If you’ve recently found out that you’re pregnant, you will probably spend the coming months wondering how your infant is developing. You may wonder what your baby’s physical traits will be and whether your infant can hear you.
Many of the questions you may have been closely tied to fetal brain development. Your baby should grow and form in your body on a predictable schedule, so it’s important to know what to expect.
Your Infant’s Brain Development
Your baby’s brain is already starting to form even before you find out you are expecting. Just a month after conception, the neural plate develops. This is the framework of your baby’s spinal cord and brain. As the plate gets longer, it folds and then transforms into a groove that will eventually become the neural tube. The tube runs along your baby’s back and is crucial for brain and spinal cord development.
Development In the First Trimester
Your baby’s face and brain are growing about seven weeks into gestation. When the neural tube closes, it curves and creates three sections known as the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. The baby’s spinal cord will eventually transform into the spinal cord.
The areas of the brain will also develop into five distinct sections: the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, pituitary gland, and hypothalamus. The deep grooves in your infant’s developing face will become the nostrils, and the retinas will start forming in the first trimester as well.
Development In the Second Trimester
During the second trimester of pregnancy, your infant’s brain is prompting the contraction of the chest and diaphragm muscles. This helps the baby “practice” breathing before delivery. Your baby will also start swallowing and sucking in the womb at this stage, which is why you may notice that your infant is sucking their thumb in the ultrasound. Your baby is swallowing amniotic fluid daily and can taste the fluid.
Once the second trimester has ended, your infant’s brain stem is almost completely developed. The brain stem affects blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. The baby’s nervous system is also developed enough for them to be startled by loud noises.
Development In the Third Trimester
In the third trimester, the baby’s brain will grow three times in weight and neurons are quickly developing. The formerly smooth surface of the brain will develop more grooves and the cerebellum will start working more efficiently. The cerebellum is developing quicker than any other part of your infant’s brain at this stage.
Once you deliver your baby, your infant’s brain will look very similar to an adult brain. However, the brain is still not finished developing. While the cerebral cortex does start developing in utero, it won’t begin to function until after the baby reaches full term and is born. Now, the cerebral cortex will continue maturing in response to the infant’s environment.
Boosting Your Baby’s Brain Health
As an expectant mother, you can protect the health of your baby’s brain by making sure you’re eating healthy, wholesome meals each day. Be sure to take a high-potency prenatal vitamin with ingredients like choline, folate, and iron to ensure your baby is growing properly.
It’s also a good idea to work out as much as your energy levels will allow and to stay away from alcoholic beverages. If you’re a smoker, talk with your doctor to come up with a plan to quit. You should also review your birth plan with your doctor and ensure that your physician is qualified to deliver your baby safely, no matter which method you choose.
If your labor and delivery process is among the causes of disruption in brain development for your child, you should contact a personal injury lawyer with experience in this area. When you have a trusted legal professional on your side, you may be able to get a settlement for the pain and suffering you and your child have experienced.
Caring for a child with a brain injury can be challenging and very expensive at times, since your child’s care may require visiting a specialist regularly. Your settlement funds can help to cover the cost of medical services and provide you and your family with financial support, especially if you are your child’s full-time caregiver.
