Along with the facts mentioned in this week’s message, listen to this sound of the heartbeat of the baby at six weeks of development.

Lord God, you are life itself and the origin of every living creature. In every sign of life, your glory is made manifest and your love is revealed.

We continue to marvel as we follow the development of babies in the womb, and as we think about the signs of life you give us: the beating of the heart, the brainwaves of various types, the movement of the body.

Lord, may we never fail to see you in every human life, no matter how tiny and fragile. And in seeing you, may we grow in reverence for the dignity of every person, born and unborn. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The hands and feet change dramatically between 6 and 7 weeks as separate fingers and toes begin to emerge. At 6 weeks the hand plates develop a subtle flattening between the digital rays. By 6 weeks, 2 days the hand takes on a polygon shape... see more at babychris.org

Did you know that by 7 weeks, the ovaries appear in the female embryo. In the male embryo, a gene on the Y-chromosome produces a substance causing the testes to begin to differentiate see more life development facts at babychris.org

By 7 weeks of development the immune system is maturing, as evidenced by the presence of B-lymphocytes in the liver. After birth and relocation away from the protection of the womb, they will produce antibodies to fight infection... see more at babychris.org

This amazing graphic shows the external features (A) and Nervous System (B) of 18mm Embryo see more at babychris.org Download the larger image.

We continue to track the development of Baby Chris in the womb, at BabyChris.org.

On May 6, Baby Chris turns six weeks old. During this week, we will be able to start detecting Baby Chris’s brain waves!

And the vesicles in Baby Chris’s brain will double in size!

By the conclusion of the week, cell groupings resembling taste buds appear on the tongue and hiccups begin.

Follow with us the marvelous development of this baby and pray for the protection of all babies in the womb!