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Every person starts as one cell. Here are the eight stages between that first cell and a baby.
The egg cell is one of the largest in the body, just big enough to see without a microscope. It waits in the ovary, and carries half the DNA needed to make a person.
The sperm cell is one of the smallest in the body, and carries the other half. Its long tail whips from side to side, which is how it swims toward the egg.
The zygote is the one cell made when the egg and sperm join. Their two halves make one complete set of DNA, and every cell in your body came from this cell.
The first division happens about a day in. One cell becomes two, two become four, and four become eight, each one a copy of the first.
The morula is a bunch of about sixteen cells, about four days after the start. Morula is Latin for mulberry, which is what it looks like.
The blastocyst is a hollow ball. The cells on the outside become the placenta, and the small group inside becomes the baby.
The embryo is a curled shape with a beating heart by six weeks, and small buds where the arms and legs will be.
After nine months, a baby is fully formed. Every cell has the same DNA, and each kind of cell uses a different part.
Prop a card up during tummy time, about 20–30 cm from your baby's face. Hold the card steady and let your baby focus on the bold shapes. Try placing one at eye level wherever your baby spends time, and rotate cards every few days to keep things fresh.
Start with just 3 or 4 pairs, face up. Ask your child to find the two that look the same. As they get the hang of it, add more pairs. Older toddlers can try turning them face down for a memory game.
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