How Big Is a Baby at 8 Weeks in the Womb

Your baby's fingers and toes

Your baby's hands and feet – which look like paddles – are sprouting webbed fingers and toes. Nerves, bones, and muscles are developing inside your baby's tiny limbs.

Breast changes

Your breasts may be tender and swollen by now. If your old bras are feeling tight, buy a few good maternity bras for support.

Pregnancy and work

If you work with other expecting moms or people with young children, you may want to ask for their support and advice on being pregnant at work.

8 weeks is how many months?

You're in your second month!

Fetus icon

Baby development at 8 weeks

Baby movements

Your baby is moving! These first movements are more like spontaneous twitches and stretches. They start at about 7 to 8 weeks and are visible on ultrasound. You won't feel your baby move until sometime between 16 and 22 weeks, though. Until then, your baby's movements aren't strong enough for you to notice.

Getting ready to breathe

Your baby's respiratory system is forming. Breathing tubes extend from your baby's throat to the branches of their developing lungs.

Nerve network

A network of nerves is spreading through your baby's body, making connections not only with each other but also with muscles and other tissues, as well as organs like the eyes and ears.

Having twins?

See what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.

Your baby at 8 weeks Tap the plus for more details

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Your baby is about the size of a kidney bean

LENGTH

inch

head to bottom

Pregnancy symptoms during week 8

White discharge

You may notice an increase in white creamy discharge early in pregnancy, due to higher levels of estrogen. White vaginal discharge (called leucorrhea) is nothing to worry about: This discharge is normal and can be clear to milky white, thin or thick, and mild-smelling or odorless. But vaginal discharge that's green, smells unpleasant, causes pain or itching, or seems unusual in any other way could be a sign of infection or another problem.

Growing breasts

Rising levels of hormones cause your breasts to grow in preparation for making breast milk. Don't be surprised if you go up a cup size or two, especially if it's your first baby. Other breast changes you may see include visible veins on your breasts, darker nipples, and more pronounced bumps on your areolas.

Abdominal bloating

Hormonal changes in early pregnancy may leave you feeling bloated, similar to the feeling some women have just before their period. That's why your clothes may feel more snug than usual at the waistline, even early on when your uterus is still relatively small.

Don't see your symptom?

Wondering about a symptom you have? Find it on our pregnancy symptoms page.

Your body at 8 weeks Tap the plus for more details

Pregnancy checklist at 8 weeks pregnant

Start documenting your bump

Create a fun time lapse of your pregnancy by documenting your growing bump every week or so. Check out these tips on how to get the best bump photos week after week. Even if you don't see a noticeable bump yet, start taking photos now so you have a starting point for comparison.

Pay attention to your mental health

It's common to feel moody during pregnancy. But if you're feeling more than a little blue, or if these emotions persist for more than two weeks, take our prenatal depression quiz and discuss the results with your healthcare provider.

Focus on good pregnancy sleep

In early pregnancy you may be more exhausted than you ever imagined you could be. It takes a lot of energy to make a new life! Pregnancy also brings a host of sleep disturbances such as frequent urination, nausea, heartburn, leg cramps, and snoring. Get more rest by turning in early – you'll be glad when you wake up refreshed the next day. Practice the basics of good sleep during pregnancy by watching what and when you eat, using the right pillows, learning how to relax, and practicing good "sleep hygiene." Sleep hygiene means sticking to a sleep schedule, establishing a bedtime routine, and blocking light and noise in your bedroom.

Use sunscreen

It's always important to use sunscreen, but during pregnancy it can help you avoid a condition called melasma or chloasma – darker patches of skin on your face or body, which may be triggered by hormonal changes. Women with darker skin are more likely to experience melasma, but it can happen to any expecting mom. Melasma is also sometimes referred to as the mask of pregnancy because the splotches typically show up around your upper lip, nose, cheekbones, and forehead in the shape of a mask. These darker spots will eventually go away after pregnancy. Staying out of the sun and using a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day (whether or not it's sunny) is the best way to prevent melasma.

Learn about pregnancy weight gain

Wondering how much pregnancy weight to gain? It depends on your pre-pregnancy body mass index and whether or not you're carrying twins or multiples. If you're at a healthy weight, aim to gain 1 to 5 pounds in the first trimester and about 1 pound per week after that. Check out our pregnancy weight gain calculator to find your target weight range.

How Big Is a Baby at 8 Weeks in the Womb

Source: https://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/8-weeks-pregnant