Week 8: Kiss Your Modesty Good-Bye

MIND:
Maybe it’s practice for the heightened senses you’ll have as a mom (like bionic hearing to interpret the source of that thump coming from the playroom,) but in week eight you might be boasting the supersonic sense of smell. Yup, just when the light scent of buttered toast is all it takes to make you hurl, you’ll be able to smell someone else’s toast from six houses over. Thanks, pregnancy.

BODY:
Did you know that in addition to your uterus, the baby, and your ankles, even your blood volume is getting bigger? Right now you have about 10% more blood circulating through your body than you did pre-pregnancy, and you’ll end up with almost 50% more than you usually have. Because of that, you might be feeling dizzy or lightheaded, peeing a lot, noticing bulging veins or getting nosebleeds. Your gums are more likely to bleed when you brush, too; changing hormones can increase your risk of developing gum disease, which can be bad news for baby, so try to see a dentist at some point during the second trimester.

BABY:
With webbed fingers and toes, and the “tail” — really just an extension of the tailbone — almost gone, your baby is really starting to look like a real person and not just some freaky science experiment gone wrong. Even the little eye lids, upper lip and nose are visible. Your doctor might be able to hear the heartbeat at this point, and should definitely be able to see it if you end up getting a transvaginal ultrasound. What the hell is that, you ask?

Simply put, it’s an ultrasound probe (that looks an awful lot like a dildo) that’s inserted into your vagina. You might need to have this done for a number of reasons, including confirming your due date if your cycle is irregular, identifying twins or triplets, or to check out the cause of vaginal bleeding if you’re having any. Yup, you’re about to go all the way with your OBGYN; now would be a fine time to kiss your modesty goodbye!