Newsletter from Essential Baby

YOUR PREGNANCY - WEEK 8

What changes are happening with my baby this week?

The head is large compared with the rest of the body and your baby's face is beginning to take shape (forehead, nose, cheeks, upper and lower jaw and lip and chin are forming). Eye muscles and eyelids have emerged, and by the end of the week the nasal passages have formed and the nose tip is visible. The internal and external parts of the ear are also forming. Ear openings are present, and the middle ear (hearing and balance) is there, but hearing is not yet possible for your baby.
The arms continue to grow longer, and bend at the newly formed elbow. Fingers and toes formed as notches on the hands and feet.
The valves in the heart that started forming last week can now be distinguished as the aorta and pulmonary valves. Lungs are developing and the bronchi are branching out. The skeleton has also started to form.
How big is my baby?

Your baby is approximately 14-20mm (0.56 - 0.8 inches) in length and continues to grow quickly.
How is my body changing?

Your uterus is increasing in size, and while you may not have a definite or visible bulge, you will probably notice that your clothes have become tighter around the waist, breasts or thighs.
As your uterus continues to grow, you may experience feelings of tightening, or contractions. Don't be alarmed by these cramping sensations unless they are accompanied by vaginal bleeding.