1st trimester: Week 8

© The Anatomical Travelogue

Your Baby

If you could see your baby now, you'd be able to make out her eyelids, the tip of her nose, and her upper lip. She's approximately three-quarters of an inch long from top to bottom, and her brain, spinal cord, heart, kidneys, liver, and stomach have begun to take shape. The aortic and pulmonary valves are distinctly present in the heart, which has now divided into right and left chambers and gallops at twice your rate (about 150 times a minute). She has distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes and see-through skin.

Be Kind to Your Body:

• The Importance of Folic Acid

Your Body

Through the placental wall, the embryo is able to absorb oxygen, proteins, sugar, and fat for the crucial task of building cells. Talk about growing pains: Now that your uterus has expanded from a prepregnancy size of a fist to its present grapefruitlike proportions, you may feel occasional cramping in your lower abdomen and sides. These cramps are normal and shouldn't pose any risk to the baby.

Surviving Pregnancy:

• Ease Nausea
• Breathe Easy During Sleep
• Ick! What's That?
• Why do suddenly hate your favorite foods?
• Sleeping Well While Pregnant

Do's and Don'ts

Do hand off kitty-litter duty to your partner or another family member. Cat feces may contain parasites that cause toxoplasmosis, an infection that is fairly harmless in grown-ups but can cause developmental problems in babies, especially if you were to contract it in the first trimester. You can also get opportunistic infections from eating raw or undercooked meat. Cook meat to at least 160 degrees before eating, and wash hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.

Important News:

• Tea: When to Avoid Green
• Help! What Can I eat?
• Playing it Safe