Week 8

Carola Felchner is a freelance writer in the medical department and a certified training and nutrition advisor. She worked for various specialist magazines and online portals before becoming a freelance journalist in 2015. Before starting her internship, she studied translation and interpreting in Kempten and Munich.

More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.

The embryo would probably not be called sweet yet, but in the 8th week of pregnancy a tiny person can be recognized. From now on you will probably be a little short of breath from your subtenant. Read here what happens in the 8th week of pregnancy: Symptoms that are annoying, why an umbilical hernia is not dangerous for the baby and why talking is sometimes the best medicine.

8th week of pregnancy: This is how your baby is developing

Something is happening in the 8th week of pregnancy: Development of the whole body and individual organs of the little one is progressing. In week 8 of pregnancy, for example, the liver appears as a bulge between the heart and the umbilical cord, and the intestine also develops. However, it is still too big to fit completely into the child's abdominal cavity. Therefore, around the 8th week of pregnancy, a loop crosses a section of the umbilical cord, resulting in a physiological umbilical hernia. Sounds bad, but it is not dangerous, it is quite normal when the intestine is growing so quickly.

Meanwhile, the embryo (8th week) floats in its intact little world towards further growth - in a bladder filled with amniotic fluid, well protected from bumps, pressure and noise. A few milliliters of amniotic fluid are still sufficient for this. Its volume increases to a good one liter by the time it is born.

8th week of pregnancy ultrasound: That can be seen

At the end of the second month of pregnancy (8th week), the microscopic cell clump has become a 9 to 16 millimeter large mini human. He now has tiny hands and feet, with the upper extremities developing a little “faster” than the lower extremities. The jaw with the teeth in it can already be identified as a bright spot in the head area.

8th week of pregnancy: That will change for you

Outwardly there is still not much to see in the 8th week of pregnancy. The abdomen and the rest of the body have not changed noticeably. If so, then a bulge of the abdomen is only rudimentary and often only recognizable by yourself - by the way, it is initially much lower than many think. The bulge appears, if at all, just above the pubic bone.

You will not have gained more than a kilo or two. Your uterus, on the other hand, has grown significantly: in the 8th week of pregnancy, it has already doubled its size and can press on the bladder. The result: you will look for a toilet more often when you are out and about.

Some women who are eight weeks pregnant also feel a bit short of breath, even though they were actually always fit. This is because some of the oxygen that is breathed in is diverted for the baby in the tummy. It can happen that the mother-to-be gasps for air even with light exertion and is quickly exhausted. If this is the case for you too: Take it easy and slow down your everyday life as much as possible.

8th week of pregnancy: That is important now

Around the 8th week of pregnancy, the emotions can be very strong - both positive and negative. It helps best to talk to someone about your worries and fears. You can do this, for example, in an early pregnancy course. Many midwives, practices or other institutions offer such courses that are specially designed for women in the early stages of pregnancy. Instead of childbirth preparation, it is about the many open questions that are probably going through your head.

You (and your partner) are also entitled to free pregnancy counseling. You can find the addresses of advice centers in your area on the Internet.

Midwife tip

It is quite normal to worry in the 8th week of pregnancy: After all, you don't become a mother every day! However, if symptoms exceed mood swings and brief emotional lows, or if you have previously been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or other serious underlying mental illness, you should seek professional support. Accept any help you can get. After all, pregnancy should be a time of joy and as carefree as possible - whether in the 8th week of pregnancy or later!