Pregnancy Guide: Week 8

Your baby’s retinas are beginning to form, but you won’t know your baby’s eye colour for a long time. Most babies are born with blue eyes, and their eye colour can change for up to a year after they are born, so there’s a lot of potential there.

Your baby’s gender-specific parts are developing right now, but you won’t know what that is until later. It’s too early to tell, just know they’re in the works. 

By the end of this week, the development of all the body systems and essential organs would have begun.

Your baby is growing at an alarming rate. They have almost doubled in size already, but every baby grows differently. It’s hard to know at this point where this growth is happening. 

It could simply be in height, but it could also happen in the arms, legs, head, or back. Big changes will continue to come in the next several months.

8 weeks pregnant is how many months?

You are officially 2 months pregnant. You only have 7 months to go. You’re still in the first trimester, which is the hardest to get through, so hang in there, because it’s almost over.

Your Baby at 8 Weeks

A lot is changing now. Your baby has eyelids, lips, and a nose. She still has webbed feet and hands, but the toes and fingers are starting to separate. The tail is almost gone, too. You can see the formation of an upper lip, a tiny button nose, and thin eyelids.

The heart is already going at between 150 and 170 beats per minute, compared to just 110 times per minute a few weeks ago. You can’t feel her movements yet, but she’s making them. She can twitch her arms and legs now. 

As your baby grows, her home is growing, too.

How big is a baby at 8 weeks?

Your baby is now the size of a raspberry. She has doubled her size from last week, which is pretty remarkable. She is 1.6 centimetres long and weighs less than 15 grams.

Your Body at 8 Weeks

You’re likely still experiencing morning sickness, and while you aren’t showing, your pants may start to feel a little tight due to the rapidly increasing size of your uterus. While it’s still only the size of a grapefruit, it’s much bigger than the size of a fist.

Pregnancy can cause constipation, too, so the fruit will help keep you regular. It contains plenty of the vitamins and nutrients you need right now, plus it will stand in for the vegetables you are having an aversion to in these first few weeks.

Symptoms

You are feeling more tired than ever now, and you may be ready for this pregnancy to be over already. Don’t worry. By the second trimester, you’ll get your second wind. 

In the meantime, ask for help from your partner, family, and friends.

The nausea isn’t over yet, but ginger and vitamin B6 can help if you’ve gotten to the point where you can no longer stand your upset stomach. Check with your doctor about vitamin B6 supplements that could help you get some relief.

You may notice something else that’s new this week, in the way of a milky vaginal discharge. It’s one of the more unpleasant pregnancy symptoms, but it’s there for a reason. It provides protection against infection and helps maintain healthy bacteria, so don’t try to wash it away.

You may still be bloated and gassy or feel like you’re showing more than you really are because of it. You’re producing a lot of relaxin, which is a hormone that relaxes the muscles in your body. It’s vital to your pregnancy because it allows your muscles to stretch, accommodating a rapidly growing baby. 

Of course, that also means that food moves more slowly and causes gas and indigestion.

Your constipation is normal now, too, so be sure you get enough fibre. Balance your diet to ensure you still get the protein and vitamins you need, so you don’t go overboard on the fibre and cause more indigestion.

Your cravings may still be in full force, but if you start to crave laundry starch or clay, contact your doctor. It could be a sign of an iron deficiency.

Tips/Things to do

If you’re experiencing headaches, that’s also normal. It comes with increased blood flow, but that doesn’t make it fun to deal with. Talk with your doctor about your options for pain medication that’s safe for the baby.

Start adding squats or ab exercises to your workout routine. It can strengthen and tone your thighs which will help baby descend during labour. Every little bit helps.

Pregnant women commonly experience melasma, which are dark spots on the skin. It can make freckles or moles look darker. You may also develop a dark line running down the middle of your stomach, which is called the linea nigra. You can eliminate some of this by using sunscreen.

Watch your weight…climb! We’re not talking about going on a diet, but it is important to keep track of the weight you gain. You won’t gain much in the first trimester, but your weight gain will pick up in the coming months.

Exercise is still important, but if you’ve taken some time off due to morning sickness or exhaustion, ease yourself back in. Don’t overdo it. A brisk walk is enough to get your heart pumping and get you ready for a nap. 

Slowly increase your workout every week as you feel comfortable.

Eat what you can handle. You may be anxious to feed your baby the best, but your tender appetite is in no position to handle big meals or the things that sound appalling. Eat small meals more often and keep them bland.

Healthy carbs will give you the energy you need and nourish your baby, so eat things like fruit, crackers, cereal, whole-grain bread, beans, and baked potatoes. Carbs aren’t all bad, as long as you don’t load up on sugar and skip the healthy stuff.

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