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8 Weeks Pregnant

Length of baby: 1.6cm (16mm)
Weight of baby: 1.13g
At week 8, your baby’s eyelids now cover it’s eyes, and breathing tubes extend to the developing lungs, while it’s tail is now gone.

8 WEEKS PREGNANT

Wow time flies, and you’re now officially two months pregnant. At this stage, you may notice your bra getting tighter as your body gets your breast ready for lactation.

Your breasts will continue to grow during pregnancy, and don’t be alarmed if they go up by one or two cup sizes by the end of it.

As for your baby bump, it might or might not be showing just as yet, but your pregnancy symptoms should remind you that you are carrying a little one inside you.

Your first prenatal appointment should be anytime now, and your Doctor may perform an early ultrasound to determine how far along you are.

It’s a bonus if you can hear the baby’s heartbeat!

 

8 WEEKS BABY SIZE

How big is baby at 8 weeks? Your baby is now about the size of a raspberry, or about 16mm (1.6cm) big. The current weight of your baby is about 1.13grams.

 

8 WEEKS PREGNANT WEIGHT GAIN

You are still in your first trimester, so you do not need to gain much weight. By the end of the first trimester (week 12), you should be expected to gain anywhere between 0.5kg to 2kg. 

 

8 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS

Oh boy, those pregnancy symptoms are hitting you hard right now (unless you’re one of the luckier ones). Many things smell funky, food taste funny, making you nauseous for absolutely no reason.

At week 8 of pregnancy, there are many pregnancy symptoms you could be experiencing, including the following:

  • Frequent Urination. Your womb is now twice the normal size, and is pressing against your bladder. This causes you to need to go to the toilet more frequently, but don’t skip on the water because the last thing you want is to become dehydrated.
  • Fatigue. These days you just have no energy no matter what you do. Your body is currently working hard producing more blood for your baby, and at the same time the rise in pregnancy hormone progesterone is contributing to your fatigue. The best fix is to really to try to get more rest. Though sometimes it can be hard (trust us, we’ve been there)with all the other symptoms such as constant visits to the toilet or nausea, do try to get as much rest as possible.
  • Sore and bigger breasts. Your breasts are getting bigger as your body prepares them to breast feed your baby. Your breasts also feel sore as the milk producing lobules are starting to expand.
  • Morning Sickness. Nausea and vomiting is still going on strong as you are in the middle of your first trimester. If you are experiencing severe nausea, it can be tough to keep your food in your stomach, so finding alternatives that you can stomach is key. Do be open minded to trying out different foods.
  • Cramps. Your pregnancy cramps at week 8 is perfectly normal. This is because your uterus is expanding and the ligaments in your abdomen are stretching out. However if you are experiencing extreme cramps or if you feel something is amiss, inform your Doctor right away.
  • Spotting. About twenty five percent of women will experience spotting during the first trimester. But yes, blood can be a sign of a miscarriage. However there are other causes of spotting during a pregnancy. Do share this with your Doctor so that he or she can rule out any potential pregnancy problems.
  • Constipation. Having a problem doing the number 2 happens to about fifty percent of pregnant mums. Do take high fibre food and drinks lots of water to counter this problem.

If you are having a hard time coping with the symptoms, think on the bright side, that you’re a strong mummy, doing your best for the little one inside. Besides, these symptoms will not last and will start to subside sooner than you think! So hang in there mummy!  

And for the lucky ones, having no pregnancy symptoms at week 8 is normal as well. Don’t fret if you do not have any symptoms, ensure that you are eating healthily and resting sufficiently. 

 

At 8 weeks pregnant, you may or may not have a baby bump yet. But do remember to go for your first prenatal appointment this week!

 

8 WEEKS THE PREGNANT BELLY

What size should an 8 week pregnant belly be?

At this stage, most women would still not have a baby bump, while some would have a tiny bump showing.

Do remember that every pregnancy is different as babies grow at a different rate.

As your bump isn’t quite showing, don’t expect anyone to give up their seat for you on the MRT or bus (yet), so it is important to keep yourself safe and hold onto the handrails at all times when taking the public transport. 

 

HOW IS MY BABY 8 WEEKS PREGNANT?

Things are going to get exciting this week for your baby as his or her hands and feet are developing webbed fingers and toes.

If your doctor performs an ultrasound this week, you might see your baby’s arms and legs moving around in there (though you probably won’t feel it).

Your baby’s eyelids now cover his or her eyes, and breathing tubes extend to the developing lungs, while the tail is now gone.

The taste buds are also now forming to prepare for his or her first meal.

As excited as you are to learn of the gender of the baby, external genitals have not yet developed so you might have to be a little patient.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST PRENATAL APPOINTMENT

You should be excited as you head to the Doctor’s for your first prenatal appointment. You will be offered a range of tests to determine if you and the baby are healthy.

Some tests include a simple blood tests, while others are slightly more invasive. First trimester screening will let you know the odds of your baby having Down Syndrome and other conditions.

The Doctor will also check if your blood type is Rhesus (Rh) positive or negative (because if you are negative and the baby is positive, you will need medication).

In addition, your hormone levels and red and white blood cell count will also be screened. To ensure you are healthy, the doctor will also check for Hepatitis B, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV and certain immunities.

In addition, your doctor will also give you a pap smear to check for infections and other abnormalities.

Many tests are only for screening purposes and will give you a sense of the risk for certain conditions. Should the tests be found to contain a high risk, you will then have to proceed for a more invasive diagnostic test.

Never be shy about asking should you be unsure about the tests that are conducted on you. Afterall, you’re the mummy and you have every right to know about anything concerning you and your little one.

 

WHAT TO DO AT 8 WEEKS PREGNANT

Reminders for the week:

  • Schedule your week 12 prenatal visit
  • Do not perform activities which are a big no-no such as contact sports
  • Think of how you are going to break the news to friends and family