Pregnancy week 9: Your week by week pregnancy guide

Your baby is now officially a foetus, but it’s still too early to feel any of his/her movements. But believe us, your baby’s very active inside mummy’s womb. Meantime, mummy is still battling with morning sickness and mood swings. Read on to find out more about the changes and developments you and your baby are experiencing this pregnancy week 9. 

How Big is Your Baby?

The size of a longan fruit, your baby is now 2.3-3 centimetres in length and weighing 1.9-3.5 grams. 

Image by 澍 龙 from Pixabay

Your Baby’s Development

In this week by week pregnancy guide, you’ll learn that:

• Your little one is no longer an embryo but a foetus—yes, a living, breathing, growing baby in your womb.
• Facial features are forming quickly. He/she looks less like a tadpole and more like a person. The head and neck are more erect and show up during the scans.
• Your baby’s heartbeat is detectable through ultrasound. His/her heart has finished dividing into four chambers and the valves are beginning to form.
• Other organs such as the liver and spleen are developing.
• Nipples and hair follicles are forming.
• The embryonic tail at the bottom of the spinal cord is completely gone at pregnancy week 9.
• This little one might get caught in action during ultrasounds, too, moving his/her arms and legs. But it’s still too early to feel movements yet.

Pregnancy Symptoms

• Morning sickness hits you all day long! Whoever termed it as “morning sickness” just didn’t get it right. Some of us sail through the first trimester with nary a sign (Lucky you!). But take heart, there are ways to beat the nausea.
• Fatigue, backaches, inability to focus, loss of appetite, or maybe even weight loss (Yes, it’s possible!) may have taken over, as your body adjusts to the new baby developing within.
• Your mood swings are likely to be in full swing at pregnancy week 9.

Pregnancy Care

• Your gynaecologist might have prescribed some prenatal vitamins such as folate and multivitamins for you to help your body cope with the additional nutrient requirements for your growing baby. So one of the best takeaways in this week by week pregnancy guide is to have smaller frequent healthy meals instead of three large meals, so it is easier on your stomach.
• As bland as it might be, water is key to staying hydrated, especially if you have been throwing up. Down juices if tasteless water makes you nauseated, or go for healthy soups or isotonic drinks to replenish lost electrolytes. Severe nausea should be highlighted to your gynaecologist. In cases of dehydration, patients may be put on an IV drip, so let’s stay water-balanced.

Your Checklist

• You may experience some bloating around the abdomen, and that’s completely normal. Consider wearing loose-fitting clothes or dresses if your usual pants are sinking into your waistline. Go ahead and shop if you must—it may be the best therapy to keep things off certain discomforts you may be feeling.
• You may start thinking about your maternity leave. Look at your company handbook to check out the policy.

Your next week: 10 weeks pregnant

Your previous week: 8 weeks pregnant

Do you have questions on this week by week pregnancy guide? What are your current concerns, mums? Leave us a comment below!