Week 8

My Baby's Development

Marveling over a baby's tiny fingers and toes is one of the joys of the first day of life. Those fingers and toes are just beginning to form by this week. The arms can even flex at the elbows and wrists. The eyes are becoming more obvious because they begin to develop pigment (color) in the retina (back of the eye). The intestines are getting longer and there isn’t enough room for them in the baby’s abdomen. So, they protrude into the umbilical cord until week 12.

Dreaming of a son or daughter to play ball with? The beginnings of the buds that develop into your baby's genitals have made their appearance, although they've not yet developed enough to reveal whether your baby is a boy or a girl.

My Body

Pregnancy symptoms such as a missed period, nausea, extreme fatigue or tight clothes due to the swelling of your uterus have probably prompted you to wonder whether you're pregnant. Once you have confirm your pregnancy from a home pregnancy test, blood or urine test at the doctor's office, you should schedule your first prenatal visit. Your pregnancy may be monitored by one of several health care professionals, including an obstetrician, nurse practitioner, midwife or family doctor. If your pregnancy is considered high risk (such as aging older than 35, had a history of multiple miscarriages or pregnancy complications), your doctor may want to see you as early as possible and more often during your pregnancy.

Prenatal care is extremely important for a healthy and safe delivery of your baby. So, make sure you put a top priority for your prenatal appointments.