Week 9

By week nine, your little one is the size of a large green olive, or around an inch in length. The head is more developed and although they’re still webbed, fingers and toes are now visible. Here’s what to expect at nine weeks pregnant.

What’s my baby doing at nine weeks pregnant?

By week nine, all of your baby’s essential organs have started to develop. In a couple of weeks, your baby will officially be referred to as a fetus, and although she’s starting to make tiny arm and leg movements, you won’t feel them for a bit longer.

Right now, your baby’s head is still larger than the body due to all the brain activity that is currently happening. Apart from that, she is looking more and more like a tiny human and has now lost her tail.

If you have an antenatal appointment this week, you might even be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat on a Doppler – a handheld ultrasound device. That said, if you can’t hear a heartbeat it doesn’t mean something is wrong, just that your baby is in a more difficult position.

What’s more, up until this point, although your baby’s chromosones are definitely male or female, the genitals were ‘unisex’. From week nine, he or she will start to form specific male or female genital.

What is my body doing at nine weeks pregnant?

It’s perfectly normal in these first few weeks of pregnancy to feel extremely exhausted, but when you think of the mammoth changes occurring physiologically, mentally and emotionally, is it any wonder you need a lie down? Your body is working around the clock to develop the placenta, but also, pregnancy has increased your metabolism and hormone levels, which in turn lowers your blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Read more about how to tackle that pregnancy fatigue here. If you find yourself snoozing more, try sleeping on your left as this stops your uterus pressing on major blood vessels, allowing more blood to get to your baby.

Common symptoms to look out for:

•        Frequent toilet trips: If you find yourself constantly needing to wee, make sure you lean forwards on the toilet to ensure you’ve fully emptied your bladder. Also, try and wee again once you’ve finished weeing – this can help you get those extra few hours of shut eye.

•        Breast tenderness: As if getting enough sleep wasn’t hard enough, your growing boobs can make getting comfy that little bit harder! It’s perfectly normal for your breasts to feel ultrasensitive at this time, so try sleeping with a sports bra on and see if it helps.

•        Bloating and gas: One you probably won’t want to talk to your doctor about, feeling gassy is another very common symptom. If you’re worried about keeping this to a minimum, try smaller meals which won’t overload your digestive system.

What you should be doing this week

•        Keep snacking: Rest assured your tiny baby is getting everything she needs, and focus on smaller meals throughout the day. This can help with morning sickness and keeping your blood sugar levels up.

•        Buy a box of Rennies: Antacids are safe to take during pregnancy and can help with that awful heartburn.

•        Talk to your doctor: If you’re older than 35 or have any genetic conditions, now is the time to talk to your doctor about common genetic tests. These can be performed between 10 and 13 weeks.

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