Mom’s Tip of the Week 8
Did you know ... ?
Your uterus has now expanded to the size of a grapefruit. While most people won’t notice you’re pregnant yet, you may feel your clothes getting a bit tighter, so prepare to start shopping for maternity clothing.
Your Baby at 8 Weeks Pregnant
What’s Happening in There
- Your baby at 8 weeks is growing and straightening out. She’s about the size of a large raspberry this week. Her arms and legs are lengthening, her trunk is starting to straighten from its C shape, and her tiny fingers and toes are forming.
- Her heart is pumping hard. In fact, it’s beating an amazing 150 times per minute, which is up to twice as fast as your heart beats.
- Leaps in motor development occur about now. Your baby may begin to move her trunk and little limbs and even flex her wrists, though she’s too small for you to feel those movements.
- Her facial features are coming along nicely. Your baby’s eyes are now visible (due to the pigment, which is the color, in the retina). Also, her ears, lips, and nose are shaping up, becoming more identifiable.
- Her organs are making great gains. Your baby’s lungs are forming. Her intestines are growing rapidly, too. In fact, there is not enough room for them in her abdomen, so they are protruding into the umbilical cord, which is perfectly normal at this stage.
Baby Brain Waves
Your Baby’s Brain Is Developing
This week is when the cerebral cortex—responsible for higher order functions, such as information processing—begins to form. When you are 8 weeks pregnant, the neurons (brain cells) that are multiplying inside your baby’s brain and nervous system are already forming synapses, or connections.
Pregnancy Symptoms
Real Issues, Real Solutions
The issue: As early as week 8, you might feel some tweaks and twinges in your lower back.
The solution: Simply being aware of maintaining good posture among other tricks can help ease, or even prevent, back pain.
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