When your pregnancy first begins, your baby will start off as tiny cells. But throughout the duration of your pregnancy, those cells will take human form--and before you know it, it's time to give birth to your baby. As your baby develops, he will put on weight each month, and eventually each week his weight will increase rapidly. Each pregnancy is different, which is why some babies weigh less while others weigh more.
History
Your pregnancy is divided into three trimesters. The first trimester begins at the time of conception until the end of week 12, according to KidsHealth. The second trimester begins at week 13 and lasts until the end of week 26. Your final trimester begins at week 27 and will last until your baby arrives to meet her new mom. A normal pregnancy is typically 40 weeks, according to KidsHealth, but your baby may arrive early or late as your due date is calculated by your last menstrual period. If you weren't exactly sure when your last menstrual period occurred, it could throw the due date off. Or your baby might just decide she's ready to see you sooner than you originally planned.
Features
As your baby develops, he will also develop features such as his hands, eyes, eyelashes, toes, genitals and major organs such as his brain and heart. As he continues to develop, he will increase in both weight and length. Your doctor may perform ultrasounds to ensure your baby is on target with his estimated gestational age and is developing properly.
Size
By the end of your first trimester, your baby will weigh just over 1 oz. As time progresses, by the end of your second trimester, he may weigh up to 1 1/2 lbs. These are just approximations, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). By the time your baby is ready to be delivered at full term, he may weigh as little as 5 or 6 pounds or as much as 9 to 10 pounds. Some babies put on weight more rapidly than others, so your baby may weigh around 7 pounds; it all depends on how fast he does or doesn't gain weight. During the ninth month of pregnancy, your baby will gain roughly 1/2 lb. per week, according to the ACOG.
Misconceptions
Do not let ultrasounds fool you. Just because your doctor estimates your baby's weight at 5 pounds at your last ultrasound, it doesn't mean she will necessarily be a small baby. She may begin to pick up weight very rapidly just before delivery. On the other hand, she may not gain much more weight after your final ultrasound depending upon when it was performed.
Considerations
Keep all receipts when purchasing newborn clothing in case he is too big for newborn clothing. You may want to purchase a few newborn clothing items, but your baby may quickly outgrow them, especially if he was a larger baby at birth. Keep a few 0- to 3-month clothing items on hand as a backup in case your baby is bigger than expected. Even if he does weigh 6 or 7 pounds at birth, he will eventually be able to wear larger clothing.
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