Week 8: Getting to Know Fruits and Veggies

Your Baby This Week

Your baby is about the size of a lima bean, just 0.5 inches to 0.75 inches (2 cm) long--but so darned cute already! You may have already seen the doctor, and had your pelvic exam, a pap smear, a urine analysis and culture, plus a CBC blood test and a mandatory test for syphilis. You'll also get checked for blood type, tested for Rh factor, and possibly screened for immunity to Rubella (German measles).







The folds that will form your baby's eyelids are forming on the face, while nerve cells in the retina are developing, paving the way for sight. The very tip of your baby's nose is now present, and their tiny ears are forming both on the outside and inside of the head, as nerve pathways related to hearing develop. The tubes connecting the lungs and throat are sprouting, and their arms are growing longer. In fact, your baby now has a pair of elbows!

Your Body This Week

Although your uterus is growing larger every week, it's not likely that you will see a bulging tummy yet. However, you may find your clothes are tight at the waist, your breasts may feel larger, and you may notice more weight on your hips and thighs that is making your clothes fit snugly.

Get to Know Fruits & Veggies

If you're caught up in the pace of modern living, the produce aisle at your grocery store may be a foreign land you've never visited. Walk through, and you could be surrounded by fresh fruits and vegetables that you had forgotten about, along with some you never knew existed. This is one healthy habit that you should reacquaint yourself with as early as possible in your pregnancy. Folic acid and iron are just a few of the essential nutrients you get from the fresh stuff. Fortunately, it's easy to get 5 fruits and veggies each day. Learn how.

How Hard Should I Exercise?

The heart rate is an effective tool for monitoring your exercise intensity level. But during pregnancy, there is a better way to gauge how hard you are working. This method is called Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), based on a scale from 1 to 10 that reflects how you feel both mentally and physically. Generally, you should stay below a level 6 when exercising and continue to drop that number as you progress through pregnancy. Read more about how to pace, not race, your heart.