Pregnancy Week 8: Baby Size & Practice

At 8 weeks

At 8 weeks pregnant your baby is about the size of a kidney bean (rajma), around 16 mm long. Fingers are starting to grow, the tail is getting shorter and, around now, the embryo becomes a foetus. Morning sickness is often at its worst this week, and your uterus has grown to about the size of a tennis ball.

Your Baby at 8 Weeks

Your baby's head has started to uncurl a little. The arms are getting longer and are bigger than the legs, because the upper body grows faster than the lower body; the knees, ankles, thighs and toes have not developed yet (NHS).

Hands have appeared at the ends of the arm buds, and fingers are starting to grow. The eyes and nose are visible, the inner ear and tongue are developing, and the tail is shrinking. Until the placenta takes over at about 10 weeks, the yolk sac supplies your baby's nutrients (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).

The placenta is getting ready to provide nutrients and oxygen and take away waste, sprouting little branches that let it attach to the wall of your womb. Around this week, the embryo becomes a foetus, which means offspring in Latin (NHS).

Your Body This Week

By week 8 your uterus is about the size of a tennis ball and presses on your bladder, so you may need the toilet more often. This is often the week morning sickness is at its worst; some women feel full of energy while others feel tired and emotional (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby).

If night-time trips to the toilet disturb your sleep, the NHS suggests drinking plenty during the day and less in the evening. Bloating and slightly swollen breasts are common, though you probably won't look pregnant for a few more weeks (NHS).

When to call your midwife or doctor: Talk to your doctor if you feel very anxious or low, and see them if you have any bleeding. If you haven't yet seen a doctor or midwife about this pregnancy, book an appointment now.

Garbh Sanskar This Week

A small daily practice for this stage, from Mamta’s 1:1 sessions. It is tradition and gentle self-care, not medical advice, so keep every check-up and follow your doctor or midwife first.

Mantra: Saha navavatu, the shanti mantra from the Taittiriya Upanishad, asks that 'we two' be protected and nourished together and work together without ill will. It began as a prayer between teacher and student, and you can also read the 'we two' as you and your baby; chant it softly for a few minutes (Garbh Sanskar mantras).
Music: When nausea is at its peak, quiet music in a dim room can make rest easier. Play a bhajan or soft song you love at a comfortable volume.
Gentle movement: For a tiring week, Mamta teaches something short and slow: sit in sukhasana, an easy cross-legged posture, on a cushion, and let each out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath, never holding it. Try a few minutes, only with your doctor's or midwife's clearance.
Food: Traditionally, Charaka's second month centres on milk; small portions through the day sit well with the 6 small meals the NHS suggests, alongside the iron, calcium and folic acid your doctor recommends.
Garbh samvad (a line to say to your baby): We're in this together, you and I.

Check-ups Around This Week, Wherever You Live

Most first pregnancy check-ups fall somewhere between about 8 and 12 weeks, but each country sets its own timing.

Where you live	What is usually offered
India	Government guidelines advise registering your pregnancy within 12 weeks, with a 75 g glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes at the first visit. The first Td (tetanus and diphtheria) injection is given early, with the second four weeks later.
UK	The NHS booking appointment usually happens between 8 and 12 weeks and takes around an hour, and the dating scan is offered between 8 and 14 weeks.
USA	The first prenatal visit happens in early pregnancy, and visits have traditionally been every 4 weeks until 28 weeks, although ACOG now supports schedules tailored to you. Cell-free DNA screening is an option from 10 weeks.
Australia	The first antenatal visit is advised within the first 10 weeks, with a dating scan between 8 and 14 weeks and NIPT available from 10 weeks.

Schedules change and differ between hospitals, so your own care team’s plan always comes first.

Questions About Week 8

When does an embryo become a foetus?

Around week 8, according to the NHS. The word foetus means offspring in Latin, and by this point your baby is about 16 mm long.

Is morning sickness worse at 8 weeks?

Often, yes. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says week 8 is when morning sickness is often at its worst, though some women feel well and energetic. The NHS suggests 6 small healthy meals a day and as much rest as you can get.

Why are my gums bleeding at 8 weeks pregnant?

Pregnancy hormones can make gums bleed more easily, and frequent vomiting or sweet foods can affect your teeth. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests gentle flossing, a soft toothbrush and regular dentist visits throughout pregnancy.

Practise With Mamta, Wherever You Are

Mamta guides expecting mothers through private 1:1 Garbh Sanskar sessions online, scheduled in your own time zone, from the first trimester to the last week. Start with a free conversation on WhatsApp or read how sessions work.

Sources

Mamta is not a doctor. Medical points on this page come from the sources below, checked in October 2026. Sizes are approximate and babies vary; your scan report is what matters.