Your Baby's Development at 8 Weeks

What Are My Baby’s Weight and Size at 8 Weeks?

Your baby at 8 weeks is about the size of a raspberry, which is just a bit longer than half an inch. Your little one weighs about .04 of an ounce. Right now, the head is large compared with the body – and that body is already starting to move and wiggle a bit.

Development Milestones at 8 Weeks

Your baby’s fingers and toes are just beginning to form this week, and the arms may start to move. Eyes have begun to develop pigment (color) in the retina (back of the eye).

By now, the beginnings of the buds that will develop into your baby's genitals have made their appearance, although they've not yet developed enough to reveal whether your baby is a boy or a girl.

Your baby’s other organs such as the heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys continue to develop.

Your Body When You’re 8 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy Symptoms at 8 Weeks

Pregnancy symptoms like a missed period or tight clothes (due to the swelling of your uterus) may have prompted you to wonder if you're pregnant. But there are other symptoms that are common early in your pregnancy. They include:

• sore or tender breasts
• nausea or morning sickness (which can happen any time of day)
• frequent urination
• cramps that feel like period pain

Discuss how to best manage your symptoms, and any other concerns you have, with your health care provider.

Important Appointments at 8 Weeks

Good prenatal care is crucial for your health and your baby’s health. Once you’ve confirmed your pregnancy on a home pregnancy test or blood or urine test at the doctor's office, schedule your first prenatal visit.

If your pregnancy is considered high-risk (for example, if you 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.

What Can I Expect at My First Prenatal Visit?

At your first prenatal visit, the doctor or nurse practitioner will confirm that you’re pregnant and estimate your due date (when your baby might be born). This date is based on when you had your last period. Sometimes a prenatal ultrasound (a test that uses sound waves to make a picture of your baby) can help figure out the due date.

The doctor will do a full physical exam to check your health and may want to do prenatal tests. Prenatal tests check your health and your baby’s health. Some are screening tests that can only show the chance of a problem. Others are diagnostic tests that can find out if your baby has a certain problem.

While you’re pregnant, prenatal lab work — like blood tests — is offered during the first trimester (weeks 1–12), second trimester (weeks 13–27), and third trimester (weeks 28–40).

At your first appointment, the doctor also will:

• discuss your health history
• discuss prenatal vitamins, lifestyle, and nutrition recommendations
• establish a prenatal care plan
• address questions and concerns