At nine weeks pregnant, you might want to start thinking about saving up the pennies for when baby arrives. It's also a good idea to look into your company's maternity leave policy so that when you do break the exciting news to your boss, you'll be clued up enough to discuss what will happen in the coming months. Read more on what to expect in terms of symptoms, changes to your body, and your baby's development at nine weeks pregnant.

How many months is 9 weeks pregnant?

At 9 weeks pregnant, you're in month three of your pregnancy journey and only have around six months left to go before baby arrives.

How big is my baby at nine weeks pregnant?

Once you are nine weeks pregnant, your baby will have doubled in weight, weighing around 2g and is the size of a strawberry. Their hands and feet will be growing too.

What's my baby doing at 9 weeks pregnant?

Dr Venkat from the Harley Street Fertility Clinic says: "There is a lot going on at nine weeks. While fingers and toes won't be quite ready at this point, the major organs are starting to take shape."

By week nine, the heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys start to take shape and bones will begin forming too. In a couple of weeks, your baby will officially be referred to as a foetus, and although she’s starting to make tiny arm and leg movements, you won’t feel them for a bit longer.

Right now, your baby’s head is still larger than the body due to all the brain activity that is currently happening. Apart from that, she is looking more and more like a tiny human and has now lost her tail.

What’s more, up until this point, although your baby’s chromosomes are definitely male or female, the genitals were unisex. From week nine, he or she will start to form specific male or female genitalia. While you won't find out your baby's sex until your anomaly scan (if you want to) it might be fun to try something like the Chinese gender predictor tool.

Finally, your baby's heart is growing stronger and developing quickly this week. You might even be able to be hear your baby's heartbeat using a hand held doppler, and your midwife might try to do this at your next antenatal appointment. Although it is not advisable to try and do this at home.

Your pregnancy symptoms at 9 weeks pregnant

NHS midwife Kate Bennett says that symptoms and what you're feeling aren't much different than at 8 weeks pregnant, but some changes in your pregnancy journey are at their most severe, such as morning sickness and exhaustion.

Frequent urination

Yes, you are still weeing ALL THE TIME. This has been a constant symptom for weeks now. If you find yourself constantly needing to wee, make sure you lean forwards on the toilet to ensure you’ve fully emptied your bladder.

Breast tenderness

Another repeat offender. As if getting enough sleep wasn’t hard enough, your growing boobs can make getting comfy that little bit harder. It’s perfectly normal for your breasts to feel ultra sensitive at this time, so try sleeping with a sports bra on and see if it helps.

Bloating and gas

One you probably won’t want to talk to your doctor about, but feeling gassy is another very common symptom. If you’re worried about keeping this to a minimum, try smaller meals that won’t overload your digestive system and do your research into the best foods to eat during pregnancy.

Constipation

Constipation and bloating often go hand-in-hand but that doesn't make it any easier. If you are suffering, try to eat fibre-rich foods such as fruit and veg or juice to help you go to the toilet. It also helps to up your water intake.

Heartburn or indigestion

Heartburn is very common early in pregnancy as your body produces progesterone and relaxin, which relax the muscles in your gastrointestinal tract meaning food moves slowly through your system. This is what causes indigestion, heartburn, bloating, and gas. Those pesky pregnancy hormones. However, this is vital for your baby as the slowing down means your baby can get those nutrients more easily. Try chewing sugarless gum to soothe symptoms.

Fatigue

It’s perfectly normal in these first few weeks of pregnancy to feel extremely exhausted, but when you think of the mammoth changes occurring physiologically, mentally, and emotionally, is it any wonder you need a lie-down? Your body is working around the clock to develop the placenta, but also, pregnancy has increased your metabolism and hormone levels, which in turn lowers your blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Try introducing different foods into your diet to help with this. If you find yourself snoozing more, try sleeping on your left side as this stops your uterus pressing on major blood vessels, allowing more blood to get to your baby.

Your body at 9 weeks pregnant

Over the past few weeks, the levels of the chemical 'human chorionic gonadotropin' have been doubling in your body every two or three days. The NHS says when you're 9 weeks pregnant, the hormone is at its peak which can make you feel unwell.

Midwife Kate Bennett adds: "While this is difficult, it is important to remember these hormones are also what’s keeping your baby in place in the lining of your womb.

"You might also find that some clothes feel a little tighter than usual, but that's perfectly normal.

