Pregnancy Week 7

What does my baby look like?

You're now in the second month of your pregnancy. Despite this tiny size, the embryo is growing at an astonishing rate; developing noticeably every single day.

The brain is growing faster than the rest of the body, so your baby has a large forehead; the left and right chambers have formed. There are little dimples where the nose and ears will be. The eyelids are starting to grow and cover the eyes. The sense organs, such as the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, are also coming along nicely.

Tiny limb buds are beginning to form the cartilage that will become the arm and leg bones. The arm buds are getting longer, and their flattened ends will soon become little hands.

Your baby's brain and spinal cord are taking shape at a rapid pace. Your embryo is producing about 100 new brain cells every minute; it's now roughly 10,000 times larger than it was when it first formed.

A delicate network of nerves is spreading throughout your baby's body. Soon, as the brain and spinal cord send signals to the muscles, your baby will start making constant tiny movements. It won't be long before your baby can feel sensations like warmth and taste.

Keep taking your folic acid supplement; it supports your baby's brain and spinal cord development and helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects.

Your baby's digestive and respiratory systems

Your baby's stomach and esophagus are starting to form. The esophagus is the tube that carries food from your baby's mouth to the stomach. The liver and pancreas are also beginning to develop this week.

The respiratory and digestive systems are taking shape as well. Your baby's heart is now developed enough to be seen on an ultrasound.

What's happening in my body?

Your body is pumping more blood than it did before pregnancy. As your pregnancy progresses, your blood volume will increase by up to 50%. This extra blood nourishes your uterus (womb) with all the oxygen and nutrients your baby needs.

This can leave you feeling thirstier than usual. Try to drink 8 medium glasses of fluid a day (such as water, fruit tea, fruit juice, or skim or low-fat milk).

By the way, your uterus is now roughly the size of a lemon, and your baby will keep growing very quickly.

If this is your first pregnancy, you may not start to show until around week 12. If you've been pregnant before, you may notice changes sooner because your uterus and abdominal muscles have already stretched once.

Your uterus is growing, but you may not notice it yet. Because your body changes so quickly during pregnancy, it can be hard to tell whether a new ache or symptom is normal. If something doesn't feel right to you, don't hesitate to ask for help.

Many newly pregnant women notice that their sense of smell becomes noticeably stronger. This can be a side effect of rising estrogen levels. You may find that even the smell of your partner, your pet, or your home bothers you. This heightened sense of smell is temporary and usually eases after the first trimester.

You may suddenly find that certain foods you used to love now seem completely off-putting. Food aversions are another side effect of rapidly rising estrogen levels. They usually begin in the first trimester and pass by the second, though for some people food aversions can last throughout the entire pregnancy.

Needing to pee more often is one of the most common early signs of pregnancy. At this stage, it's most likely due to hormonal changes that cause blood to flow to your kidneys more quickly and fill your bladder more often.

Many pregnant women notice that mood swings intensify between weeks 6 and 10. This can be linked to stress, fatigue, and hormonal changes. It's also normal to have mixed feelings about becoming a parent. If your worries become overwhelming, talk to your doctor.

It's normal to produce more saliva while you're pregnant. Hormonal changes, nausea, and heartburn can all contribute to this. Brushing your teeth more often, eating small, balanced meals, and drinking plenty of water can help. Sucking on hard candy or chewing gum can also make swallowing easier.

Up to half of women experience constipation at some point during pregnancy. This happens because pregnancy hormones relax the smooth muscles in your body, which means food moves through your system more slowly. You can fight constipation by eating fiber-rich foods (like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes), drinking plenty of water, exercising, trying a different prenatal vitamin, and always going to the bathroom when you feel the urge.

Heartburn (also known as acid indigestion or acid reflux) is a burning sensation between your lower throat and just below your breastbone. It's very uncomfortable and, unfortunately, unavoidable for some moms-to-be. There are a few things you can do to ease heartburn: avoid foods and drinks that upset your stomach, eat smaller meals, drink water between meals rather than with them, chew gum, sleep with your head elevated, and avoid eating within two to three hours of bedtime.

