my pregnancy: 9 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

See what's going on in your uterus this week.

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 even if your waist is thickening a bit. You probably feel pregnant, though. Not only are morning sickness and other physical symptoms out in full force for most women, but you may feel like an emotional pinball as well.

Mood swings are common now — it's perfectly normal to feel alternately elated and terrified about becoming a parent. Try to cut yourself some slack. Most women find that moodiness flares up at around six to ten weeks, eases up in the second trimester, and then reappears as pregnancy winds to a close.

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 visits to your caregiver or are very preoccupied, you might feel relieved if you told 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 you'd prefer. 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 potentially 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 supervisor. 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, and consider waiting to tell your boss until you're starting to show. You might also want to quietly take aside a colleague who's been pregnant at work and ask her how she was treated.

Finally, be aware of your legal rights. A federal law called the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) prevents covered employers from firing, demoting, or compensating women differently just because they're pregnant. In addition, many states have similar laws that prohibit discrimination against pregnant women.

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.

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

Got a question about your rights? Get confidential advice by calling the hotline at 9 to 5, National Association of Working Women: (800) 522-0925.

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 five- to ten-minute periods a day to think about their 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.

my pregnancy: 8 weeks

How your baby's growing:

New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

See what's going on in your uterus this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)

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 may notice that your bra is getting more snug. Soon you'll likely need a larger size with better support. Rising levels of hormones cause breast growth and other tissue changes, all in preparation for lactation. Your breasts may continue to grow throughout pregnancy. Don't be surprised if you go up a cup size or two, especially if it's your first baby. Keep this in mind, and allow for room to grow when investing in a new bra.

Feeling fatigued? Hormonal changes — in particular, a dramatic rise in progesterone — may be contributing to your sluggishness. Nausea and vomiting can certainly cost you energy, too. And you may be having trouble getting a good night's sleep at this point, especially if you're uncomfortable or find you need to get up to pee.

Walking to beat fatigue "Taking a short 15- to 20-minute walk helped me cope with the overwhelming fatigue that hit me in the first trimester. It was the only way I made it through a day at work without a nap!" —Gabriela

Decision Guide: Which prenatal tests are for you?

Your healthcare provider will offer you a range of genetic screening and diagnostic tests during your pregnancy. Some are simple blood tests, while others involve more invasive procedures — and all are optional. Before you agree to any test, ask your caregiver to explain what it is, how it's done, whether the test itself is risky in any way, and what the results will tell you. Many prenatal tests are for screening rather than diagnostic purposes. Screening tests give you a sense of your risk for certain conditions. But only a diagnostic test can tell you for sure whether your baby has a problem. Here are your options during the first trimester:

First-trimester combined screening test: This relatively new screening test combines a nuchal fold scan (using ultrasound to measure the clear space in the tissue at the back of your developing baby's neck) with a blood test to measure two proteins. The scan is performed between 11 weeks of pregnancy through the end of 13 weeks, and the blood test may be done at the same time or possibly a few weeks earlier. First-trimester combined screening gives you information about your baby's odds of having Down syndrome and may tell you whether your baby's at higher risk for a few other problems as well. Although it's not diagnostic, the screening is essentially risk-free and may help you decide whether you want invasive diagnostic testing such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis, which slightly increase the risk of miscarriage.

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS): This diagnostic test involves collecting cells from the placenta, which are then sent to a lab for genetic analysis. CVS can identify whether your baby has any of hundreds of chromosomal abnormalities and other genetic disorders. It's done in the first trimester, usually between 11 and 12 weeks, making it an earlier alternative to another diagnostic genetic test called amniocentesis, which is done between 16 and 20 weeks.

my pregnancy: 7 weeks

How your baby's growing:

The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

If you could see inside your womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.

See what's going on in your uterus this week.

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:

Your uterus has doubled in size in the past five weeks, and eating may feel like a chore — or worse — thanks to morning sickness, which by now may be in full swing. (If you're feeling fine, don't worry — you're lucky!)

You may need to pee more than usual, too, thanks to your increasing blood volume and the extra fluid being processed through your kidneys. (By now, you already have about 10 percent more blood than you did before you were pregnant. And by the end of your pregnancy, you'll have 40 to 45 percent more blood running through your veins to meet the demands of your full-term baby.) As your uterus grows, pressure on your bladder will send you to the bathroom as well.

About half of the women who feel nauseated during the first trimester will find complete relief by about 14 weeks. For most of the rest, it'll take another month or so for the queasiness to ease up. It's unlikely, though, that the need to pee more than usual will ease up. In fact, research shows that both the frequency and volume of urine tends to increase over the course of pregnancy.

3 Questions About Prenatal checkups

Sometime in the next few weeks is the perfect time to see your healthcare provider for your first prenatal visit. Good prenatal care helps give your baby a healthy start in life.

Q1.

How should I prepare for my first appointment?
Write down all of your questions and bring them with you so you can use your time effectively and get the professional advice you're hungry for. Mention everything you're feeling or wondering about, no matter how insignificant. Also:

• Bring a list of all your medications (prescription and over the counter, including supplements) so your caregiver can assess whether they're safe to take now.

• Look back over your calendar and note the first day of your last period. Your doctor or midwife will use this date to estimate your baby's due date. (Don't worry if you haven't been keeping track or have irregular periods. If you don't have a reliable menstrual date, your caregiver can schedule an early ultrasound to date your pregnancy.)

