Giving Birth with Confidence

Your Pregnancy Week by Week: 8 Weeks

Your Pregnancy Week by Week: 8 Weeks

Lamaze International

The following information -- and much more -- can also be found in the free weekly email Lamaze Pregnancy Week by Week. Sign up now to receive helpful information for your stage of pregnancy. Subscribers will be given the opportunity to complete a Lamaze Parent Satisfaction Survey after their pregnancy and receive a Lamaze Toys coupon. We want to hear about your birth experience and the impact that childbirth education may have had so that we can continue to make sure parents have the information they need for the safest, healthiest birth possible.

You're in Week 8 of Your Pregnancy!

Are you worrying about something that you put in your body before you knew you were pregnant? The long list of 'pregnancy don'ts' isn't meant to scare expectant mothers. Instead, it's geared toward helping you make healthy decisions from the moment you discover you are pregnant and on. Don't stress too much about that celebratory drink you had before you knew you were pregnant. Now that you know that you're carrying a precious little one, use this time to focus on making healthy choices for yourself and your baby.

What's New with Baby

Right now, your baby is growing to look more and more like a little human! She has longer arms and legs, and her hands and feet have taken shape. Her lungs are beginning to form, and her facial features are continuing to develop. While your baby is currently no longer than a watermelon seed, she's already able to move on her own!

What's New with You

The first weeks of pregnancy can be a time of sheer exhaustion for some women. Your body is going through some amazing changes as it adapts to nourishing a growing baby. This tiredness is your body's way of saying, 'I'm working hard. I need more rest!' When you can, respond to this signal and take a break. Cut back on nonessential activities and responsibilities. Regular mild to moderate exercise also can provide an energy boost. Take a walk in the fresh air, enjoy a bike ride or go for a swim.

Other ways to cope with fatigue in early pregnancy include taking a B-vitamin supplement (or a prenatal multivitamin), eating a variety of fresh foods and drinking plenty of water. Finally, know that your feelings of exhaustion will end soon. For most women, fatigue begins to go away by the second trimester. Until then, listen to your body and follow its lead.

Story from a Mama who has been there

"At first, I was a little taken aback at all of the advice on things to avoid while pregnant. Some of the first books I read made it seem like these nine months would be a minefield. I was scared to eat a deli sandwich, much less have sex with my husband! I decided to adopt the attitude that most things are fine in moderation. Of course I avoided the major 'no-no's,' but I figured that there wouldn't be six billion people on this planet if the simple things were so dangerous in pregnancy."

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Tags: Pregnancy , Early pregnancy , First trimester , Lamaze Pregnancy Week by Week