Week 9: 31 weeks to go!

What is happening to your baby:
The following changes happen this week:

• Your baby weighs about 1gram.
• Your baby will move if touched through the wall of the uterus.
• Cartilage and bones begin to form.
• The tongue begins to develop.
• The development of the eyes is well underway and eyelids appear.
• All organs, nerves and muscles are beginning to function.
• The hands are bent at the wrist.
• The intestines start to move out of the umbilical cord and into the abdomen.
• The feet begin to lose their webbed appearance.
• The fingers and thumb appear.

What is happening to you:

• Your breasts have become fuller and may feel very sensitive.
• You may find that you cannot fit into your clothes any longer as your waistline expands.
• Heartburn becomes a problem.
• There is an increase in the volume of blood in your body. This will improve your skin, but can soften your gums. Good dental hygiene is therefore especially important.
• Your heart will be pumping this extra blood around your body, causing your temperature to rise.
• You may have nose-bleeds which are common in pregnancy.

What to do:

• Buy a good supportive bra – you may want to wear it at when you sleep.
• Start shopping for maternity clothes, or better still, borrow second-hand clothes from friends and relatives.
• Follow our tips on how to relieve heartburn in the section: Common Concerns.