Let me describe my long, slow, difficult journey through and within my mother’s womb. I use the word ‘difficult’ primarily to describe my mother’s situation, rather than my own. From my point of view, for the most part, the journey is easy. I rest, sleep, lie back, and soak in the nutrients and oxygen. The nutrients include the proteins, carbs, and fats delivered from my mother to my blood stream and tissue by way of the capillaries in the placenta (The Blob), to the umbilical cord, then to my tiny body. Before the Blob and Umbilical Cord are formed, I receive these nutrients by way of diffusion, through the Yolk Sac. Did I mention I like the Fats the best! The sugar part of the Carbs is great too! My heart and brain need sugar to carry on.
From the emotional standpoint, I am very excited, and look forward to life on the outside. My mum, on the other hand, has the ‘difficult’ role to play. Emotionally, sometimes she is on a roller coaster. For the most part, she is happy that I am ‘on the way’, but at times she worries about how she will provide for such a small, dependent human, not to mention that this fat, little baby has to pass through that tiny, narrow, ‘magical birth canal’. Watch my favorite video: https://www.choice42.com/videos/. My mum has to work at avoiding ‘poisons’ such as cigarettes and alcohol. Luckily, my mum is a ‘super-taster’, which makes this part easy. For some of my ‘cousins’, however, avoiding these substances and other drugs is very challenging for their mums. Eating for two is not easy, especially concentrating on the healthy foods. Providing nutrition for me takes a great deal of energy, so regular rest periods are important.
Fertilization, Sperm Meets Egg
Day One: “The BIG BANG” - Fertilization - A one-celled Zygote I am, with a full complement of Human DNA, 46 Chromosomes! Dr. Suess described it best: “A person is a person, no matter how small”. No time to rest, I have to begin work - divide and multiply, divide and multiply. Before you know it, I’m a Morula (Mulberry), the dreaded ‘clump of cells’. I embrace this stage, but many people, primarily those who work on my behalf, and support mums through these difficult times, don’t care to use this term. This stage is necessary, and we all pass through it. It is temporary, Day 3 to 4, short-lived, even experienced by such notable people as: Adolf Hitler, Margaret Sanger, Joe Biden, Richard Durbin, and Nancy Pelosi. Back to Math Class, with more division and multiplication, then, voila’… I’m a Blastocyst within the Zona Pellucida! I travel through the fallopian tube, then begin implantation into the uterine wall at Day 6, which is completed around Day 12. About half my embryo ‘cousins’ don’t survive implantation.
Early in the replication of my DNA an assembly rate greater than 208,000 nucleotides per second is required. This is accomplished with an error of only i in a billion nucleotides. If you are not impressed with this feat, I can’t help you! Just after 15 days my stem cells begin (are you ready for a 6 syllable word from a 2 week old embryo?) differentiating into germ layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. The endoderm gives rise to the lining of the respiratory and intestinal tracts, as well as organs, including the lungs, liver, pancreas, and intestine. The mesoderm gives rise to the heart, kidneys, bones, muscles, urinary system, skull, ribs and spine. The ectoderm gives rise to the skin, nails, hair follicles, sweat glands, and nerves to the lungs. The neuroectoderm gives rise to the brain, spinal cord, and nerve endings. It also gives rise to nerves and muscles of the face. My dad and sister have a special facial muscles that I will describe at a later time. The kids enjoy watching these muscles in action!
The two complex systems which develop first are the brain and spinal cord, which are visible at 2 1/2 weeks, then the cardiovascular system with its tubular heart which folds on itself, starts to form various chambers, and begins beating at 3 weeks, one day. Lub Dub! Early blood cells are found in the yolk sac at 3 weeks. Wow, it has been a busy first month. Now it is time to get those nutrients (Oxygen, Protein, Carbs & Fats) flowing. Somebody hand Mum a pork chop and a brownie with ice cream! For the oxygen requirement, encourage my mum to take a deep breath.
I forgot…My family has chosen Rose Michael Bryo for my name. This is in honor of a family friend, Rosa Mystica, St. Michael, several family members, and the beautiful, simple plant found on many things in nature, including trees, rocks and earth’s surface - Moss.
Learn more at: www.ehd.org.
With Love,
Rose M. Bryo
Brain development is complex
Cardiac development is complex
Very early in my life various organs and body parts are identified. Body plan emerges. 1) Midbrain, 2)Fore-
brain, 3) Umbilical Cord, 4) Hindbrain, 5) Neck, 6) Heart, 7) Left Upper Limb Bud. www.ehd.org.