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Your pregnancy at 8 weeks

How does your stomach feel at 8 weeks pregnant?

How does your stomach feel at 8 weeks pregnant?

During week 8 of pregnancy, your baby is growing rapidly in all directions at a rate of one millimeter per day and has started to move.

Your pregnancy at 8 weeks

The vital organ systems are continuing to grow.

Your little boy or girl is now also able to begin using your uterus as a swimming pool, as the amniotic fluid increases every week by about 2 tablespoons.

This article is one of a series on pregnancy. You can find out what is happening at each stage of your pregnancy, what to expect, and insights into how your baby is developing.

Symptoms

At this stage, there are still few, if any, visible physical body changes for you.

However, your baby needs more and more support from your body, so your blood volume has increased. At week 8, your heart is pumping 50 percent more blood per minute than before you conceived.

You may begin or continue to experience symptoms such as:

  • nausea and vomiting, or “morning sickness“
  • moodiness
  • weight gain or loss
  • bloating, gas, and constipation
  • increased sense of smell
  • sensitivity to those intense smells
  • excess saliva
  • food aversions and cravings
  • indigestion and heartburn
  • need to urinate more frequently
  • fatigue
  • increase in vaginal discharge
  • mild pelvic cramping
  • occasional vaginal spotting
  • breast changes such as enlargement, tenderness, tingling, nipple erection, nipple sensitivity, darkening areola
  • areolar bumps, which are actually sweat glands, known as Montgomery tubercles

Vaginal discharge

This thin, milky vaginal discharge, called leucorrhea, is a good sign. Your body is taking instinctual steps in protecting your birth canal from infection and protecting its natural bacterial environment.

The vagina needs a harmonious balance of good and bad bacteria to remain healthy and free of infection.

If you are concerned about a discharge or any other symptom, ask your health provider about it.

Your hormones

Hormonal changes mean that there is increased blood flow through your body.

This is necessary to enable the baby to grow, but if blood collects in weaker parts of the blood vessels, it can lead to bulges known as varicose veins.

This often starts to occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Varicose veins can appear:

  • in the legs
  • around the rectum, where they are known as hemorrhoids or piles
  • around the genital area

Varicose veins sometimes cause discomfort. The legs may ache and feel heavy, and the skin around the vein may feel itchy or as if it is throbbing or burning.

To reduce the risk and impact of varicose veins, try to:

  • avoid standing still all day, if possible
  • avoid crossing your legs when sitting
  • put your feet up above the level of your heart whenever possible
  • get regular, moderate exercise, for example, walking
  • maintain a healthy weight

Compression socks for pregnancy are available for purchase online. Your health provider can advise you about using these.

Baby development

At 8 weeks pregnant, there are many changes in your baby’s development.

These include:

  • Eyes: The eyes are now visible parts of the face, with eye folds forming. In addition to external eye developments, the retina is now pigmented.
  • Ears: The external ear has completed forming.
  • Face and mouth: The upper lip and nose have formed, fusion of the palate bone occurs, and taste buds form.
  • Heart: The heart is now beating at about 140 to 170 beats per minute.
  • Limbs: The limbs continue to develop, as the arms and legs become longer. The fingers and toes now having a distinct appearance
  • Body: The head becomes erect and rounded.
  • Trunk: The trunk begins to straighten. The neural tube has completely formed, and cartilage is now becoming bone.
  • Abdomen and pelvis: Intestines begin to move from the umbilical cord to the body. The external genitalia remain unrecognizable.

Your baby is now the size of a raspberry and measures about half an inch.

Things to do

Your task list is growing. If you have not done so, make sure that you schedule your prenatal visit.

Headaches may become a nuisance. This is likely due to the increase in blood volume you are experiencing, but it may be a good idea to discuss this with your health provider.

Most medications are not recommended during pregnancy, but your health provider may recommend acetaminophen as a safer alternative to ibuprofen or aspirin.

If you once had clear and perfect skin, you may now be feeling the effects of the pregnancy. You may begin noticing facial skin changes, such as dark spots, or melasma. Try applying SPF 15 before you go out.

Around this time, symptoms of pregnancy might become a bother and become frustrating.

source : wikipedia

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