You’re reaching the end of your second month of pregnancy! That’s two down; only seven more months to go. At this point, you’ll still be adjusting to the changes in your body as well as your life. Here’s what you should expect this week.
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How Big Is My Baby?
At week 8, your baby is about 0.5 to 0.6 inches long. For comparison’s sake, that’s about the size of a raspberry. How sweet! But don’t just consider the length of your baby. At this point, they can have growth spurts in certain parts of their body such as the arms, back, and neck. Thus, it can be quite difficult to estimate just how big your baby is.
Around this time, your baby will be growing about a millimeter per day.
My Baby’s Development
Great news: from here on, your baby’s going to start looking more like an actual human baby than a tiny baby reptile. Their tail—yes, the tail—will be just about gone. Their fingers and toes, although webbed, will look more defined by now.
They’ll have thin eyelids that almost cover their eyes, and breathing tubes will grow to connect to their developing lungs. What’s also exciting is that during this week, they’ll start to form their tiny lips and their button nose. Not only that, but they’ll also be developing taste buds by now. Yum!
What Is My Baby Doing?
Things are getting exciting for your baby too. They’ll be moving around like they’re dancing. However, don’t expect to feel movement until much later into your term.
Belly Ultrasound
Week 8 is usually when most moms go to their first prenatal appointment. Here, you’ll be able to see your baby on the ultrasound. Cue the sentimental music: you’ll be able to hear, and even see, your baby’s heartbeat.
My Changing Body – Week 8
If you’re wondering if you’ll have a baby bump at eight weeks, we don’t have a clear-cut answer for that. Every woman’s body is different. Some will start to show by now, while others can still keep it incognito. However, a bump may be more noticeable if you’re carrying twins or triplets.
As for your weight, it’s healthy to have put on about four to six pounds by the eighth week. During the first trimester, it’s still healthy to put on about one to two pounds per week. Don’t stress out too much if you aren’t gaining so much weight. Check with your doctor for any concerns.
Also, you might want to consider shopping for a new bra. At eight weeks, your hormones levels are still on the rise, and this may lead to breast growth to prepare your body for lactation.
Common Symptoms
You may not look 8 weeks pregnant on the outside yet, but we assure you: you’ll feel pregnant on the inside. Brace yourself for the following symptoms:
- A Heightened Sense of Smell: You can start telling people you’re a superhero—as most moms are anyway—because you’ll have a better sense of smell at this point. It can be bad if you catch a whiff of something foul and trigger your nausea. To avoid such, some moms will even scratch orange peels with their nails to have something pleasant to sniff on.
- Morning Sickness: Just like in the past weeks, nausea can still be pretty bad at this point. Make sure always to hydrate yourself.
- Cramps: If you feel your abdomen cramping, don’t worry: this is normal as your uterus is expanding to make room for the bun in your oven.
- Sore Breasts: As mentioned earlier, your breasts may grow in size and may start to feel sore as you prepare to breastfeed.
- Fatigue: Sleep will be your friend this week as you feel more fatigued. You may feel restless and tired because of hormones, lowered blood sugar levels, and change in blood pressure.
- Odd Dreams: Mr. Sandman is going to be pretty creative this week. It’s not clear what exactly the causes of these are, but you can expect to get some vivid and odd dreams when you sleep.
How Is My Life Changing?
Because most moms have their first prenatal appointment at week 8, things can get pretty emotional. This is the time when many women come to terms with the fact that they’re going to be a mother soon. It may also be the time that you decide to break the news to family and friends officially.
Week 8 Mommy Checklist
For this week, set these goals for yourself:
- If you haven’t done it yet, attend your first prenatal appointment and set your next one for week 12.
- Find out what activities you have to avoid (e.g., no more hot tubs).
- Decide on how you’ll share your big news if you haven’t. At this time, family and friends might already have a hunch about your pregnancy.
Tips For The Partners
Pregnancy is an experience shared by you, your baby, and your partner. While things may be tough for you, it can also be difficult for your loved one. Here are some tips to help them out:
- Be there for her first prenatal appointment.
- Brace yourself for mood swings. Try to be more patient and don’t fight the changes in her mood.
- Take responsibility for caring for your pets, if you have any. Expecting moms may be worried about toxoplasmosis which is a parasitic disease usually caused by pets.
A Sneak Peek to Your Week 9
Week 9 will be the start of your third month of pregnancy. This time will be the last week you’ll be calling your baby an embryo. From then on, they’ll officially be a fetus. Your baby will continue to grow, and you’ll be able to hear their heartbeat more clearly. While you won’t be feeling any kicks yet, your little one’s muscles will start to form during this week.
You may also have shared your happy news by now, so get ready for some tears of joy!
