It's week nine of pregnancy and you're probably wondering what to expect, including changes with you and baby development at this time. If you're wondering how many months is 9 weeks pregnant, the answer is you are in the first week of your third month of pregnancy. 

You're probably wondering what symptoms you should expect at 9 weeks pregnant. At 9 weeks pregnant, the symptom checklist is very similar to week eight, and it's quite extensive. Common symptoms include:

You might also notice some changes with your body in the ninth week of pregnancy. They're very similar to week seven and week eight, where you're noticing your nipples and areola are becoming darker. This can be quite surprising but it only usually lasts through the end of breastfeeding.

If you ever have any concerns about a symptom or a body change that's happening, don't hesitate to contact your care provider. If you aren't seeing an OB-GYN yet, then contact your general practitioner. 

What's happening with the baby's development at 9 weeks pregnant is that the embryo is now considered a fetus, and is about the size of a grape or measuring 0.9 to 1.2 inches (22 to 30 mm) in length . The embryo continues to grow at a rapid pace. At 9 weeks pregnant, the brain and spinal cord are developing in complexity, and the neurons and connections between the nerve cells are strengthening. This is quite a lot of work happening insider which goes along with the amount of symptoms you might be feeling this week.

By the ninth week of pregnancy, the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys are all formed and functioning. The baby is in an amniotic sac and protected by that sack and by the amniotic fluid. The placenta continues its growth and functioning but it's not yet fully formed. If you were able to observe the profile of the baby, you would notice that at 9 weeks pregnant the baby has a large head at this point and doesn't have much of a chin yet.

Your mind might be racing about the things that you need to think about and do. Here, we will tackle the things that you might want to put on your list each week. And for this week’s must think and do, here they are:

During week six, I encouraged you to set up a system of managing your hydration. It is important as dehydration can lead to some pregnancy complications, and I really don't want that for you.

One way to promote hydration is to consider using an eletrolyte drink on occasion. I like the Preggie Hydration product made by our video sponsor Three Lollies.

I am thrilled to announce our first trimester sponsor, Three Lollies. If you aren't familiar with The Three Lollies brand, you might recognize their most popular product Preggy Pop Drops . The first trimester is a great time to have these on hand. I remember when I was pregnant for the first time and I didn't know when that nausea was going to hit, Preggy Pop Drops are a natural solution to this challenge.

The Preggy Pop Drops come in four yummy flavors, they're all natural and drug-free. There's sour raspberry, green apple, sour lemon, and sour tangerine.

I love that you can grab a package of 21 for just $5 on Amazon. Now this is an affordable way to be prepared for the symptoms that you might face in the first trimester. With 21 pieces that means you can have these close by when you feel that wave of nausea hit. I would probably put seven of them in my purse, seven in the car, and seven at my desk. So thank you Three Lollies for helping us in the first trimester and thank you for supporting childbirth education.

Homework this week is to really focus on hydration, and make sure you subscribe to our weekly updates. I will be here every week of pregnancy, and I look forward to meeting you right back here for week number 10.