Louise Broadbridge
Louise Broadbridge
Pregnancy Week 9

Boogie Baby

At nine weeks, your foetus is looking more like a baby – their features are becoming more defined and their tail has now gone for good. Measuring about 2.5cm long, they are now a similar size to a grape.

Arms and legs are beginning to wave and dance and your baby has started moving all over the place, although it will be a while before you feel those first flutters of movement. Your baby’s internal organs like their heart, brain, lungs and kidneys are continuing to take shape. And your foetus now has a larger eyes, a mouth, a tongue and even tiny taste buds.

How about you?

Your breasts may feel tender and a little heavier and you might notice some small white bumps appearing on the dark circle around the nipple, known as the areola. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about, it is just a sign that your body is getting ready to produce milk so you can breastfeed if you want to.

By this stage, you may feel obviously pregnant and you might even feel like your body has started changing shape. You may have a slightly thicker waistline and the start of a bump but most people won’t notice the change so don’t feel you need to announce your pregnancy yet if you don’t feel ready.

Your pregnancy symptoms are likely to have fully kicked in by now, thanks to all the hormones swirling around your body. If you are unlucky enough to be experiencing morning sickness, this is likely to continue for another few weeks. You may well feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster at the moment. It is normal to feel happy one minute and tearful the next, this will settle down but be patient with yourself and seek support from an understanding loved one.

Try to stay active even though you may still be feeling pretty exhausted. Low impact activities like walking, swimming and yoga are all great forms of exercise which won’t cause any problems for you and your baby.

If you have been worried about miscarriage, you may be relieved to hear that the risk of losing your baby is getting smaller every week. The risk is already low by nine weeks, especially if a heartbeat has been detected on an early scan, will fall even further when you enter the second trimester.

Should I tell my employer I am pregnant yet?

You are not obliged to tell your employer about your pregnancy yet, but you may wish to if your symptoms are making it challenging to fulfil your usual duties. You may also want to inform your workplace if you have a job which involves any physical exertion or risky activities which could potentially endanger you or your baby. Your employer will carry out a risk assessment and may make some adjustments to your role or responsibilities it is deemed necessary for your health and safety.

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