• Take some time to review your family medical history and your partner's. If you're not sure whether anyone in your family has a chromosomal or genetic disorder, check in with your parents or another close relative. Your caregiver will ask you about this to help guide her prenatal testing recommendations.

Q2.

What happens during these appointments? Your practitioner will generally start by asking how you're feeling physically and emotionally, whether you have any complaints or worries, and what questions you may have. She'll have other questions as well, which will vary depending on how far along you are and whether she has specific concerns.

The goal of prenatal visits is to see how your pregnancy is proceeding and to provide you with the information you need to help keep you and your baby healthy. Your midwife or doctor will check your weight, blood pressure, and urine; measure your abdomen; check the position of your baby; listen to your baby's heartbeat; perform other exams and order tests as appropriate; and closely monitor any complications you may have and intervene if necessary.

At the end of the visit, your practitioner will review her findings with you, explain the normal changes to expect before your next visit and the warning signs to watch for, counsel you about lifestyle issues (such as the importance of good nutrition and avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and drugs), and discuss the pros and cons of optional tests you may want to consider.

Q3.

Should my partner go with me?
That's up to you. Some couples find that they benefit from going to prenatal appointments together — especially the biggies like the first visit, the ultrasound exam, and anytime key test results will be revealed. Here's what other BabyCenter couples say: 57% of pregnant women who took our poll said they always want their partners to attend appointments with them. 37% of partners say they go to every prenatal appointment.

If you're not happy with your caregiver, look for another. The average woman has about ten to 15 prenatal visits, so it's important to choose someone you like and trust. For more information, see How to choose a prenatal caregiver and What to expect at prenatal appointments.

• Some moms-to-be want their partner to join them for every prenatal appointment. Others are happy to go on their own. How do you feel about it?

This Week's Activity:

Take a photo of your belly. Have someone take a picture of you this week — before your pregnancy starts showing. Then keep taking photos once a month until your baby arrives. It's a great way to track your progress, and you'll love having the keepsake. Tips for a great shot: Consider wearing the same outfit, standing in the same spot, and striking the same pose (profiles work best) for each photo. Black-and-white shots and nudes or semi-nudes can be especially beautiful.

my pregnancy: 6 weeks

How your baby's growing:

This week's major developments: The nose, mouth, and ears that you'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape. If you could see into your uterus, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, your baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil bean.

See what's going on in your uterus this week.

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 may find yourself developing a bit of a split personality — feeling moody one day and joyful the next. Unsettling as this is (especially if you pride yourself on being in control), what you're going through is normal. Ricocheting emotions are caused partly by fluctuating hormones. But hormones aside, your life is about to change in a big way — and who wouldn't feel emotional about that?

Spotting (spots of blood on your underpants or toilet tissue after urinating) or bleeding is relatively common in early pregnancy, affecting up to a quarter of pregnant women. It may occur in a normal pregnancy, but sometimes it can be the first sign of miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. If you have any spotting or bleeding, call your provider.

The chewable alternative "My prenatal vitamins made me sick, so my doctor gave me a prescription for fruit-flavored chewable prenatal vitamins and suggested I take them with meals. That really helped." — Janice

Surprising Facts: Could it be twins?

Sure, twins run in families and you're more likely to be carrying multiples if you've undergone fertility treatments, but any woman can become pregnant with more than one baby. Could you be one of them?

Your odds of carrying twins

• Overall, about one in 31 births (greater than 3 percent) are twin births. But your chances of having twins are much less — 1 in 89 — if you conceive without medical assistance. The overall odds of bearing triplets or higher-order multiples is about 1 in 565.
• Identical twins usually happen by chance. Your likelihood of having identical, or monozygotic, twins (when one fertilized egg divides in half) is about 1 in 250.
• A number of factors affect your odds of having fraternal twins or higher-order multiples. Fertility treatments dramatically increase your odds. On average, 20 to 25 percent of women who take fertility drugs or undergo in vitro fertilization or other assisted reproductive techniques end up carrying more than one baby.

Other factors that influence the likelihood of having fraternal twins

• Once you have a set of fraternal twins, you're twice as likely to have another set in a future pregnancy.
• Fraternal twins run in families, so if you're a twin or related to twins, you're more likely to have a set yourself. Your partner's family history doesn't appear to affect your odds of having twins.
• The older you are, the greater your chances of having naturally occurring fraternal twins or higher-order multiples. Hormonal changes in older women are a likely cause.
• Fraternal twins are more common than average in African Americans and less common in Hispanics and Asians.
• The more pregnancies you've had, the greater your chances of having twins.
• Twins are more common in large and tall women than in small women.

When you'll find out whether you're carrying twins
These days, women typically discover they're having more than one baby during an ultrasound, often in the first trimester. If you opt for first-trimester genetic screening, you'll have an ultrasound between 11 and 13 weeks. If you're pregnant as a result of a fertility treatment, you'll probably have an earlier ultrasound, usually within the first eight weeks to count the number of embryos that have implanted. Your practitioner also will recommend an ultrasound if your uterus is larger than would be expected given the number of weeks since your last period. Ultrasound is almost foolproof at revealing multiple pregnancies, particularly after six to eight weeks. However, the more babies you're carrying, the easier it is for one to get overlooked.

• Fertility treatments dramatically increase your odds of having fraternal twins and higher-order multiples. Do you have twins or multiples thanks to fertility treatments?