By next week, 90 percent of moms-to-be feel some pregnancy symptoms. But not everyone does! If you don't feel pregnant (or your symptoms come and go) but you have a positive test result, there's no need to worry. Some women never experience noticeable symptoms, and that alone is not a sign of a problem.

Your belly may not be visible from the outside yet, especially under loose clothing. However, your breasts may have grown noticeably. If this is your first baby, growing a cup size or two is common. As the skin stretches, your breasts may itch and stretch marks may appear on them. Feeling fullness, tenderness, and even pain in the breasts is common during pregnancy. You may also have mild twinges in the pelvic area; this is a normal part of the increased blood flow.

Want to track your pregnancy weight?

You may not see a baby bump yet, but you've likely gained a few kilograms.

While weight gain in pregnancy isn't one-size-fits-all, women with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 tend to gain about 11 to 16 kilograms during pregnancy. Women with a higher or lower BMI may find themselves gaining more or less. Remember: there's a wide range of what's considered "normal" weight gain.

You can track your weight at home; if you have any concerns, share the results with your doctor.

Early pregnancy symptoms

If you're feeling sick, tired, and experiencing mood swings, this stretch can be pretty tough.

Your symptoms may also include:

• a metallic taste in your mouth
• tender breasts
• new food and drink likes and dislikes
• a heightened sense of smell
• a milky-white pregnancy discharge from your vagina
• light spotting (see your doctor if you have any bleeding during pregnancy)
• cramps similar to period pains
• darkening skin or brown patches on your face – this is called chloasma or the "mask of pregnancy"
• thicker and shinier hair
• bloating
• morning sickness

Don't ignore unusual symptoms like itching all over. That ache, pain, or symptom is most likely just a sign of a normal pregnancy; but talk to your doctor to be sure.

What are this week's symptoms?

Frequent urination is one of the most common early signs of pregnancy. Hormonal changes and the increase in blood volume send more blood to your kidneys, filling your bladder more often. In the weeks ahead, your growing uterus can also press on your bladder and make this worse. Some people also experience constipation or more vaginal discharge in early pregnancy.

Feeling nauseous is normal

Feeling nauseous? Don't worry; morning sickness is common and can happen at any time of day. It's just your body adjusting to all the changes.

Coping with food aversions

Food aversions are very common during pregnancy. Foods you used to love may suddenly seem off-putting, or their smells may turn your stomach. This is usually linked to rising estrogen levels.

The best approach is to lean toward the foods you can tolerate. Find alternatives to the foods you're averse to; for example, if you can't stand the sight or smell of meat, you can try options like quinoa for protein. If your aversions happen to be toward foods you should avoid during pregnancy anyway, that can actually work in your favor.

Try to eat well. Don't worry if you can't eat a balanced diet during your first trimester; nausea can make it difficult. Just do the best you can. Foods that stand out for pregnancy nutrition include eggs, salmon, beans, sweet potatoes, whole grains, walnuts, yogurt, broccoli and dark leafy greens, lean meats and poultry, colorful fruits and vegetables, avocado, and dried fruit.

In addition to providing essential nutrients during pregnancy, fruit can also help support regular bowel movements. A good rule of thumb when choosing fruit is to pay attention to a variety of colors; deeply and vividly colored fruits are usually richer in nutrients. For example, cantaloupe, with its deep orange flesh, is rich in vitamins A and C as well as some important minerals.

Some adjustments to your diet may be needed during this time. Caffeine should be limited to no more than 200 mg a day (about two cups of instant coffee); because too much caffeine has been linked to low birth weight and a risk of miscarriage. Caffeine is also a diuretic, so it can contribute to frequent urination. Be sure to count the caffeine in sodas like cola, too.

Pâté-type foods (such as liver pâté, vegetable pâté, and mushroom pâté) can carry a risk of listeria; it's recommended to avoid them during pregnancy.

Cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, as well as mold-ripened and blue-veined cheeses, can contain listeria; for this reason, it's recommended to avoid them during pregnancy.

Avoid shark, marlin, and swordfish, as well as raw shellfish, because they contain high levels of mercury that can affect your baby's nervous system.

Undercooked meat or eggs can contain bacteria that may harm your baby. It's recommended to cook meats and eggs thoroughly.

