Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when he was just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon put on more baby fat. Wondering what (and who) your baby will look like? If you had a baby cam, you'd almost be able to tell by now. That beautiful face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed. What's still missing from the picture is the fat that will be piled on under baby's skin. Until those fat deposits are made, that very tender skin is still very transparent, which means a close look would let you see clear through to all the organs, bones, and blood vessels. Fortunately, that see-through look won't last much longer. Babies at this point are gaining about six ounces each week — with much of that gain coming from fat, in addition to growing organs, bones, and muscle. His brain is growing rapidly, and his taste buds are developing. His lungs are developing “branches” of the respiratory “tree” and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily. Hhe's big enough that he can no longer do cartwheels and tumbles, but he's just as touchy-feely with his surroundings as he has been. He's also even more attuned into sounds outside the womb. What's been playing on your little rocker's stereo system these days? All kinds of sounds: from air exhaling from your lungs (deep breath now), those gastric gurgles produced by your stomach and intestines, your voice and your partner's (which your baby will be able to recognize at birth). If a loud noise, such as honking horns, barking dogs, or a wiling fire truck, disturbs him, he may be restless for hours.
