Now you’re 9 weeks pregnant, you might be starting to think ahead.

How is life going to change once your baby is born?

How will other areas of your life switch once you have your baby?

Now is a good time to start looking into your maternity leave entitlements, so you can start to plan ahead for the coming weeks and months.

How many months is 9 weeks pregnant?

At pregnancy week 9, you are 2 months and one week into your journey.

It might seem like early days, but your baby’s development is well on the way.

You’re only a few weeks away from your first major pregnancy milestone – the end of the first trimester.

9 weeks pregnant

When you tell your employer the good news, you can discuss your future maternity leave plan. It’s a good idea to have an idea of when you think you’ll finish work and any complexities that might occur.

Now you’re 9 weeks pregnant, you also might want to consider putting a new budget in place.

You and your partner will be thankful for the extra money once your baby arrives.

This is especially true if you’ll be living on only one income for a while.

What should I be feeling at 9 weeks pregnant?

At week 9, you’re really in the thick of the first trimester.

You’re still experiencing all the effects of those pregnancy hormones, and this can be both physically and emotionally challenging.

Rest assured, the first 12 weeks are usually the most turbulent. This stage won’t last forever, even though it feels like it will.

Only a few more weeks until the second trimester. Then you’ll have a break from the mood swings, breast tenderness, and various other symptoms, as your hormone levels begin to settle.

9 weeks pregnancy symptoms

At 9 weeks pregnant you’re probably looking forward to the end of trimester one.

Early pregnancy symptoms peak at about 12 weeks. The weeks and months that follow are all about the pregnancy glow.

But for now, you’re probably dealing with one, or more, of the following:

Increased urination
Nausea or vomiting
Sore breasts
Extreme tiredness
Dizziness
Mood swings
Heartburn or constipation
Food cravings or food aversions
Heightened sense of smell
Increased hunger.

The pregnancy hormone progesterone is responsible for many of these early symptoms. Although its effects can be unpleasant, progesterone is playing a very important role in maintaining your pregnancy.

To deal with these common pregnancy symptoms, there are several things you can try:

Avoid caffeine and other diuretics; this will help you cope with frequent urination
Low blood sugar levels can make many pregnancy symptoms worse, including morning sickness, nausea, and moods swings. Try eating smaller more frequent meals and have healthy snacks to hand. Following a balanced diet will also help dampen the effects of low sugar levels
Wear a sports bra, or similar, and use a warm or cold compress to bring relief to tender breasts
Hydrate! Drink eight full glasses of water a day. Electrolytes are great for pregnancy and birth (and when you are breastfeeding). Avoid sugary sports drinks; ask your natural health therapist to recommend quality sugar-free electrolytes
To prevent dizziness, stand up slowly, and avoid standing in one place for too long
Eating small meals and avoiding big meals will help if you’re suffering from heartburn. Spicy and greasy foods can also exacerbate heartburn. Avoiding spicy food can also help avoid acid reflux
To combat constipation, stay hydrated by drinking lots, and follow a healthy pregnancy diet containing lots of vegetables.

If your pregnancy symptoms are significantly affecting your daily life or your mental health, please seek professional medical advice from your doctor or midwife.

9 weeks pregnant morning sickness

Morning sickness, also known as nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, usually starts around week 6, and peaks around 9 weeks. Despite what the names suggests, it can happen at any time of the day (or night).

It’s the most well-known pregnancy symptom and the one most people tend to expect. It’s estimated up to 85% of women will experience morning sickness during the first 12 weeks of their pregnancy.

For many women, morning sickness and nausea start to ease off towards the third month of pregnancy. Mild nausea and vomiting won’t harm you or your baby.

You might like to try acupuncture to help ease this common symptom.

Unfortunately, some pregnant women find nothing helps ease their pregnancy nausea, so it’s more of an endurance race to the end — whenever that might be.

On the other hand, those who don’t experience any nausea often worry they might not really be pregnant.

Sorry! You can’t win either way.

Check out BellyBelly’s 10 Best Morning Sickness Remedies for more tips on combatting pregnancy nausea.

When is morning sickness classed as something more serious?

Some pregnant women experience severe or excessive pregnancy sickness. If this is something that you’re going through, don’t hesitate to seek medical advice from your doctor.

You could be suffering from a pregnancy condition, known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). This is a very severe form of pregnancy sickness, which can result in complications in your pregnancy, and can lead you to become severely dehydrated.

HG usually won’t go away on its own. It extends well beyond the first trimester and, for some, even into their third trimester.

You might need treatment in hospital, with IV fluids and medication to stop the nausea and vomiting. You and your baby will need to be monitored closely to prevent problems occurring, and to ensure your baby grows as expected.

Call your doctor or midwife if you can’t keep any fluids down, if you’re losing weight, or if you have fainted or felt dizzy.

