9 Weeks Pregnant

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Here's what's happening during Week 9 of your pregnancy:

Your Growing Baby

Your baby is now about three-quarters of an inch long. As the embryo enters its fiftieth day of existence, it becomes known as a fetus. A membrane lid covers your baby's eyes. Your baby's muscles are beginning to develop, and she can make tiny movements. Your child's limbs are growing, but her arms and hands are forming more quickly than her legs and feet. The hands are actually still known as "hand paddles" and look just like they sound. Ridges have formed on the paddles, which will soon become well-defined fingers. Your baby is developing little dimples where her knees and ankles will go, and her elbows are becoming visible. This week is when sex characteristics begin to assert themselves, and ovaries or testes will soon appear (though an ultrasound won't be able to detect specific sex organs for another two months or so). Your baby's brain waves can now be detected.

Your Growing Belly

Your nauseating hCG levels are at their peak this week. The good news is that starting next week, as your hormone levels stabilize, you'll start feeling a lot better. The bad news is that this week is probably going to be rough. If you're throwing up a lot, drink plenty of water to keep yourself from dehydrating. Your uterus has doubled in size and is now about the size of a tennis ball. The area under your navel is definitely firmer than usual. Most women report being uninterested in sex at this stage, though some women also report being more interested than usual. You may begin to notice changes to your hair and skin. Your hair might feel thick and lustrous--or greasy, thin, and limp. Resist the urge to try to dye, perm, or highlight your hair—it may not take to the chemicals evenly. You probably don't feel like exercising much this week, but do try to take walks-- they'll help your food move on down.

Tips & To-Do's

10 Great Reasons To Exercise

Yeah, yeah, fitness should be its own reward. But on days when that's not enough motivation, remember this: Exercise is as close as you can get to a panacea for common pregnancy complaints. And walking is among the best and easiest ways to get started. Here are 10 reasons why it's so important to keep moving, plus guidelines on starting a walking (and strength-building) program.

Here's how to get started now.

Things to think about this week: Women generally start taking childbirth-prep courses, such as Bradley or Lamaze, during the second trimester, but classes fill up quickly. Research the options in your area (your doctor or midwife and local hospitals probably have lists), and sign up early.

 

Pregnancy Milestones:

Below are some of the most important milestones of your pregnancy. Click on any week to read more, or view our Week-by-Week Pregnancy page to see your pregnancy at-a-glance.

 

Week 4: Positive test: You're pregnant! You may be starting to feel bloated, crampy, tired and moody, and experiencing sore breasts, nausea/vomiting and a frequent need to pee.  But don't worry if you're not—that's normal.  Read more about being 4 weeks pregnant.

 

Week 8: Your doctor may look or listen for the baby's heartbeat with an ultrasound. Once you see or hear it, your miscarriage risk drops to about 2 percent. He'll also give you an official due date—though very few women actually deliver on that day.  Read more about being 8 weeks pregnant.

 

 

Week 10: Your inch-long baby is now called a fetus. While the icky side effects of pregnancy may be starting to abate, your anxiety about having a healthy baby might be increasing.  Read more about being 10 weeks pregnant.

 

 

Week 15: The "window of opportunity" for many important screening and diagnostic tests opens this week, should you decide to undergo them.  Read more about being 15 weeks pregnant.

 

 

Week 16: Sometime between 16 and 22 weeks, you'll start to feel your baby move.  Read more about being 16 weeks pregnant.

 

 

Week 29: The basketball-sized lump in your belly may be inhibiting shoe tying, leg shaving and the like. The fetus is increasingly sensitive to light and sound.  Read more about being 29 weeks pregnant.

 

 

Week 36: The baby may drop lower into your pelvis in preparation for delivery. This should make it easier to breathe—yet your pee breaks will become ever more frequent.  Read more about being 36 weeks pregnant.

 

 

Click here to read more about every week of pregnancy on our Week-by-Week Pregnancy page.