8 Weeks Pregnant: What To Expect?

June 27, 2019

8 Weeks Pregnant: What To Expect?

You’re on the verge of completing two-thirds of your first trimester when you’ve been 8 weeks pregnant. At this point, you may still not be able to flaunt your baby bump, but you will visit the obstetrician and gynecologist for the first time. It may also be recommended to perform an ultrasound scan to determine your pregnancy progress. During the ultrasound scan, you will be able to hear the heartbeat of your baby for the first time!

Baby’s Growth During Pregnancy – Week 8

Substantial progress has been made in your baby since week 7. The baby grows at a rate of almost 1 mm a day. Bone, spinal cord and intestine formation have also started. The retina is beginning to develop its pigment around this time. The embryo looks more defined and you can see where the limbs of your baby are going to be. Your baby would also have started developing a nose, lips, and eyelids. By week 8, the small protrusion in the spine or tail is nearly lost. The heart rate of your baby is 150 to 170 times a minute.

What is the Baby’s Size?

Baby is as big as a raspberry during week 8 of your pregnancy, weighing about.04 ounces and measuring about.63 inches. Every day, the baby grows about a millimeter.

8-weeks Symptoms of Pregnancy

What stinks, wondering? Possibly ANYTHING and ALL. At week eight, your hormones do some wild things, give you a superhuman sense of smell and make your stomach flip-flops. There are a host of pregnancy symptoms that you might experience at eight weeks of pregnancy (don’t get us started on those wacky dreams of pregnancy!) including:

Sore breasts: Your breasts may feel heavier, bigger, and sore, let’s face it. That’s because your breasts ‘ milk-producing lobules are beginning to expand. For a good reason, it’s all: they are preparing for breastfeeding.
Fatigue: #Thestruggleisreal to nap in pregnancy for 8 weeks. What’s the reason? Your body produces more blood for babies as your hormones fluctuate, and your blood pressure and blood sugar levels are lower than pre-pregnancy levels. The best remedy? Get a little more sleep. We know it sounds easier than it really is, but make it your top priority on weekends to get to bed early or sneak into a nap or four.
Morning sickness: At 8 weeks, nausea could be very strong, again related to those hormones of pregnancy. Stay hydrated all day long and graze on healthy snacks. If you experience severe nausea of pregnancy at 8 weeks, keeping food down, let alone eating right, may be tough, so finding options that can actually be key to your stomach. Some moms-to-be swear to help with morning sickness by ginger, vitamin B-6, and acupressure wristbands— all worth a shot.
Heightened sense of smell: Another fun symptom comes along with morning sickness: an unusual sense of smell. Catching a whiff of an offensive odor — maybe something that’s completely harmless or never bothered you before — could trigger nausea, so it’s best to try to avoid the odors that you’ve become sensitive to.
Pregnancy cramps: Cramping is normal at 8 weeks of pregnancy. That’s because as your uterus expands, the ligaments in your abdomen stretch. If you have severe cramping or are worried, let your doctor know.
Constipation: You’re not alone if you’re having trouble going to number two. Constipation occurs to about 50% of us during pregnancy. Drink plenty of water to deal with, eat fiber-rich fruits and veggies, and take lots of walks. If you are still stopped, discuss other remedies with your doctor.
Weird dreams: If you have lively and strange dreams, guess what, during pregnancy, they are completely normal. What causes these dreams are not clear — it could be due in part to new thoughts and anxieties. These days you certainly have a lot in your mind!
Spotting: It may be alarming to find that at 8 weeks pregnant you are spotting because, yes, blood can be a sign of miscarriage.

If you are pregnant with twins for 8 weeks, you may feel extra tired and nauseous as you probably have a higher level of the pregnancy hormones you need to create two babies.

Remember: if you feel nauseated, extra hungry, or extra tired, it’s all because the growth of the baby is overdriven — and because your body still adjusts to all those hormonal changes. Try to remember that it’s going to be worth it. (Especially when you reach the second quarter when the majority of moms bounce back and feel more energized.)

Also, know that at 8 weeks no symptoms of pregnancy are also completely normal. So don’t worry if you still don’t feel too different. We promise — you’ll soon!

8 weeks pregnant belly

Wondering if at this stage your belly is the right size? It’s normal to show a little at 8 weeks pregnant, but it’s not showing too! That’s because it’s different for every mom and child. Know that your uterus is expanding within your 8 weeks of pregnant belly, but it only takes some time to show it outside. If, say, you’re pregnant with twins for 8 weeks, it may be easier to say that you’re pregnant than to say that at this point a singleton mom is waiting.

Your OB will probably start measuring your pregnant belly starting in the second trimester, but size doesn’t really matter for now. In the first trimester, healthy weight gain is about one to two pounds a week, so you may have gained as much as 4 to 6 pounds at 8 weeks of pregnancy. However, if you’ve been dealing with morning sickness, you might have gained nearly nothing— and that’s all right too. If you have any concerns about your weight gain or stomach size, let your doctor know.

8 Weeks Ultrasound

You may have your first prenatal check-up around this time (aka, an appointment for 8 weeks of pregnancy), and if you do, you may get an ultrasound glimpse of your 8-week fetus. Cue the awwws: you might be surprised to see the arms and legs of the baby moving there like crazy. You can’t feel it yet, but it’s actually going on!

Baby’s fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed at week 8 of pregnancy.And his or her tail is gone (yes, there was one). Fun fact: the taste buds of the baby are now being formed, preparing for their first meals.

You’ll probably have your blood drawn at your first prenatal appointment so that your doctor can run tests. Your doctor will want to know your type of blood and whether it is Rh-positive or Rh-negative (because if you are negative and baby-positive, you will need medication to avoid complications). It will also check your hormone levels and levels of red and white blood cells to make sure they are normal. Hepatitis B, STDs, HIV, and certain immunities will also screen your blood.

To check for infections and abnormalities, you will also get a pap smear. And get ready to pee in a cup because you will have to give a urine sample at this appointment — and probably every appointment — so that your glucose and protein levels can be monitored to prevent gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Welcome to your normal news!