8 Weeks Pregnant

Welcome to 8 weeks—baby is about the size of a Polly Pocket doll. By now, cardiac activity may be detectable on a sonogram—but baby’s heart won’t fully form for another 4-6 weeks. This exciting update hopefully makes up for any of the uncomfortable symptoms you may be feeling, like tender breasts, exhaustion and the frequent need to urinate. But that’s not all. Read on to find out.

How Big Is Your Baby at 8 Weeks

Your baby is about 0.63 inches and weighs 0.04 ounces. That’s roughly the size of a Polly Pocket doll (or a raspberry if you’re measuring your baby based on a fruit).

How Many Months Is 8 Weeks Pregnant?

8 weeks pregnant in months is two months pregnant, which is part of the first trimester of pregnancy. If you’re curious, you can use this to calculate your due date.

Your Baby at 8 Weeks

When you’re 8 weeks pregnant, your baby has a quick fetal pulse and is starting to develop facial features, fingers and toes. There’s other kind of development going on, too. Here’s what.

• Cardiac Activity: The cells that will eventually become your baby’s heart are beating 150 to 170 times per minute, about double the rate of yours. You’ll probably be able to hear and/or see it on an ultrasound at your 8-week doctor’s appointment.
• Facial features: The lips, nose and eyelids are developing and becoming more distinct.
• Fingers and toes: According to the Mayo Clinic, your baby’s fingers and toes are developing, too; they’re webbed for now. Oh, and their tail is almost gone.
• Baby’s sex: It’s too early to tell baby’s sex since the organs haven’t developed enough yet. You will be able to find out over the next few weeks if you’re getting non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). If you aren’t, you’ll probably be able to determine sex at the mid-pregnancy ultrasound around 20 weeks pregnant (as long as baby cooperates!).

8 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound

At your 8 week ultrasound, your healthcare provider will look for cardiac activity—or two! This is the ultrasound where you’ll find out if you’re having multiples. Your healthcare provider will help steer you on the best path for your pregnancy.

8 Weeks Baby Movement

At 8 weeks, you likely won’t feel any fetal movement, but some twitches can be caught on an ultrasound.

Your Body at 8 Weeks Pregnant

Are you experiencing light cramping or spotting? These can be caused by increases in hormones that help you have a healthy pregnancy. But if you’re bleeding—not just spotting—at this point, give your healthcare provider a call.

Morning sickness

Thanks to pregnancy hormones flooding your system, your primary focus right now might be getting through the day without feeling nauseated. For most people, morning sickness starts around 5 or 6 weeks pregnant, reaching a peak around week 9. This means you’re probably in the thick of it now. Try to hang in there—morning sickness tends to stop after the first trimester.

“Challenge yourself to ask for more help than you’ve ever asked for before, from the right places,” says Al Bradlea, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), birth and postpartum doula. “Getting 30 different recommendations for morning sickness is only going to send your head spinning! Reduce the noise and find a few people, which should include your healthcare/birth team, to discuss whatever pregnancy is throwing at you that day.”

Heightened sense of smell

“I like this mantra for clients who are struggling with all the discomfort of pregnancy—this is temporary. Breathe,” says Bradlea. You might get turned off by smells you previously loved or barely even noticed before (chicken roasting, your coworker’s perfume, that person three floors down who just lit a cigarette…), and that can contribute to food aversions and nausea. Our best advice is to try to avoid the smells that make you sick for now. Like morning sickness, this symptom should ease up in the second trimester.

Cramping

Mild cramping can happen as your uterus expands, stretching your muscles and ligaments. Gas and constipation also cause cramp-like sensations. For minor cramps, try sitting or lying down, changing positions, taking a warm bath and drinking extra water to relieve discomfort. Cramping that’s painful warrants an immediate call to your doctor, since it could be a sign of a pregnancy complication, UTI, or other medical issue.

Acne breakouts

Those pregnancy hormones can also cause acne. Your skin may start producing extra sebum (its natural oil), which can clog pores. Many acne medications and creams—both prescription and OTC ones—are off-limits when you’re pregnant, so clear anything with your doctor before taking or applying it. Some common active ingredients, such as benzoyl peroxide, haven’t been fully studied and may only be approved by your doc if necessary in limited amounts or for a short period of time. Here’s what skincare to avoid when you’re pregnant and what you can use instead.

Mucus plug

You can’t see or feel it, but the mucus on your cervix is starting to form your cervical plug, which protects your uterus from bacteria. When your body prepares for labor and the cervix starts to dilate, your mucus plug will likely expel (isn’t pregnancy beautiful?). That’s a sign that baby will soon make their debut.

Spotting

Spotting is a very common pregnancy symptom. Whether a sign of implantation or an irritated cervix, spotting during pregnancy is usually nothing serious. However, spotting is different from bleeding. Spotting will look like a few drops of blood in your underwear, but bleeding will fill a panty liner or a pad. Make sure to call your doctor if you think you are bleeding.

Pregnancy dreams

Vivid dreams? Yep! Welcome to pregnancy, where this is a very common symptom.

Constipation

Constipation may hang around for most of your pregnancy, unfortunately. The hormone relaxin helps loosen your muscles in preparation for a growing baby, and that can slow down your intestines. To help with constipation, up your fiber intake, drink lots of water and stay active. In extreme cases, try taking a daily fiber supplement like Metamucil, which is generally safe for pregnant people.

No pregnancy symptoms at 8 weeks? That’s perfectly normal too. Hold tight and enjoy the ride.

Pregnancy Symptoms Coming Up In Week 9:

At week 9 of pregnancy, expect more fatigue, mood swings and general aches and pains.

Commonly Asked Questions About 8 Weeks Pregnant:

Public service announcement: You have a lot going on right now—resting and self-care are all but mandatory. Here are some common questions you may have about this rapidly changing time.

Is it normal to feel moody at 8 weeks pregnant?

Yes! Embrace all the feelings. Maybe you’re nervous one minute and excited the next. Maybe everything annoys you or tears come out of nowhere. When hormones are raging, mood swings are par for the course. Try not to beat yourself up for unexpected shifts in your otherwise sunny disposition. Allow yourself to feel how you feel, and take comfort that this too shall pass.

Is it normal to see changes in skin at 8 weeks pregnant?

Definitely. A little extra TLC can soothe hormone-addled skin and offer an excuse for some “me time” to boot. Stock up on face masks, under-eye treatments and your favorite moisturizer. A lavender neck pillow is an added treat. The best part? You can have a mini spa session from the comfort of your own couch.

How can I compensate for the fatigue?

Even if you don’t have other first-trimester symptoms, it’s normal to be totally exhausted right about now. If you can’t nap during the day, getting to bed earlier will help you sneak in extra ZZZs. It may take a while to get used to a new bedtime, but the more you stick to a routine, the easier it will be. A mug of chamomile tea before you hit the hay may help.

Is it okay to lie to people if I’m not ready to tell them I’m pregnant?

If you haven’t told people you’re pregnant, you might find yourself needing lots of excuses to get out of things. In this case, there’s no harm in a white lie. To skip an invite altogether, feign previous plans or say you have to get up early the next day. If you’re out but want to avoid questions about why you’re not drinking, ask the bartender for bubbly water with lime (a gin and tonic lookalike).

Sources

• Al Bradlea, IBCLC, Birth & Postpartum Doula
• Intrapartum fetal heart rate between 150 and 160 bpm at or after 40 weeks and labor outcome
• Fetal development: The 1st trimester
• What is noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and what disorders can it screen for?