Week by week pregnancy guide: 9 weeks pregnant
Find out how your baby's developing
Your bra is bulging, your feel sick and your baby's only the size of a jelly bean. Welcome to being 9 weeks pregnant. But fear not, help is at hand...
Greasy hair? Acne? Sickness? Sore boobs? Fatigue? The 1st trimester of pregnancy isn't always fun, but find out the good news about how your baby's developing (while you suffer!) Here's what's occurring when you're 9 weeks pregnant...
Symptoms at 9 weeks pregnant
You may find that your waistbands start feeling a bit tight, but this is probably more to do with bloating than an expanding baby belly. Your bra may start to feel a bit snug, too, while morning sickness, mood swings and pregnancy fatigue may continue to leave you feeling drained and miserable.
It's hardly surprising, therefore, that most women whole-heartedly agree that the first trimester is the hardest. To compound matters, acne and greasy hair can become a daily challenge and you may feel like you've regressed into the hormone hell of your teenage years. The good news is that you're almost through the worst of it. The second trimester is in sight and from 12 weeks onwards you should start to feel more like your old self again.
Pregnancy does weird things to some people. If you find yourself chomping on charcoal or munching on mothballs then you're one of the tiny number of women suffering from extreme non-food cravings known as pica. Fortunately, most mums-to-be simply develop a craving for ice cream or pickled gherkins.
Sadly, during this early stage of pregnancy it is very common to experience a miscarriage. Around 15 to 20 per cent of pregnancies end in miscarriage and more than 80 per cent of those occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It's important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of miscarriage.
Fetal development at 9 weeks pregnant
Your baby's now 18mm long, around the size of a jelly baby and is looking more like a little human. Nipples and hair follicles begin to form and the earliest beginnings of pointy elbows and tiny toes are just visible.
GoodtoKnow Newsletter
Parenting advice, hot topics, best buys and family finance tips delivered straight to your inbox.
All essential organs have at least begun to form and their heart has now divided into four chambers. Their face is slowly forming. Their eyes are more obvious and have some colour in them although the eyelids will stay shut until Week 27. Their little mouth has a tongue and even tiny taste buds.
Changes to consider at 9 weeks pregnant
This may be the week in which you have your dating scan. However, if you've chosen to have a nuchal scan to screen for Down's syndrome then they may wait and date your pregnancy at the same time rather than having two separate scans. Nuchal scans can be carried out between weeks 11 and 14. Your booking-in appointment may be scheduled for this week.
Health professionals recommend that you have your first bra fitting towards the end of the first trimester, usually between eight weeks and 10 weeks. A good maternity bra has wide shoulder straps, support panels, and adjustable back fastenings.
Stephanie Lowe is Family Editor at GoodToKnow covering all things parenting, pregnancy and more. She has over 13 years' experience as a digital journalist with a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to all things family and lifestyle. Stephanie lives in Kent with her husband and son, Ted. Just keeping on top of school emails/fund raisers/non-uniform days/packed lunches is her second full time job.
-
Is TikTok safe for kids and teenagers? Experts reveal what parents really need to know about the popular video platform
Parents are concerned about the safety of children using social media, so we've done some digging and asked the experts to explain if TikTok is safe for kids.
By Ellie Hutchings Published
-
Girls with gender-neutral baby names are more likely to succeed in traditionally 'male-dominated' careers, research says - would you choose a unisex moniker?
Babies called Alex, Billie and Cameron could be set for successful careers, as research finds girls with gender-neutral baby names are more likely to excel in male-dominated fields
By Ellie Hutchings Published
-
Pregnancy week by week guide
Everything you need to know when you're expecting
By Stephanie Lowe Published
-
Week by week pregnancy guide: 32 weeks pregnant
Your baby is starting to grow very fast...
By Stephanie Lowe Published
-
Week by week pregnancy guide: 33 weeks pregnant
Everything you need to know about being 33 weeks pregnant
By Stephanie Lowe Published
-
Week by week pregnancy guide: 30 weeks pregnant
Here's everything you need to know...
By Rosie Conroy Published
-
Week by week pregnancy guide: 11 weeks pregnant
PLUS, how your baby is developing!
By Stephanie Lowe Published
-
Pregnancy calendar: Your pregnancy timeline
Just found out you're pregnant? Don't miss out on any important milestones with our guide...
By GoodtoKnow Published
-
Week by week pregnancy guide: 16 weeks pregnant
Including your baby's development...
By Stephanie Lowe Published
-
Week by week pregnancy guide: 18 weeks pregnant
All the facts in one place...
By Stephanie Lowe Published