9 Weeks Pregnant

Read about...

• Your Baby
• You
• 3rd Month of Pregnancy Video
• Diary of a Daughter

Your Baby

Entering your 9th week of pregnancy can be a very exciting time for you and your partner, especially if you are just finding out now that you have a little one on the way!

Some women may have known for weeks already and have gotten used to the idea of a new little person living within, while others have been contemplating the many pregnancy symptoms with ifs and buts for the last few weeks.

The little miracle is now just under an inch in length and weighs less than a tenth of an ounce. You can compare him or her to the size of a grape now and is starting to take on a more human-like appearance rather than a tadpole as previously.

The embryonic tail that your baby had up until this point has now disappeared and all of the essential body parts and organs are present and accounted for.

The next weeks are for development and growth of everything that is already there. It goes so quickly, don't you think?!

The eyelids are fused shut at this point and won�t open for quite some time until around week 26 or 27, even though the eyes are fully formed now.

The four chambers of the heart have finished dividing and the valves are now forming, to prepare for the time to come.

Even tiny teeth are formed under those gums just waiting to come out later on.

Intestines begin to move out of the umbilical cord and into the abdomen as your baby grows and all of the "behind the scenes" action of ear development is finished.

Genitalia is also forming although you will not be able to tell for some time if it is a little boy or girl you will welcome into your home.

You

Mood swings can be rampant at this point in your pregnancy, as some women will find themselves happy one moment and emotionally exhausted the next.

All of the hormones can be hard on your system, especially if this is your first pregnancy. Each pregnancy is different and you may find that your moods are mostly triggered by your anxiety about a new addition to the family, especially if this is an unplanned pregnancy.

Other women may find that their moods ease up around 10 weeks and they feel a little more back to normal.

Textbook pregnancy symptoms can be more apparent now than ever before with tender, fuller breasts, nausea, and heartburn. If your morning sickness is really bad, "Beyond Morning Sickness" is a very helpful book.

Even extreme fatigue can be a tip-off for those women who have yet to realize all that is going on within themselves.

Depending on how you feel and what your thoughts are, some women still choose to wait to announce their big news until after week 12 while other women cannot contain their excitement and let everyone know right away.

Taking your time to tell everyone is a personal decision and should not be rushed into if you are still unsure about telling your neighbor or even your parents. Some women will let their best friends or sisters in on the secret, while others have to wait.

No matter what your preference is, it is just that; your own choice.

3rd Month of Pregnancy Video

If seeing is believing for you; watch this video explaining the third month of pregnancy in pictures and words.

Instructions: When watching the video clips, start the videos by clicking the small arrow down to the left, not the large one in the middle of the screen. If you're using Internet Explorer as your browser and the video doesn't start, try clicking twice on the small arrow.

Diary of a Daughter