Your pregnancy: 9 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — barely the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce, but he's poised for rapid weight gain now that his basic physical structure is in place. He's also starting to look more and more human. His embryonic "tail" is now completely gone and his body parts — including organs, muscles, and nerves — are kicking into gear.


His eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. He has earlobes, and by week's end, the inner workings of his ears will be complete. His upper lip is fully formed, too, and his mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The tips of his fingers are slightly enlarged where his touch pads are developing. All major joints — his shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankles — are working, enabling your baby to move his limbs. As for his heart, it has divided into four chambers now, and the valves have started to develop. External sex organs are there, but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

You still may not look pregnant (although your belly will probably pop earlier if you've been pregnant before), but emotionally you may feel like you're on a roller coaster ride. Mood swings are common now; it's perfectly normal to feel alternately elated and terrified about becoming a parent. This feeling can persist throughout your pregnancy and well after your baby's born. Try to cut yourself some slack. Almost all expectant parents worry about how a new baby will change their lives, but the vast majority later say that becoming a parent was one of the best things they've ever done.

You may be feeling extra gassy or bloated now, too. That's primarily because the major doses of progesterone your body produces early in pregnancy relax smooth muscle tissue throughout your body, and that includes your gastrointestinal tract. This relaxation slows your digestive processes, which can cause more gas, bloating, burping, flatulence, and generally miserable sensations in your gut, especially after a big meal. Find out how to get relief.

If you're over 35 or have a family history of a genetic illness, such as cystic fibrosis, you may want to consider genetic counseling or a prenatal test called chorionic villus sampling (CVS), which is given between ten and 12 weeks and screens for certain birth defects and abnormalities.

When to break the news at work "I waited until after the first trimester to tell my boss. By then I wasn't as worried about something happening to the baby and had time to think about a maternity leave plan." — Kristin

Decision Guide: When to tell at work?

Some women spill the baby beans at work right away. Others wait as long as they can for fear that their pregnancy will affect how their boss or co-workers view them. Many women wait until they're in their second trimester, when their pregnancy is well established and the risk of miscarriage has declined significantly. What's the best time for you to announce? Here are some factors to consider:

Are you having any complications? If you are, and you have frequent doctor visits or are very preoccupied, you might feel relieved if you tell your colleagues early in your pregnancy.

How sick are you? If you're suffering from near constant nausea or frequent vomiting you may have to tell your supervisor about your pregnancy earlier than planned. Before you tell her, figure out what you want: Compassion? Time off? A flexible schedule until you get through the worst of it? Ask for what you need and then assure her that most women feel better by the end of the third month.

Is your job strenuous or dangerous? For your baby's sake and your own, you'll probably want to come clean early on. Making your announcement right away will allow you to talk about changing your job responsibilities in a timely manner.

Will your supervisor and colleagues be supportive? This will depend on your workplace culture, the extent to which your workplace has been affected by other women's pregnancies, and your relationship with your supervisors. If you're confident that your employer will handle the news in a professional manner, announcing your pregnancy early means you can take advantage of any employer-provided services that can help make your pregnancy healthier and less stressful.

Unfortunately, some employers may be less than enlightened about pregnant employees. If you're concerned about your employer's reaction, proceed cautiously. Consider waiting to tell your boss until your pregnancy is 14 to 20 weeks along. At that point, you'll have already demonstrated that you can do your job while carrying a child.

If you're not sure what the reaction will be at your company, quietly take aside a colleague who's been pregnant at work and ask her how she was treated.

What do most women do? Here's when thousands of BabyCenter members announced their pregnancies at work:
• 23 percent spilled the beans right away.
• 23 percent waited a few weeks until they absorbed the news themselves.
• 36 percent waited until after their first trimester.
• 14 percent waited until they started to show. **I'm somewhere inbetween

The good news: The vast majority had a positive experience — 83 percent said their boss was supportive when they revealed their baby news.

If possible, time your pregnancy announcement to coincide with the completion of a big project. By doing so, you'll send a strong message: I'm pregnant and my productivity is unaffected.

This Week's Activity

Start a daily ritual to connect with your baby. Diane Sanford, a clinical psychologist who focuses on pregnancy and postpartum adjustment, encourages women to set aside two 5- to 10-minute periods a day to think about their baby. *Ummm, when do I NOT think about the baby? Just after waking up and before going to sleep works well for many expectant moms. During these times, sit quietly and gently rest your hands on your belly. Focus on your breathing and then start thinking about your baby (your hopes and dreams, your intentions as a parent, etc.). It's a great way to initiate the bonding process and to help you plan for the kind of parent you want to be.