Excessive alcohol has been linked to many fetal problems; the safest approach is to avoid alcohol entirely during pregnancy. The same goes for smoking.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining healthy teeth and bones, and it supports calcium absorption. It may also lower your risk of gestational diabetes in the third trimester. You can find vitamin D in many prenatal vitamins, fortified milk, fortified orange juice, and egg yolks. Sunlight is also a source of vitamin D.

Talk to your doctor about how much you need (600 IU a day is the standard recommendation for moms-to-be, but some may need 1,000 IU or more).

Protecting against toxoplasmosis risk

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite, and it's an infection that isn't good for unborn babies. You shouldn't eat raw or undercooked meat or feed it to your cat; you shouldn't play in a children's sandbox that cats might use as a litter box, and you shouldn't clean out the cat litter. Ask your partner, a friend, or a relative to help with these tasks.

Stay active

If your pregnancy is going smoothly, staying active during pregnancy is safe and healthy. It can help your body adapt as your pregnancy progresses and help you cope with labor. Exercise won't harm your baby.

If you haven't exercised much before, there are plenty of simple things you can do to stay active during pregnancy. Exercise doesn't have to be strenuous to be beneficial. Different types of exercise you can do during pregnancy, as well as pelvic floor exercises, are also important during this time.

How active should I be during pregnancy?

How much activity or exercise you should do during your pregnancy will depend on how active you were before you got pregnant and on any health conditions you may have.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

If you think you or your partner might have an STI, get it checked, because it can affect your baby's development. Talk to your doctor or go to a health clinic.

Long-term conditions

If you have a long-term health condition, tell your doctor that you're pregnant as soon as possible. Don't stop taking any medication you use regularly without talking to your doctor first.

How to recover from a cold

During pregnancy, your immune system goes through some changes, and you may be more prone to catching a cold.

If you feel cold symptoms coming on, over-the-counter natural remedies like saline nasal drops, gargling with salt water, and honey are generally safe. There are also some cold medications that are safe to take during pregnancy; such as acetaminophen and certain cough medicines and antihistamines (just be sure to get your doctor's approval first).

Aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and some decongestants are not recommended during pregnancy. If you took one of these without realizing it, it's probably fine, but it's a good idea to let your doctor know.

Sharing the news

Have you started sharing the news? When you begin telling your friends and family is entirely up to you. When you tell your employer may depend on your country's labor laws; it can be helpful to look into this ahead of time.

Feeling thirsty?

The amount of blood in your body is increasing, and this can leave you feeling thirstier than usual. Water helps form the amniotic fluid around your baby and can also ease constipation. Aim to drink 8 medium glasses of fluid a day (if you're feeling sick, sipping slowly is best).

Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth?

You need to take extra care of your teeth during pregnancy. Hormones can make your gums swollen and sore, which can cause them to bleed. Your dentist can help you with this.

Breast changes

You may notice that your breasts have grown noticeably larger and more tender; some women see an increase of one cup size during this period. Breast tenderness, tingling, and pain are linked to rising estrogen and progesterone levels.

Fat is also building up in your breasts, and blood flow to the area is increasing. Your nipples may be sticking out a bit more than usual, but they can be so sensitive and tender that they hurt to the touch.

The areola, the dark area around the nipple, may have already darkened and grown larger; it will continue to grow and darken in color over the coming months.

You may also notice small, bump-like spots on the areola. These bumps, called Montgomery's tubercles, are oil glands that lubricate the areola.

All of these breast changes are part of the process of preparing to breastfeed after your baby is born.

Know the signs

Even if you haven't told anyone you're pregnant yet, your pregnancy symptoms may have become quite noticeable. Constant nausea or increased saliva in your mouth is common during this time. As you enter the second half of the first trimester, it's common to experience symptoms like morning sickness, tender breasts, and food aversions.

Prenatal care

You should attend all of your prenatal appointments. If your doctor thinks you need extra care, you'll be offered more appointments to check that you and your baby are healthy.

It's possible to conceive over the age of 40, and most people have a healthy pregnancy. However, statistically, the risk of certain complications can increase. That's why it's especially important to keep up with regular prenatal care.