9 weeks pregnant
Our guide to your 9th week of pregnancy
Your Baby
The foundations have now been laid. All of your baby’s vital organs have been created. His or her features have been crafted, although eyelids cover the eyes – which are yet to be pigmented – and will do for 17 or 18 weeks. Your baby’s tiny heart now has four distinct chambers and the placenta has begun the task of taking over the care of your baby inside your womb, producing all the essential hormones.
You
Your waist is probably starting to fill out a little now, although by no means do you really look pregnant. However, about now is when your morning sickness is likely to peak. You may also be suffering from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), heartburn and constipation. During pregnancy our muscles relax including those in our gastrointestinal tract. This can lead to excess gasses, which will wreak havoc on your digestive system.
Diet can be blamed for many of the problems but it can also be prescribed as treatment. Wheat bran is great for relieving constipation and rice is a great carbohydrate rich food that doesn’t cause bloating or heartburn. Creamy, fatty products are best avoided.
Exercise is another tool for relieving tension in your gastric tract. Yoga and walking are two of the best forms of exercise and being low impact they can be done soon after eating to aid digestion.
Even though you will feel the urge to pee all the time, drink plenty of water to flush out your system and keep you hydrated. Avoid tea and coffee as they both act as diuretics, i.e. they dehydrate your body.
Free Prescriptions and Dental Appointments
During pregnancy and throughout your child’s first year you are exempt from paying for prescriptions and dentist appointments. Some women experience toothache and bleeding gums during pregnancy, so having free dental care is a major bonus. Free prescriptions come in handy for all those medicines you could be prescribed to deal with pregnancy side effects.
You will need to apply for a maternity exemption certificate (Matex), form FW8. Your midwife or GP should give you this form during your first anti-natal appointment, however if they don’t you can pick it up from your local doctors’ surgery. The form may take a while to be processed, but don’t worry as you can claim for any prescriptions you have to buy during your pregnancy at a later stage. You can apply for this certificate any time during pregnancy and any time during the first 12 months after your baby is born.
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