Your Baby
At week 9, the beginning of month three, your baby is roughly the size of a cherry. Your little bundle of joy is so tiny that they usually weight only a fraction of an ounce. Your baby is working on developing their muscles. Their head is often the same size of the rest of their body. The brain is growing to help the rest of your baby to grow with it! During this stage, your child’s nerves, organs and muscles are all beginning to function more. The muscle function also means that your baby is also starting to move a little bit. As your baby continues to grow muscle, he or she will be able to move more. Don’t worry if you cannot feel anything yet. But because your baby is so tiny at this stage, most women aren’t able to feel these movements! Your baby’s face is also beginning to form this week. Their cute little nose, lips and eyes are beginning to take shape! At this point, your baby will begin to take on all of his or her parents wonderful features. Even your baby’s eyes are becoming more distinct. They will even begin to develop eyelids to protect their fragile sight but they won’t open their eyes until week 26. Because of the extra development in your baby’s facial features, week 9 also sees your baby’s teeth beginning to form. Of course, most baby’s teeth won’t break through until after they are born. But they actually develop early in your pregnancy. With all of these things developing so quickly, your baby is beginning to get ready to gain some weight. Remember that it is still early. Your baby’s sex organs have developed but you won’t be able to find out the gender for a couple more weeks!
Your Body
By week 9, you will notice that you are beginning to grow. You may not yet have a full bump to show off to family and friends. However, the waistbands on your favorite clothes may start to feel a little bit tight. Don’t be afraid to wear looser clothes. You will feel more comfortable all around. You may also notice that your breasts are growing already. Your bras may also begin to fit improperly. It is not yet time to go out and find a maternity bra. But finding a comfortable and well-fitting bra will help you transition through this stage more comfortably.
Common Symptoms
Before you got pregnant, you saw or heard about morning sickness. Whether you saw it in your own mother or in your friends, it was the one thing that you knew would be certain about pregnancy. Of course, not all women go through morning sickness. But if you’re one of the lucky ones, that morning sickness will be in full swing by now. In addition to that morning sickness, you may notice that your mood is less stable than it was before. This is completely normal. Not only is your life about to change but your hormones are experiencing something completely new for your body. Many women experience the height of their moodiness between weeks six and ten. Just remember that at week 9, you may almost be near the end of it.
Tips for Pregnancy Week 9
Since you’re slowly gaining weight, do not be afraid to begin wearing clothes that put comfort over fit. There is nothing worse than being horrendously nauseous in a tight pair of jeans. Cut yourself some slack! Your body is doing important work. If that means getting a robo vac to help you around the house or call in on favors from friends and family, now is the time to do so!
Things to Do
At this point, it might be time for you to tell your employer that you are pregnant. Of course, this depends on your employer, your job and how comfortable you are. Many women wait until they have reached their second trimester to tell anyone. However, if you are experiencing serious morning sickness or you have any complications, it is better that someone knows why you are so sick. If your sickness warrants outing yourself early, you can speak to your manager and keep the conversation private between the two of you. From here on out, your pregnancy will fly by. This is a good time to begin to set time aside to connect with your baby. Some doctors suggest that you take a few minutes a day to think about your baby. During this quiet time, you can sit quietly and comfortably and put your hands on your stomach. This is a great way to begin to bond with your little one. It will also help you deal with the ups and downs of pregnancy as well as that postpartum adjustment. Week 9 is an amazing week in your pregnancy. While it may not be the most comfortable or exciting of weeks, it is one to treasure! Featured photo credit: Eugene Luchinin via flickr.com
