Your Pregnancy Week 8

Week 8 - First Trimester
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Your Baby

Your baby has a face! Your baby's features are becoming more obvious, as his lips, tongue and nostrils, as well as the buds for 20 baby teeth are already present. The back muscles are growing along the spinal column, and his or her reproductive organs have started to form and soon will become either testes or ovaries. The arms and legs are growing and elbows and knees appear as well. The fingers and toes are starting to show but are still webbed. Your baby is about 8 - 11 mm or 0.31 - 0.43 inches in length.

The process of ossification (hardening of the bones) begins as the bones of the fingers and toes have already reached the first joint. Your baby is already getting smarter as his brain continues to develop and grow. Your baby is starting to show signs of reflex activity - an automatic response to certain types of stimuli Connecting you and your baby, the umbilical cord with all its blood vessels, is starting to function. In fact, what will be your baby's intestine is forming in the umbilical cord as well. An ultrasound done this week would show your baby's fluttering heart and reflex movements.

This time next year your baby will be 20 Weeks Old!.

Can you believe it? Time flies so fast! Be sure you start chronicling these memories now by creating your free pregnancy & baby journal today!

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Your Body

By now you may have missed your second period and you have probably made an appointment with your healthcare provider to confirm what you may already know. At your first office visit your healthcare provider will do several tests to ensure you and your baby's health. These included a family and pregnancy history, urine test (for pregnancy hormone, protein, blood, and infection), a blood test (for iron levels, Rh factor, and immunities), a baseline weight and blood pressure, and a pelvic exam (to determine size of uterus and the size/color of cervix).

Your caregiver may also wish to do a pap smear now or wait until you are further along. While this visit will take a little longer, following visits will not. If this is your first pregnancy you are probably not showing yet. However, if this is your second or more, you may find yourself with a small roundness to your belly. This is because your other pregnancies have loosened those muscles, allowing the uterus to protrude sooner then before.

Once your pregnancy is confirmed there are some things you will want to keep in mind. You should not change the cat litter (due to risk of toxoplasmosis, which can cause genetic defects in your baby), and you should decrease your caffeine intake, increase your calcium intake, and rest when you can.

Pregnancy Symptoms You May Experience

Breast Changes: tenderness, fullness, darkening of the areola
Frequent Urination
Fatigue
Morning Sickness
Constipation
Heartburn or Indigestion
Headaches

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Your pregnancy is determined from the date of last menstral period, not date of conception. Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It is not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may recieve from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.

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