9 Weeks Pregnant: To Do List

If you’re experiencing early symptoms of pregnancy, the idea of having a to-do list may be laughable at the moment. If you are surviving by doing the bare minimum before collapsing in bed at 7pm, you may not be up for creating a to-do list. If you can muster the energy, however, you may find it useful to have a to do list ready for your energy boosts of the coming weeks. Here are some things to add to your 9 weeks pregnant to-do list:

  1. Create a pregnancy exercise plan – this doesn’t need to be a colour-coded spreadsheet, but it is worth planning what exercises you will do. Exercise has lots of benefits, and this is especially true during pregnancy. Taking regular exercise can help you to get enough sleep, maintain healthy weight gain and prepare your body for labour. Find out if there are prenatal exercise classes available in your local area – aquarobics and prenatal yoga are popular classes. Swimming and walking are also great exercises during pregnancy.
  2. Start thinking about names – chances are, you’ve been thinking about baby names since you found out you were pregnant, but now is the time to get organised. Pregnancies have a habit of passing quickly, and you don’t want to reach the finish line without a list of possible names. Invest in a baby name book, or find an online site, and work your way through some names together.
  3. Plan your announcement – some couples choose to wait until the first trimester has passed before announcing the pregnancy to friends and family. If you have chosen to do this, in a couple of weeks you will be announcing the birth. Why not plan a special and unique way to announce your pregnancy?
  4. Make plans – if you’ve been victim to your hormones during this pregnancy, you will be pleased to hear that these symptoms should subside in a few weeks. The fatigue, nausea and mood swings of early pregnancy should make way for the second trimester. The second trimester is a great time to catch up with friends, make plans for the nursery, and take a vacation together to enjoy some quality time before the baby arrives.
  5. Plan your budget – there are things you will need to buy before the baby arrives, write a budget to avoid over-spending. Work out what you can afford, what you need and where you can save. Write the budget, and stick to it.
  6. Keep track of fetal development  – Downloading a Pregnancy App, or buying a book that follows fetal development during early pregnancy can help you understand better what is going on inside your body. You may find the morning sickness slightly easier to deal with when you realize the amazing things your body is doing. Tracking your baby’s development can also help you to feel more connected with your baby during pregnancy.

Can you think of anything else to add to your to-do list during week 9?

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Fetal Development During Early Pregnancy

Fetal development during the first month
The 40 week countdown begins on the first day of your last menstrual period, even though you’re not yet pregnant. Conception won’t occur until around week two, though you won’t feel pregnant right away. By week three, your pregnancy will consist of a fertilized egg inside your uterus. Your baby’s genetics have already been determined. Around seven to 10 days after conception, implantation will occur. The embryo is now embedded in the lining of your womb. The brain, spinal cord and heart are already starting to develop.

By week four, your baby’s spine and organs are starting to develop. The placenta is developing too, and this will allow nutrients to reach your baby during the pregnancy. The placenta will also start producing the pregnancy hormone, hCG, so you may start to notice early symptoms of pregnancy around this time. Morning sickness, fatigue and a heightened sense of smell are all common during this time.

Fetal development during the second month
Your baby’s heart will start beating sometime around day 21. By week five, your baby’s facial features are starting to develop. By week six, your baby looks like one of those tadpole-like fetuses you may remember from science lessons. Your baby may only be around the size of a grain of rice, but the arm and leg buds are starting to form.

In week seven, your baby’s tooth buds, pancreas and appendix are starting to grow. Your baby’s hair and nipple buds are even starting to develop. Your baby’s sex was determined at fertilisation, but in week eight your baby will begin to grow testes or ovaries. Your baby’s fingers, toes and tongue are starting to develop too. In this week, your baby’s bones will start to develop, as well.

Fetal development in the third month
In week nine, your baby reaches the end of the embryonic stage and officially becomes a fetus. Your baby’s organs are beginning to function now. Your baby is beginning to lose the tail, and is looking less and less like a tadpole with each passing day. In just a week the tail will have completely disappeared. Your baby’s facial features are also starting to look a little more human in week 10.

Week 11 is the start of a growth spurt, and your baby will double in size over the next three weeks. Your baby’s fingernails are developing this week. During week 11, the placenta will start functioning, circulating blood between the uterus and your baby. By week 12, your baby can kick, stretch and pull faces. Your baby’s organs are starting to work this week, and your baby has started to urinate the amniotic fluid consumed in the uterus.

Your baby develops rapidly during those first 12 weeks, and this is why some pregnant women feel exhausted during the first trimester. It’s hard work growing a person! Be sure to get plenty of rest, eat a healthy, balanced diet and stay hydrated.

Written by Fiona, proud owner of a toddler, @fiona_peacock

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.