"On average a woman is likely to gain around 25-35lbs in pregnancy, and up to 5lbs are gained in the first trimester. If you’re expecting twins, you’re likely to gain up a 1lb a week. However, you may also lose weight in the first trimester if you’re suffering from extreme morning sickness."

Midwife Kate adds: "Due to a mix of hormones, fatigue and nausea can make your emotions harder to control. You may also be experiencing headaches, due to hormones, dehydration, lack of sleep, or possibly due to caffeine withdrawal."

What symptoms should you not ignore at 9 weeks pregnant

Remember to call the midwife or your doctor if you're having any concerns and you're experiencing any of the below symptoms.

Also, speak to a medical professional if you're feeling particularly lonely or sad at 9 weeks pregnant.

How to look after yourself at 9 weeks pregnant

Keep snacking

"It can be really difficult to get a balanced diet in the first trimester due to feeling queasy and being sick," Kate Bennent says. "However, protein is particularly important in your first trimester, so if typical sources don't appeal such as meat and eggs, try lighter foods such as Greek yoghurts and nut butters."

Focusing on smaller meals throughout the day can help with morning sickness and keep your blood sugar levels up. Rest assured your tiny baby is getting everything she needs.

Buy a box of Rennies

Rennies are your lifesaver. Antacids are safe to take during pregnancy and can help with that awful pregnancy heartburn.

Talk to your doctor

If you’re older than 35 or have any genetic conditions, now is the time to talk to your doctor about common genetic tests. These can be performed between 10 weeks pregnantand 13 weeks pregnant.

Things to do at 9 weeks pregnant

Antenatal appointment and upcoming dating scan

If you have an antenatal appointment this week, you might even be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat on a Doppler – a handheld ultrasound device.

That said, if you can’t hear a heartbeat it doesn’t mean something is wrong, just that your baby is in a position that makes hearing it more difficult.

In a few weeks you'll have a scan booked in, which is very exciting and makes your pregnancy journey seem very real. You normally have a dating scan between 10-14 weeks pregnant, so it is often referred to as the '12-week scan'. At this time, the sonographer will look at how developed your baby is and measure the length of your baby from his head to his bottom.

Treat yourself

 Why not treat yourself to a relaxing day out? Or a new haircut? Your hair grows like crazy during pregnancy, and what better way to treat yourself than a cut and blow-dry?

Drink plenty of water

Even though you'll be making more trips to the toilet than normal, it's important to stay hydrated, so make sure you're still drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated can help avoid a urinary tract infection, which are pretty common during pregnancy.

Antenatal classes

Ask your doctor or midwife of any antenatal classes that are going on in your area.

Get physical

 The NHS recommends that pregnant women exercise regularly. Start by going for a ten-minute walk or go for a swim.

Should you get a hand held doppler at home?

At 9 weeks pregnant, your little one's heart is really developing and it may be strong enough to hear using a doppler device. While there are plenty you can buy to have at home, it is not advisable. Those sold for home use might not be as accurate, or reliable as the type used by doctors, or they may be used incorrectly. This won't cause any physical harm but it could cause unnecessary anxiety in pregnancy for you. It is best to leave finding your little one's heart rate to your doctor or midwife.

About the experts

Founder of the Harley Street Fertility Clinic, Dr Geetha Venkat, MBBS, DGO, MD, FRCOG, has more than 20 years of experience in various fertility clinics around Harley Street. Her focus has been to tailor treatments to the needs of her patients while incorporating the latest developments in the discipline. Dr Venkat presents her work regularly in conferences and has published articles in many peer reviewed journals. She has also contributed two chapters to the authoritative book on ‘Donor Egg IVF’, published in 2008. She offers advice to the community on fertility matters in television and radio programs.

Kate Bennett qualified as a Midwife in 2010 and has worked in a variety of settings in Central Delivery Suite, Birth Centre, Community and Home Birth team.  Following the birth of her first daughter, she completed additional training to become a Health Visitor and now works primarily with vulnerable and ‘at risk’ families.  Kate is also a breastfeeding key worker and disseminates evidence-based practice to her peers as well as the families that she works alongside.

Maria Martin is Digital Group Editor for Yours.co.uk and Motherandbaby.com. She is a mum-of-two with a passion for helping women from all walks of life – from supporting breastfeeding mothers with expert advice to encouraging conversations about mental health. In her professional role, she has over 10 years' experience in the digital world, including editing articles, focussing on SEO, social media engagement, picture researching and video editing.