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Tara L. Kuther

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Looking down at his newborn daughter’s face, Remmy said admiringly, “Carla looks just like you.” His wife, Darla, replied, “That’s what my mother said.” “I’m in awe,” said Remmy. “Less than a year ago we decided to start a family and now, seemingly overnight, here she is. It’s magical—over a few short months, this little person popped into existence from pixie dust!” Darla laughed and protested, “My baby girl was never pixie dust!”

Remmy’s silly observation describes the dramatic process of prenatal development. Over 9 months, a single cell transforms and grows into a neonate, a newborn. Every infant is born with a unique set of characteristics that reflect the genetic makeup of both parents. In this chapter, we discuss the process of how prenatal development unfolds, how a baby is born, and what the newborn baby is like.