A pregnant woman might have increased risk factors for HG if:

There is a family history of HG
She has suffered previously with HG
She is carrying twins or multiples.

Find out more in our article When Is Morning Sickness Classed As Hyperemesis Gravidarum?

Brown discharge at 9 weeks

Bleeding or spotting in early pregnancy is more common than you might think, and isn’t always a sign of miscarriage. There can be many causes.

Although it can be worrying, a small amount of brown discharge without any other symptoms is usually nothing to be concerned about.

Brown discharge during pregnancy is actually the presence of old blood. Blood that has taken a while to leave the body becomes oxidized (mixed with oxygen) and will turn from fresh red to brown.

If you’re experiencing cramping, pain, or heavier bleeding, contact your doctor or health care provider.

9 weeks pregnant ultrasound

Typically, the first prenatal testing is done between weeks 8 and 12. This is called the nuchal translucency scan.

An ultrasound at this stage can help rule out problems and confirm a healthy pregnancy.

This might be the first peek you have of your baby (or babies).

The main purpose of an early ultrasound is to:

Track fetal development
Check your baby is growing in the right place (the uterus) to rule out ectopic pregnancy
Confirm your dates and check the size of your baby
Check for a baby heartbeat
Confirm how many babies you are carrying.

If you’ve had IVF or fertility treatment, you might have extra scans to determine successful implantation.

If you’ve had bleeding in early pregnancy, sometimes a scan can determine where it’s coming from, or pinpoint a cause.

9 weeks pregnant with twins

Maybe it’s crossed your mind at some point there could be more than one baby in there.

If you’ve had a previous pregnancy, perhaps your body feels different from last time. Or perhaps your symptoms have seemed more severe. Maybe you or your partner is a twin, or there are twins in your family.

It’s certainly possible. There could be a number of clues to speculate about, but the only way to tell definitively is by ultrasound.

An ultrasound done by your doctor at this point will be able to determine how many babies you are carrying.

You might feel relieved to confirm there is just one. Or you might be elated to discover you’re expecting twins or multiples.

Your sonographer or doctor should also be able to see whether you’re carrying identical twins or non-identical (fraternal twins), by looking to see if they are sharing a placenta or membranes.

9 weeks pregnant belly

Around 9 weeks pregnant you might be shocked to find your clothes are getting a bit tight around the waist.

You might find it hard to believe something so small is the cause of all of the body changes that are taking place.

Even though you don’t look pregnant, your body is starting to change. Your uterus is still low but it’s definitely expanding.

You might be worried about putting on too much weight during pregnancy. Weight gain and a thickening waistline at 9 weeks pregnant is completely normal and to be expected.

How much weight you gain overall will depend on your starting weight and on your overall health.

You should try to be as healthy as possible, to prevent problems for you and your growing baby. Staying at a healthy weight can reduce your risk of complications during pregnancy and birth.

If you’re suffering from pregnancy nausea, though, it’s likely you’re losing rather than gaining weight.

Be sure to read Pregnancy Weight Gain – How Much Weight Is Normal? for more information.

9 weeks pregnant – your baby

When you’re 9 weeks pregnant, your baby is rapidly taking shape. The body is beginning to straighten out and looks more like a tiny person.

In fact, this week your baby is no longer classed as an embryo.

At week 9, your baby is now officially a fetus, which is Latin for ‘offspring’.

You might be surprised at the extent of fetal development at this stage.

Your baby’s facial features are now more distinct. The eyes, nose, and ears are now recognizable. Ear lobes can also be seen at the tip of the ears.

The umbilical cord and placenta are now developing, ready to take blood supply and nutrients to your growing little one. The placenta is now developed enough to take over the job of providing nutrition.

The heart has finished dividing; it now has four chambers and is developing the valves. The heart will be beating at around 130-150 beats per minute.

Tiny baby bones and muscle are beginning to develop beneath the thin translucent skin. At week 9, you might even see your baby moving his (or her) little arms and legs.

Ovaries or testes are well developed but, at this stage, it is not yet possible to determine your baby’s sex.

Can I feel flutters at 9 weeks?

At this stage of the pregnancy, it’s too early to be able to feel flutters or movements. Your baby is still small and extremely well protected.

Although your baby can move at week 9, and you might be able to see him on your ultrasound, you won’t be able to feel him just yet.

However, it won’t be long!

As your baby grows and gets stronger, so will the movements.

Can I hurt my baby by pressing on my stomach?

At 9 weeks pregnant, the uterus is still tucked well behind the pelvis. This means your little one is very well protected during the first trimester.

The bony frame of your pelvis is still housing the uterus, making it extremely unlikely that you would cause any harm to your baby by pressing on your belly.

Your body is well designed to protect its precious cargo during its most vulnerable stage, by keeping it tucked out of harm’s way.

So rest assured, if you are a tummy sleeper, enjoy those zzzz’s on your belly – while you still can.