What to expect at 9 weeks pregnant
Your baby
Your new little houseguest is now weighing in at around 2 grams and is about the size of a grape. Though the baby still has a long way to go, all of the essential parts and organs are now there, it’s just a matter of them developing and growing – prepare for your baby to start jumping up in size rapidly from here on in!Baby’s heart has now divided into four chambers and the valves are beginning to form. Tiny teeth are now developing and the tail that was once there before is now all-but gone. Cartilage is also starting to turn into bone which will form the beginnings of your little one’s skeleton.
How you’re feeling
As you reach week 9 your body is working overtime to build this little being inside of you and it can feel like your body is not yours anymore. You feel tired, perhaps still sick, emotional – and in most cases you’re also trying to keep it all under wraps. It can be hard to manage work during this time, trying to keep up appearances for your boss and colleagues can be even more draining, so use sick days when you need them and make sure you’re giving yourself plenty of downtime in the evenings and at weekends to rest.
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Weekly tip
The reality might be starting to somewhat sink in now that you are pregnant, but it can be scary to let yourself get “too excited” before you reach the end of the first trimester, and so comes the question of whether or not you tell people at this stage. While once upon a time it was deemed bad luck to tell anyone in the first trimester due to the fear of miscarriage, these days we know how common miscarriage is (about 1:5 pregnancies) and we know that it can be just as important to have your support network at the ready should things not go as you’d hoped. So this is a really personal one, but it might be a good time to think about what you plan to do and chat to your partner about how they feel. While perhaps a Facebook or Instagram announcement is not a good idea just yet, telling a select few of your nearest and dearest can often be a good idea – odds are nothing will go wrong and you won’t need them for anything and you’ll just get to bask in the excitement together for that little bit longer!
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Dr Christine Catling Follow +
Dr Christine Catling, a midwife for over 25 years, is the Director of Midwifery Studies at UTS. She believes research, innovation and good quality midwifery are pivotal to the well-being of mothers and young families. Christine has extensive experience in antenatal education, policy development and research, and has published on workforce issues, homebirth, vaginal birth...
