Pregnancy Week Nine

Welcome to week nine of pregnancy! This week your baby is about the size of an olive. He or she is developing tiny muscles which will enable him or her to move their arms and legs soon. You won't feel those little punches and kicks just yet, but your little one will be moving A LOT. In fact, you may even be able to hear those little movements at your next check up while the doctor is checking his or her heartbeat. By the way, make sure you see the doctor at least once a month!

Which brings me to you, mom. Not much has changed this week for you. Morning sickness is probably killing you. You're probably more tired than you've ever been. And those mood swings - your probably ready to rip someone's hair out (maybe even your own). Another thing you may begin to experience is water retention. Your weight may start fluctuating quite a bit because of it. Weight gain is not something you should worry too much about at this stage. As long as you don't go over 25-35 pounds of weight gain by the end of your pregnancy, you're safe.

Right now, you're probably feeling really tired. That's because your body is working doubly hard to prepare you for motherhood. The placenta is still developing and it will become your baby's lifeline. Your metabolism and hormone levels are also sky-high around this time. This will cause a decrease in blood pressure and blood sugar (for now!). The end result of all these changes is your increased fatigue. Around trimester two you'll begin to feel relief as your energy levels will increase.. However if you're impatient check out my part one of my Pregnancy Symptoms & Relief hubs. You'll find some pretty useful tips for relieving a little of your fatigue.

Also, around week nine, your mood swings will most likely increase or become more intense. You may feel perfectly happy one moment and then break down in tears the next. Or you and your partner may be completely lovey dovey, but in a second you're suddenly screaming at him. Don't worry, mood swings are common and last throughout the entire nine months for many women. Thanks those ever fluctuating hormones for your suddenly ever fluctuating moods. Don't beat yourself up for it, you're not alone.

This week, Your baby has grown about an inch. However he or she weighs less than an ounce. Your little one's basic physiology is in place.

His or her heart is now divided into four chambers. Plus, your little one's muscles and organs are moving independently now! His or her eyes are completely formed already. But from this week till about week twenty seven those little eyelids are fused shut. Your baby's little tail is now completely gone as your baby's body becomes more and more proportionate to his or her head everyday. Your little one's sex organs have even finished developing this week! However, they're still to small to be seen. Don't worry, you'll find out the sex soon. If you're lucky, you might even be able to find out around week sixteen if the baby is in a favorable position. I was not so lucky. On average, most women find out around week seventeen to twenty three. Trust me the time will fly!

Again if you're that impatient, there is an at-home gender prediction test that works around ten weeks. It was spot on for me, I even wrote a review about it. It's called the Intelligender Gender Prediction Test. You can check out my review of Intelligender for more information.

Suggestion
You may have noticed some fluctuation of your weight these days. This happens because some women begin to retain water around week nine of their pregnancy. Your weight is probably going up and down all day, like your moods. If you're experiencing morning sickness this also plays a role in your fluctuating weight. Water retention can cause a woman's weight to fluctuate up or down by about five pounds a day! If this is causing stress, I suggest avoiding the scale. Only measure your weight when you're in the doctor's office and remember as long as your weight does not increase beyond 25-35 pounds at the end of pregnancy, you're safe!

Advice
Snacking during pregnancy can actually be quite daunting. Do I eat the butterfinger or the apple? I really want that butterfinger, but the apple is more healthy. Healthy snacks are always the better choice, especially when it comes to things like morning sickness. However it is okay to indulge your cravings every so often. There's a popular theory that your body craves what it needs during pregnancy. This could work out in your favor or against it. Remember everything in proportion. If you're experiencing nausea or vomiting you can try snacking on crackers, anything with ginger or sour candy! Yes sour candy helps ease the queasiness. So much so that many stores sell sour lollipops called Preggie Pops made by Three Lollies.

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