8 Weeks Pregnant

By week 8, your baby has eyes and eyelids, and webbed fingers and toes. The hands are held over the heart, which is beating about 150 beats per minute.

A mucus plug has now formed at your cervix, the narrow neck at the bottom of the uterus. The plug seals the uterus off and helps protect against infection from outside. Toward the end of your pregnancy, the plug will come out as your cervix dilates (opens) in preparation for birth.

Expect a digestive slowdown — constipation is one the most common complaints throughout pregnancy. That's because pregnancy hormones make food pass more slowly through the gastrointestinal tract. Also, an expanding uterus presses on the large intestine.

What to do? Fight constipation with the three “Fs”:

• Fiber: Choose fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, peas, and dried fruits.
• Fluid: Sip water throughout the day — hot water with lemon is a nice twist. Go for prune juice when you need some extra help.
• Fitness: Keep moving to keep…moving. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.