Pregnancy week 8 - baby and family

By week 8 your baby may already be moving. Even if you do not want others to know: Inform your employer about your pregnancy early

Baby’s development

In weeks 8 and 9 of pregnancy, the unborn child’s heart rate settles to a comparatively high frequency level. "The heart of the embryo now beats at around 160 to 180 beats per minute", says Dr. Mirja Pagenkemper, who conducts research on prenatal characteristics as part of the PRINCE study (Prenatal Identification of Childrens Health). It’s about twice as fast as an adult’s heart.

The unborn child’s head is very large compared to its trunk and bent over the bulge of the heart. His torso and neck, however, slowly straighten up. Eyes and ears continue to develop: primarily because of the retinal pigments now present, the eyes are now visible as dark spots. At the bottom of the head, small protrusions form on the sides, the so-called auricular cusps. They gradually fuse around a furrow that will later become an ear canal, forming the future auricle.

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Elbows begin to form on the paddle-shaped arm buds of the embryo, large hand plates are created in the front. The fingers are gradually drawn onto it in the form of finger rays. First they are but all the same length and look the same. Later they differentiate into the individual fingers. This is a complicated process: in order for the fingers to separate, cells no longer have to be created in the right place, but existing cells must die in an orderly fashion. The unborn child is now around 13 millimeters long.

At week 8, spontaneous movements of the embryo can already be demonstrated. For example can The torso or the arm and leg areas twitch reflexively. Every movement of the unborn trains both his muscles and their control by the brain. Even his reflexes only work properly if the interplay of muscles and nerves has taken place many times.

Mother’s health

At the latest now, you should have had your first preventive medical check-up. The doctor usually takes blood from you to test whether you are protected against certain diseases. Because if you have survived or have been vaccinated against certain infectious diseases, sufficient amounts of antibodies in your blood protect yourself and your baby from the risks that an infection would entail during pregnancy.

Rubella is an infectious disease that is dangerous for the unborn baby. If it is unclear whether the pregnant woman is adequately protected against it, the doctor checks her immunity. If there are not enough antibodies, the mother must be particularly careful about an infection and, above all, avoid contact with infectious infants.

By the way: The Standing Vaccination Committee (STIKO) now recommends that pregnant women from the second trimester of pregnancy (trimester) be vaccinated against flu. If a pregnant woman has an increased health risk due to an underlying illness, a flu vaccination can make sense in the first third of pregnancy. Ask your gynecologist for advice.

Tip: when do I tell the boss?

Even if you are still in the critical first trimester of pregnancy and do not want to initiate your colleagues yet – you should see your employer as soon as possible possible inform about your pregnancy and the expected date of delivery. This is the only way the company can comply with the maternity protection regulations. The protection regulations only apply when you have made the notification.

If the company expressly requests proof from the doctor or a midwife, it must bear the cost of the certificate itself. The employer may not pass the information on to third parties. This ensures that the message doesn’t go around the office before you want to.

These protective regulations apply to expectant mothers:

Protection against dismissal: Employed women are protected against dismissal during pregnancy and the first four months after birth. If you receive notice of termination during this time and your employer was not aware of the pregnancy, you must notify him within two weeks with a medical certificate. If you have a temporary employment contract, the employment relationship ends despite the pregnancy on the date agreed in the contract.

Prohibition of employment: There are certain jobs that pregnant women are not allowed to do. You can no longer do your job if you endanger your health or that of the baby and submit a certificate from your doctor. In addition, pregnant women are not allowed to do any heavy physical work or activities that expose them to harmful vapors or substances, heat, cold, wet, vibrations or noise to a risky extent. Chord and assembly line work at a prescribed pace is also prohibited.

Maternity protection periods: Pregnant women should not be employed six weeks before and eight weeks after birth. Exceptions are only permitted before birth if the woman expressly declares herself ready for work. However, you can revoke this declaration at any time. After premature or multiple births, the protection period is twelve weeks. If your baby is born before the calculated date of birth, the protection period is extended by the number of days that the child was born earlier. If the calculated date of birth is exceeded, the protection period after childbirth will not be reduced. It is also eight or twelve weeks.

Pregnancy week 8 – baby and family

Baby’s development

Order pregnancy newsletter

Mother’s health

Tip: when do I tell the boss?

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