Week 8

Your Baby's Development
Marveling over a baby's tiny fingers and toes is one of the joys of the first day of life. Those fingers and toes are just beginning to form this week, and the arms can even flex at the elbows and wrists. In addition, more facial developments such as the formation of the tip of the nose and the upper lip take place, and flaps of skin over the eyes begin to shape into eyelids. Blood begins to flow through a rudimentary circulatory system, and the digestive tract continues to grow, especially the intestines.

The beginnings of the buds that will develop into your baby's genitals make their appearance this week, although they have not yet developed into either male or female organs.


 


 

Your Body
Pregnancy symptoms such as a missed period, nausea, extreme fatigue, or tight clothes due to the swelling of your uterus have probably prompted you to wonder whether you're pregnant. Once you have confirmation of your pregnancy from a home pregnancy test or blood or urine test at the doctor's office, you should call and schedule your first prenatal visit. Your pregnancy may be monitored by one of several health care professionals, including an obstetrician, nurse practitioner, midwife, or family doctor. If your pregnancy is considered high risk (for example, if you have had multiple miscarriages, are older than 35, or have a history of pregnancy complications), your doctor may want to see you as early as possible and more often during the course of your pregnancy.

Good prenatal care is extremely important for the health and safe delivery of your baby, so be sure to make prenatal appointments a top priority.