8 WEEKS PREGNANT

At 8 weeks pregnant, you’re wrapping up your second month of pregnancy. And while you may not be showing yet, being pregnant is probably finally starting to feel real to you; like most women, Your baby is growing and this week, she’ll start to get her eye colour! Here’s everything you can expect in your body and your baby to be doing in your eighth week of pregnancy.

Your Growing Baby

Your baby is growing about 1mm a day, about the size of a grape. Brainwave activity starts. The length of your baby is about ½ inches, weighs about 0.4 ounces and measures about 63 inches. Fingers and toes begin to form and are webbed. You baby lungs, ears, eyes, upper lip and nose start to form. The body is beginning to straighten, and subtle movements begin.

8 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS

At 8 weeks, your hormones are doing some wild things like making everything smell real bad. At this point, there are a lot of pregnancy symptoms you could experience. Below are the symptoms:

Spotting. Yes, blood at 8 weeks can be a sign of miscarriage. But there are some other causes of spotting in the first trimester, including sex (since your cervix may be more sensitive these days). Let your doctor know, so she can rule out any problems.

Fatigue. Don’t fret when you struggle with always feeling to nap at 8 weeks pregnant. Why? As your hormones rage, your body produces more blood for baby, and your blood pressure and blood sugar levels are lower than they were pre-pregnancy. To solve this, Get more sleep. We know it sounds easier than it really is, but make it your number one priority to get to bed early or to sneak in a nap or four on the weekends.

Morning sickness. Nausea could be really strong at 8 weeks, again related to those pregnancy hormones. Stay hydrated and take healthy snacks throughout the day. It might be tough to keep food down if you are experiencing serious nausea. In this case, you need to find options you can stomach. Remember to check in with your medic whenever you feel the nudge.

Sore breasts. Your breasts may become sore, heavy and bigger because milk-producing lobules in your breasts are starting to expand. It’s all for a good reason as they’re preparing for breastfeeding.

Heightened sense of smell. Along with morning sickness comes the high sense of smell. Catching the smell of something that never bothered you before pregnancy could trigger nausea, so it’s best to try to avoid the smells you’ve become sensitive to.

Constipation. Constipation during pregnancy happens to about 50 percent of us. To take of this, drink lots of water, eat fiber-rich fruits and veggies, and take lots of walks. If you’re still constipated after doing all of these, talk to your doctor about other remedies.

Pregnancy cramps. At 8 weeks pregnant, cramping is normal. That’s because the ligaments in your abdomen are stretching as your uterus expands. If your cramping is severe or you’re worried in any way, let your doctor know.

Weird dreams. If you’re having strange dreams, guess what, they’re totally normal throughout pregnancy. It’s not clear what causes these dreams but you have probably been filled with thoughts and anxiety.

Note that if you are having no pregnancy symptoms at 8 weeks, it is totally normal too. So don’t worry if you’re not feeling too different yet.

8 WEEKS PREGNANT BELLY

Wondering if your belly is the right size at this stage? At 8 weeks pregnant, showing a bit is normal, but not showing is too! That’s because every mom and baby are different. Know that inside your 8 weeks pregnant belly, your uterus is expanding, but it just takes longer for some to show it on the outside. If, say, you’re 8 weeks pregnant with twins, it may be easier to tell you’re pregnant than it is to tell a singleton mom is expecting at this point.

8 WEEKS PREGNANT ULTRASOUND

You might have your first prenatal checkup around this at 8 weeks. If you do, you may get to catch a glimpse of your 8-week fetus on the ultrasound.

At week 8 of pregnancy, baby’s fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed, and his or her tail is gone.

At your first prenatal appointment, you’ll likely have your blood drawn so your doctor can run tests. Your doctor will want to know your blood type and whether it’s Rh positive or negative (because if you’re negative and baby’s positive, you’ll need medication to prevent complications). Your hormone levels and red and white blood cell levels will also be checked to be sure they’re normal. Your blood will also be screened for Hepatitis B, STDs, HIV, and certain immunities.

You’ll also get a pap smear to check for infections and abnormalities and a urine test so your glucose and protein levels can be monitored to rule out gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, respectively.

PREGNANCY To-Do LIST AT 8 WEEKS PREGNANT

Eat balanced diet

Attend prenatal class

Ensure you see your doctor when necessary.

SEE ALSO: WEEK1 &WEEK2, WEEK3, WEEk4, WEEK5, WEEK6, WEEK7