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Your pregnancy is at one of the most important stages for the babies inside your womb, since the twin foetuses at 9 weeks experience the growth of some of the most important organs of the body. This also kicks off numerous changes within your body itself. As the first trimester begins to come to a close in the coming weeks, making sure your physical health is at its best becomes even more necessary. Working women can come to a decision of discussing their pregnancy with their bosses, and establish a timeframe as to when they’d like to go on a leave. Coming to terms with a lifestyle that will be predominantly sedentary would be a massive change for women who are in jobs that adopt a different working style.
The Growth of the Babies At 9 Weeks
Whether you have twins or multiples in your womb, their development has reached a monumental stage by the 9th week and a lot of defining characteristics are on their way to completion.
The eyes of the babies are nearly formed completely, which are protected by the eyelids having neared completion too. Facial features like the mouths and noses start getting proper shapes too. Along with them, the ears start to form along the sides of the heads and the toes begin to pop out from the feet as well. The babies’ fingers also start becoming distinct.
Inside the bodies of the babies, most of the internal organs that have been developed take their rightful position and continue growing further. The heart usually develops enough to have all the four chambers present in their full glory, which makes its functioning better. The formation of teeth also occurs around this age, high above the gums, so that they can emerge when the time is right.
What is the Size of the Babies?
Since the placenta is usually formed completely by the 9th week of pregnancy, the babies start to grow rapidly in height and weight. This pretty much marks the end of the embryo phase and sets the stage for beginning the next phase of development. Their size might now be as large as a grape or cherry, and they are all set to embrace the rapid growth coming their way.
Common Bodily Changes
The body of a woman pregnant with multiples does tend to have slightly different changes as compared to a woman going through a standard pregnancy, around this stage. A bunch of changes are common, irrespective of the number of babies inside you.
- The growth of the babies will cause the uterus to expand in size as well. This expansion depends totally on the number of babies residing inside. At times, it could be as large as a papaya or maybe even more. The uterus also adjusts its orientation as it grows in size, which makes it tilt slightly upwards with respect to the body.
- Frequent urination would still be present this week and will continue to trouble you for a long time. The adjustment of the orientation also puts pressure on the bladder, which causes you to constantly feel like peeing.
- The hormone levels that fluctuate constantly can lead to headaches in women. Mothers who have had migraines earlier could find themselves facing them again. As normal as this condition might be, it certainly isn’t a comfortable one. Combined with exhaustion, stress, anxiety, this can easily remove all the fun and happiness of being pregnant.
- Working women whose work schedules require them to sit in front of computer screens for long durations are at risk of facing headaches, and even strain on the eyes. Taking rest is the only way to counter this.
- Weight gain continues to happen gradually, though it isn’t as much to make a huge difference. Fluctuations tend to happen around this time, causing your weight to reduce for a few days and then increase again.
- The increasing size of the uterus and the boosted flow of blood towards the breasts cause them to expand in size. This expansion puts a pressure on the skin as well, leading it to stretch and even get itchy at times.
- Acidity and constipation could occur, which can also be combined with a tendency to pass gas or burp quite often. There’s nothing to worry about this, except for embarrassment if you were to fart in a social situation. A proper diet and consumption can reduce the chances of this happening.
- The completion of 9 weeks marks the strongest phases of nausea and morning sickness in a woman. Most women begin to hate their pregnancy around this time, and the irritation can get absolutely frustrating at times. On the brighter side, these symptoms will start reducing in the coming weeks.
Symptoms of Twin Pregnancy At 9 Weeks
Apart from the different changes taking place in the body, the signs of having twins at 9 weeks can manifest themselves in a number of emotional and rather subtle ways within you.
- The infamous mood swings strike their strongest around this time, as a result of high hormone secretion. You might feel like taking a small nap at a random time of the day. At times, you could get angry at your family members for no reason at all.
- The levels of hCG hormones peak immensely around this week. Nausea is the strongest result at this stage, and what’s bad for women pregnant with one child, gets multiplied for women with twins or more babies in their womb. If the number of babies is more, the body needs to work that much harder to support them, leading to a higher secretion of hCG and causing these symptoms to get worse.
- The 9th week of pregnancy can turn out to be one of the toughest ones for you. All the changes that occur, followed by the demands of taking care of your family, home, and your own self, can leave you with barely any energy at all. Adjusting your sleep schedules is highly recommended to get enough sleep.
- Salivation increases as a result of nausea but it also gets combined with an excessive production of mucus in your nostrils around this week. The increased blood flow causes the nose to feel stuffy, followed by stimulated mucous membranes leading to a cold-like scenario.
Twin Pregnancy – Belly at 9 Weeks
Most of the pants that you could wear earlier won’t fit you as easily as they used to. The increase in weight and waistline will be evident but only to you. Most of the change in the size of the belly is a result of the growth of the uterus, and the tiny bump that many women speak about will be on its way soon enough.
Twin Pregnancy at 9 Weeks – Ultrasound
Going for an ultrasound when you reach the 9th week of pregnancy will introduce you to a new realm of your babies’ development. This one is less visual and more aural, as your doctor will allow you to hear the heartbeats of your babies. The position of your twins or multiples will be key to being able to separate those beats, but you could even hear them in unison, beating rapidly at an extremely fast pace.
What to Eat
Nutrition takes a lot more importance with a diet that can provide all the nutrients in an amount that is apt for the growth of the babies.
Sticking to lean and boiled meat is your best bet. Including seasonal fruits and vegetables can help ensure more essential nutrients. A constant state of fatigue could be the result of an iron deficiency, which should be balanced immediately with iron-rich food items.
Green vegetables, red fruits, dried nuts are all great inclusions to be done in your diet. Supplemented by prenatal vitamins, these can keep you healthy throughout.
Pregnancy Care Tips
Taking a few tips into account to keep yourself safe in this phase of pregnancy helps you stay safe for the weeks and months to come.
Do’s
- Opt for using maternity bras that can support your breasts and not irritate their sensitive skin.
- Monitor your weight on a weekly basis and don’t fret about losing a few kilos.
Dont’s
- Avoid having sexual intercourse if bleeding or any foul smelling discharge emits from the vagina later on.
- Don’t binge on spicy, sweet or fatty items since they could make your morning sickness worse.
What You Need to Shop for
Since your nausea will be at its worse, getting some sugar-free chewing gums that are safe for pregnant women can be quite helpful. Start keeping a diary to write down your emotions, and to keep yourself calm and relaxed.
When a woman is 9 weeks pregnant with twins, it can be one of the most taxing moments she has ever faced in her life. All the happiness of the pregnancy can be sucked out by the numerous bodily changes. Make sure to ask your partner for support and let time do its bidding, since the best moments will be arriving pretty soon.
