8 Weeks Pregnant

How is Your Baby Growing at 8 Weeks?

At 8 weeks, the embryo now becomes a foetus. The head is slightly less curled and the tail is beginning to straighten out even more. Their heart is now beating at 150 beats per minute.

The arms and legs are becoming more prominent and the knee and elbow joints are present. The hands and toes are webbed and each one of the individual digits is visible.

By now, your baby’s bones are beginning to form. Their facial features are becoming more recognisable, such as their eyes, nose, and mouth.

Your baby is still being nourished by the yolk sac as the placenta continues to form.

How Big is Your Baby at 8 Weeks?

By week 8, your baby is about 1.6 cm (the size of a raisin) and weighs 1 g.

What Happens at 8 Weeks?

At 8 weeks, you should contact your midwife to arrange your first ultrasound scan, which is performed between weeks 10 and 14.

What Symptoms Will You Have at 8 Weeks?

You might start to feel extreme tiredness at week 8 along with some cramping and soreness in the breasts. These symptoms are due to hormonal changes in your body and the uterus expanding to make room for the growing foetus.

Many women experience excess saliva production in the mouth (ptyalism) and increased thirst around this time in their pregnancy too.