Pregnancy Guide: Week 9

Your baby is getting stronger this week as his muscles begin to form. It will be a few months still before you can feel him use those tiny muscles. But the muscle that pumps his blood is already beating in full force, and you may be able to hear it on an ultrasound this week. 

The tail has now disappeared, and he looks like a tiny human more and more every day.

9 weeks pregnant is how many months?

You’re in your third month of pregnancy already. Pretty soon, you’ll be through the first trimester and all the exhaustion and nausea that comes with it. You’ll start to show very soon, even though you probably already feel like you’re showing already because of the bloating. Some women can even be feeling cold while pregnant.

Your Baby at 9 Weeks

Your baby will only be an embryo for the next week, and then he’ll be considered a fetus. His ears are beginning to form around the ear canals, making his head look more human. You can see toes now, and all the essential organs are in progress, including the brain, liver, lungs, and kidneys.

The developing muscles are allowing plenty of spontaneous movement, but you can’t feel it just yet. The heart is already developed enough to hear, and if you were to have an ultrasound this week, it would steal yours with its rapid thumps. Sometimes, it’s hard for a handheld doppler to find that tiny organ so soon, but it’s there and working.

How big is a baby at 9 weeks?

Your baby is about the size of a green olive but hold off on the martinis. He is 2.3 centimetres long and weighs about 15 grams.

Your Body at 9 Weeks

You’re now struggling to pick your head up off the pillow every morning, dragging your body through the whole day, and begging to go to bed early every night. This extreme exhaustion is completely normal but may have you feeling like you can’t take another 7 months of this.

There’s a good reason why you’re feeling so tired. Your baby is working hard and growing rapidly, taking a toll on the resources you’re providing. His hormone levels and metabolism have increased dramatically, triggering a decrease in your blood pressure and blood sugar.

Fortunately, you’re almost done with the first trimester and your energy levels will return shortly. Enjoy three months of renewed energy before exhaustion takes another toll in the third trimester. Then your baby will be growing even more rapidly, and it gets heavier to carry.

Your clothes may also be getting tighter, making you feel like you’re about to bust out of them in several places. It’s unlikely that anyone will be able to tell except for you, but that doesn’t make you any less uncomfortable. You may still continue your usual beauty or feel-good routines, such as waxing or manicures.

Staying active is essential, so snack healthily for energy, which will also help combat your continued nausea. You’re likely anxious to start feeding your baby nutritious foods, but with uncontrollable cravings, you may be giving in more than you’d care to admit. Eating small meals more often will help with controlling cravings, curbing hunger, and quelling nausea.

Symptoms

You’re still in the bathroom what feels like 100 times per day, and during the night, which certainly doesn’t help with the exhaustion. At this point, it may be beneficial for you to try going again after you think you’re done. Lean forward to empty your bladder completely and buy yourself a few extra minutes of sleep.

Tiredness is getting the best of you now, and it’s obvious you need to get more sleep, but that seems impossible. Put the computer down and read instead, go to bed earlier, and sleep in for an extra twenty minutes if you can.

Your breasts are larger, and if it weren’t for their tenderness, you might actually be happy with their size. Increased blood flow is preparing them for breastfeeding, but it can make you really uncomfortable all the time. A cotton sports bra may be more comfortable right now than an underwire, and warm or cold compresses help, too.

Small meals can help with extra gas, bloating, saliva, and heartburn. You can also try chewing gum or taking Tums, which will give you some of the extra calcium you need. You may also be dealing with some constipation, which leads to more bloating, so drink plenty of water, eat fruits and vegetables, and try lemon in some hot water first thing when you wake up.

Tips/Things to do

At this point, you may want to talk to your doctor about genetic testing, especially if you’re over the age of 35 or have genetic conditions that run in your family. If your doctor hasn’t mentioned it yet, you are part of a group of women who are at increased risk for several things that can make pregnancy harder or impact your baby.

If you like to sleep on your stomach, that’s probably still fine for now, but when your belly gets too big, you’ll need to roll over. Sleeping on your side is best for baby because sleeping on your back can put too much weight on your spine. Sleeping on your left side increases blood flow and nutrients.

Eat plenty of fibre-rich foods to help you stay regular. Fruits, whole-grains, beans, peas, and vegetables are all good choices. Kiwi has a remarkable laxative effect, too. If you don’t already eat a lot of fibre, increase your intake slowly.

It’s time to start thinking about maternity clothing. You’re too big for normal clothes but too small for maternity clothes, so think about clothing items that will help you get more mileage out of them.

Use a rubber band or a hair tie through the buttonhole of your jeans to get a few more weeks of wear. Don’t zip your bottoms up all the way and wear a longer shirt to cover it. Stretchy tanks are versatile and can last the whole nine months, too. If you invest in some breastfeeding bras and tanks now, you’ll be able to use them much more than you ever anticipated.

About The Author