speech. Babble and initial syllable formation are stimulated with the help of appropriate imitative or imitative games (“Okay”, “Goodbye”, “Geese flew - sat down on their heads ..”, etc.) The effectiveness of speech therapy correction of pre-speech disorders cannot be carried out without active stimulation of mental development. After 6 months, the child is stimulated with purposeful actions with various objects, stimulation of repeated actions, object-effective communication with adults. From the second half of a child's life, they are taught to handle objects and manipulate them.

Sound pronunciation

The pronunciation side of a child's speech can be judged only when he has accumulated a significant vocabulary. The time and order of the appearance of sounds in different children is not the same. In the third year of life, the child has the right to incorrect sound pronunciation. So, whistling sounds (S, Z, Z ', C), hissing (Sh, Zh, Ch, Shch) and sonorous (R, R ', L) he usually skips or replaces (S-S '; Z-S ' , V; C-T'; W-S', T'; W-S', D'; Ch-T'; SH-T'; R-L'; R'-L'; L-L')
If any violations of the pronunciation side of speech are found in infants, it requires timely corrective measures, additional examinations by other specialists. The prospects for mental development, the success of teaching children with disabilities in neuropsychic development, their school and social adaptation depend on the early detection of disorders in cognitive activity. But often speech therapists in the clinic advise you to wait a bit - "don't come before 5 years." This can be explained by the fact that classes with a baby require a special individual approach, and not every specialist has the necessary knowledge, experience, and most importantly, the desire to work with young children. But a good speech therapist won't brush off anxious parents.
In the absence of active speech in a 1.5-3-year-old child, it is necessary to arrange an appointment for a consultation with competent specialists: a neurologist, psychologist, speech therapist, otorhinolaryngologist, and conduct a series of diagnostic studies. Parents should be alarmed by speech delays not only when the child does not have speech at two years old, but also in cases where development is delayed or there is a complete absence of cooing and babble. Observations of specialists and objective data from medical studies will clarify the nature of the violation, the degree of its complexity, suggest possible causes of occurrence and organize adequate assistance to the child.
At any age, speech disorders limit cognitive activity and the possibility of social adaptation of a person. Consultations of competent specialists and remedial classes with speech pathologists will help to distinguish speech disorders from other disorders (mental retardation, mental retardation, hearing impairment, autism spectrum disorders), and make a more accurate diagnosis. Early correction, conducting systematic speech therapy classes, which in essence are a well-organized game, can completely compensate for a speech defect.
The importance of speech development at an early age is great: speech, along with intelligence, is an important indicator of the development of the baby, and its violations are evidence of ill health in the mental sphere. Speech reflects the success (or failure) of mastering the native language, the main social acquisition of the child during this period.
The speech of a young child reflects the development and lays the foundations for future higher mental functions: memory, attention, thinking, and hence all further education of the child, and ultimately his social adaptation and success. That is why in correctional and developmental work with young children, special attention is paid to the stimulation (formation) of speech activity.

About the organization of classes

The development of a child's speech occurs at every moment of his life. Everyday situations, including getting ready for bed, washing, eating take place almost in the same conditions. This helps to enrich the vocabulary of children and consolidate speech skills. Appeal to children on various occasions forms their need for communication. At the same time, it is necessary to actively use play and everyday situations that are pleasant for the child. For example, when washing or bathing a child, you can sing a composed song on the go, drawing the baby’s attention to the parts of the body and the face that it sings about with a gentle touch:0003