Pregnancy at week 8
4-minute read
Your baby
Your baby is now 1.3cm long. They still look a bit like a tadpole, but the tail is getting shorter and will eventually disappear. The eyes and nose are visible, the inner ear and the tongue are developing, and the roof of the mouth is coming together with the upper jaw.
There are hands at the end of the arm buds, and webbed fingers are starting to grow. The arms and legs are made of cartilage at this stage. The reproductive organs are also developing now, but it’s too early to tell whether the baby is a boy or a girl.
The fetus is still inside the amniotic sac and getting its nutrients from a yolk sac. The placenta is developing and will attach to the wall of the womb with structures called chorionic villi.
Your baby at 8 weeks
| Length: | 1.3cm |
Your body
Even though your baby is tiny, by week 8 your womb (uterus) has grown to the size of a tennis ball. It’s putting more pressure on your bladder, so you might need to go to the toilet more often than normal.
This is the week when morning sickness is often at its worst. Some women are glowing and have a lot of energy, but others are feeling tired, emotional and moody. It’s normal to have mood swings when you’re pregnant, but chat to your doctor if you’re feeling very anxious or down.
At this time, you may start to notice problems with your teeth. Hormones can make your gums bleed more easily and you may also develop lumps on the gums. Vomiting a lot or eating sweet foods can also affect your teeth. Make sure you floss and use a soft toothbrush. It’s a good idea to see a dentist regularly throughout your pregnancy.
Things to remember
If you haven’t seen a doctor yet, now is the time to go. You will have a number of regular antenatal visits with your doctor, midwife or obstetrician regularly throughout your pregnancy.
It’s important to look after your own health when you’re pregnant. For example, if you catch the flu when you’re pregnant it can be much more serious and result in you going to hospital. It’s a good idea to consider a flu shot - it’s free for pregnant women in Australia at any stage of their pregnancy, under the National Immunisation Program. You can read more about influenza vaccination in pregnancy on the Department of Health website.
Read next
Your pregnancy at 9 weeks
Learn about your pregnancy journey and what is happening to you and your baby.
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: August 2020
