Ninth Week Of Pregnancy

You and your baby at 9 weeks pregnant Watch Video

Let’s get serious for a sec. You are 9 weeks pregnant, now. You are close enough to leave the first trimester behind you. Just one more month to go!

If you are a working woman, then, you can consider your company’s handbook to see how maternity leave is typically handled. The first prenatal appointment typically happens between weeks 8 and 12. So, if you have not visited your OB till now, then you will soon visit.

You may even see your baby’s tiny heartbeat on the ultrasound in this first appointment.


How big is my baby at 9 weeks pregnant? Watch Video

Your baby is about the size of a grape that measures 1 inch (2.3 cm) and weighs less than 2 grams. Your baby’s body parts continue to develop and change quickly.

The baby is now out of embryonic phase and enters into a fetal phase which means your little embryo becomes a fetus. The tail now disappears and your baby now looks like a small human being.


How my baby is growing? Watch Video

  • The eyelids completely cover your baby’s eyes. They are fused and don’t open.
  • The earlobes are tiny and visible.
  • The facial features such as nose, nostrils, and mouth become more distinct. The mouth appears as a flat line on surface. The tongue starts forming.
  • Wrists and ankles begin to develop while fingers and toes are visible. Arms are growing and bend near the elbows.
  • Neck region becomes more defined. This undergoes lifting and turning movements.
  • All the joints, including elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles and wrist joints start working and allow the baby to move freely in amniotic fluid.
  • Your baby’s skeleton starts to harden. Cartilage also forms throughout the body.
  • Baby’s pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts and anus form. The intestines also elongate.
  • Your baby’s reproductive organs develop internally but the fetus looks same from outside whether baby is boy or girl.
  • During this week, heart divides into four chambers and valves start to form. The blood starts pumping in and out rapidly. So, it provides oxygen and nutrients to your growing baby and likewise removes wastes from the body.

The developed placenta now takes up final task of producing hormones. The development of essential body parts is complete, now and these body parts are better defined structurally in the coming weeks.







What body changes I will experience during the 9th week of pregnancy? Watch Video

You may not look pregnant but you may feel the pregnancy. You will begin to observe the following changes in your body.

  • You may find your waistbands uncomfortable even if you don’t have a proper bump.
  • Your breasts continue to increase in size. Nipples will become larger and darker. Also, several small pimples appear around the areola.
  • Uterus increases double fold and now it will be about the size of a small melon.
  • You will also experience cramping and pain in the lower abdominal region due to increasing size of uterus.
  • The food you may have loved earlier can now completely put you off.
  • You will pass more urine frequently.
  • You will find bulging veins on your hands and legs.
  • You will gain weight that is more likely due to water retention in body than the baby.
  • Your hair may turn lustrous, thick (or thin), and greasy.
  • Other common symptoms during 9th week of pregnancy include backaches, headaches, gum bleeds, nose bleeds, dehydration, heartburn, nausea, feeling of bloating and lethargy.



What should I do to combat symptoms? Watch Video

  • To get relief from sore breasts, wear a maternity bra. You can also wear a sports bra.
  • To combat constipation, eat high-fiber foods and drink plenty of water. Don’t skip meals.
  • Avoid standing for too long, to help prevent dizziness.
  • Instead of taking three large meals, eat frequent small meals a day. To help prevent heartburn and nausea, avoid greasy and spicy foods.
  • By eating salty crackers or dry toast before getting out of bed, you can get some relief from morning sickness.
  • To cope with frequent urination, take bathroom breaks as needed and avoid caffeine.