7 weeks down, 33 weeks to go!
It has already been two months since you conceived your piece of heart. Although, it has just started to feel real to you but your baby is already developing at a fast pace now. How time flies, no? It wouldn’t be evident from the outside but on the inside, your baby is developing around the clock.
The pregnancy symptoms and discomfort you always heard of from other experienced women will now start feeling relatable to you. The first trimester can be a little despotic. It is the most important and fragile time for your baby’s development. It is when your baby starts developing its fundamental body parts that will command his/her entire upcoming life on the earth-side.
Pregnancy Week: 7
Your baby is almost twice the size it was last week. However, it is still not big enough, it is about 1/3rd of an inch i.e almost 1 centimetre. A 7 weeks pregnant woman’s baby is about the size of a standard blueberry.
The body organs and physical features of your developing baby are still in progress. Although the development of your baby’s mouth, nostrils, ears, and eyes began in full-fledged in week 6, they will become more defined this week. In addition to that, your baby will soon form its eyelids and tongue by the time you are 7 weeks pregnant.
In week 7 of your pregnancy, you will find yourself getting attached to your baby, quite literally. The umbilical cord’s development is in progress. It is like the oxygen pipe for your baby and its whole life inside your womb depends on it. This cord plays the most vital role in baby’s nourishment and development. It carries oxygenated blood and nutrients to the baby and drives out all the waste material.
7 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
Here are the symptoms of 7 weeks pregnant:
1. Excess salivation
Your baby has got you drooling all the time. A 7 weeks pregnant woman can feel an annoying urge to spit due to excess saliva in her mouth. This may sound absurd but is actually a very common symptom among 7 weeks pregnant women. Although the sure reason behind this is unknown, heartburn and hormones are usually suspected as culprits. Drink plenty of water to reduce saliva production and try sugarless gum or hard candies to easily swallow the excess saliva.
2. Food cravings or aversions
This is one of the most twisted symptoms of your pregnancies. And yet again, the hormones are to be blamed. You may suddenly find yourself repulsive to your favorite food items. Even the slightest smell of a few things would make you suffer nausea. At seven weeks pregnant, you will most likely crave items like pickle and other such odd food combinations you probably never liked before. However, this pregnancy symptom can last throughout the 9 months but it gets better after the first trimester.
3. Nausea
Nausea might have been sticking with you like thick thighs since the first week of your pregnancy. In the first trimester, nausea has quite an impressive attendance throughout.
However, if your symptoms are extreme and you can’t hold down any food or liquid for even 24 hours long, it could be something concerning. There are chances that you would be experiencing ‘hyperemesis gravidarum’. This might sound like a spell straight out from the Harry Potter series but sadly isn’t. Rather, it is an extreme form of morning sickness and needs to be addressed by consulting your doctor.
4. Pregnancy Glow
Pregnancy can be your time to coruscate brighter than a highlighter. Whilst all the discomforting and hardship during your pregnancy, it has one really good outcome. The rich blood flow to your face can make your skin glow and cheeks rosy. As it turns out, pregnancy glow is real and happening.
5. Cervical Changes
The cervix area of your body goes through a lot of changes when you are 7 weeks pregnant. The surge in hormone levels and blood flow increases the cervix mucus discharge during pregnancy. This mucus discharge is a white colour, thin, slimy, and odourless. This mucus accumulates and clumps together to become a mucus plug. It may seem a little gross and disgusting but is actually really beneficial for you and your baby. As this mucus plug protects you and your baby from any bacteria that could enter into the uterus through your cervix.
7 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound
Getting an ultrasound scan for 7 weeks old foetus can show a few things. First of all, the most important is its heartbeat that can be detected at 7 weeks. A sound of a heartbeat means the baby is alive and healthy. Secondly, one can see the development of the baby’s new organs and little hands and legs sprouting out. Although, it is still too small for you to decipher that.
Anyhow, getting an ultrasound scan after 7 weeks of pregnancy can help chart your due date for delivery. Although, a 7 weeks pregnant belly still not round enough to be espied by others. So, you can share the good news only with your favorites while keeping it a secret from others if you want. Also, you still got some time to flex your cute dresses that may not fit in the upcoming future.
Some Self-Care Tips for Pregnancy
Below are the tips for pregnant women:
Take care of your skin
The reason behind your pregnancy glow can be the increased blood flow or hormones. Your hormones might be causing your oil glands to release more oil into the skin, giving it a shiny look. Sadly, this excess in oil production can also cause prenatal acne.
If your glows comes with its sidekick, acne, you will need to start taking extra care of your skin. Invest in a gentle cleanser that isn’t too harsh on your skin for your everyday use. Additionally, switch your moisturiser to an oil-free one. It is advised to consult your healthcare provider to manage your breakout by providing you with the right treatment for your breakout.
Start Prenatal exercise
There are many prenatal exercise programmes available for pregnant women. Exercises like yoga, swimming, and walking can be very beneficial for your pregnancy. Getting into a 30 minutes exercise daily routine can go a long way. However, consult your doctor once before signing up for an intense workout programme.
Also Read: Pregnancy Week 6: Things Are Starting To Get Real