By Month 7
The baby now uses the four senses of vision, hearing, taste, and touch. He can recognize his mother's voice.

By Month 8
The skin begins to thicken, with a layer of fat stored underneath for insulation and nourishment.

By Month 9
toward the end of this month, the baby is ready for birth. The average duration of pregnancy is 280 days from the first day of the mother's last menstrual period, but this varies. By this time the infant normally weighs six to nine pounds, and his heart is pumping 300 gallons of blood per day.