Pregnancy week nine. What's going on with your body? Those hormones are in full force, not to mention some dull cramping. Read on for more information about your ninth week of pregnancy.
Your Body
Pregnancy does odd things to your skin. It's all those hormones! Some women break out as though each little pore were Mount Vesuvius. "Kablooey! Thar she blows!" For other, more fortunate women, bumpy complexions smooth to the softness of a rose. (Don't gloat... pregnancy has its share of inconveniences for everyone.) As your pregnancy progresses, your complexion may even out, though some women need to wait until after the baby is born before having nice skin again.
Later in pregnancy, some women develop a "mask" of dark pigment around their eyes, on their noses, and cheeks. This is called the chloasma and will slowly fade once you are a mom. If you develop this "mask of pregnancy":
- Avoid the sun or use lots of sunscreen, as sun can intensify the discoloration.
- Avoid using skin bleach (it's unhealthy, and it probably won't work, anyway!)
- If it really bugs you, use a cover-up base.
Help! What's that dull cramping? As the uterus begins to stretch, you may feel a dull aching and cramping. You may even find a slight brownish or reddish discharge. So long as the cramping is not severe, and the spotting is not bright red, you are probably just fine. Your uterus is beginning to grow, and the sensation you feel is the "round" ligaments beginning to stretch. This should lessen in the second and third trimester.
Your Baby
This week your baby is about the size of an olive. His face is rounding out and begining to look more and more human (and less like a tadpole, now that his "tail" is nearly gone). His heart is developing and now houses all four chambers. Although not yet distinguishable, his sex organs are starting to develop, too.
For Dad
Most women have conflicting feelings about pregnancy throughout this time. Even if the two of you had trouble conceiving, Mom will go through mood swings. Both of you will worry about the financial and psychological responsibility of parenthood. It is normal! Talk to each other about what you are thinking and what you are experiencing. Check out books on pregnancy and talk to friends who have children. Compare notes! You will probably find that others share the same concerns and perhaps have found solutions that will work for the two of you.
"I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then to advise them to do it." Harry S Truman
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