You're halfway through your second month of pregnancy! Not only are you feeling the symptoms, but you're seeing them, too. Read on to find out what else you and your baby will be experiencing now that you're 7 weeks pregnant.
7 Weeks Pregnant is How Many Months?
Seven weeks pregnant means you're two months into your pregnancy. More than halfway through your first trimester.
Week 7 of Pregnancy: Baby
This week, the baby's brain is growing rapidly as it continues to form and divide. The nervous system is being formed, and the bones are hardening.
The baby's heart is beating faster and stronger than ever before. It's also growing, pumping enough blood to fill a grapefruit! Baby's circulatory system is also developing, with the blood vessels getting larger.
Baby’s Growth
Your baby has almost doubled in size from the previous week! At 1.3 to 1.6 centimetres and weighing 0.9 to 1.4 grams, your little one is now about as big (or small) as a blueberry or an aratilis, also known as Singapore cherry (scientific name: Muntingia calabura). This is a sign that your pregnancy is on track!
Now that you're 7 weeks pregnant, your baby's brain is growing and developing, and it's already forming important connections. The eyes are developed enough that the baby can see the light through the uterine wall. The bones and muscles are becoming stronger. The baby is about 2 inches long from crown to rump, weighing just over 1 ounce.
Baby’s Development
In this week-by-week pregnancy guide, you'll learn that:
- Your baby's growth is incredible! At week 7 of pregnancy, your baby is now generating about one hundred new brain cells per minute.
- The brain and heart are becoming increasingly complex, and your baby's permanent set of kidneys is in development.
- At the moment, the bone marrow has not yet formed, so the liver is churning out large amounts of red blood cells.
- The main parts of your baby's eyes - the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, and retina – are starting to develop and will be completely formed in a few weeks.
- Hands and feet are beginning to emerge, although they still resemble paddles. Also, arm and leg joints are beginning to form.
- Teeth and palate are forming.
- Ears continue to develop as well.
- Your baby's skin is paper-thin, making the veins visible.
Baby’s Hearing
At week 7 of pregnancy, your baby's hearing is still developing.
Your baby's hearing is being developed during the first ten weeks of pregnancy. At this stage, your baby can't hear sounds outside the uterus.
When you're pregnant, you may notice that you have a new set of sounds in your life: the sound of your heartbeat or the sound of blood rushing through your veins. These are called "biological sounds." These biological sounds are not loud enough for babies to hear until about 16 weeks into their development—but by week 7, they've already begun to learn about these sounds.
Baby’s Teeth
Your baby's teeth are already beginning to develop during pregnancy. The process of tooth development is called "odontogenesis," It begins with the formation of a tooth bud in the gums. The tooth bud is made up of a soft tissue core, which will later become the root of your baby's tooth, surrounded by cells that eventually form the crown.
Baby’s Movement
If you don't feel your baby moving yet, don't worry—it's still early days! Your baby is still very small, so it will take time for those movements to become noticeable.
7 Weeks Pregnant: Your Body
You have probably confirmed that you're pregnant by now, so it's time to give your body some love. Here's what's happening with your body at week 7 of pregnancy.
You may feel more tired and sore than usual, especially after exercising or standing. It's okay to take it easy—you don't have to feel guilty about it!
Your breasts may get bigger and tingle or feel pain when you touch them. Don't worry—this is all normal.
Your blood pressure may rise, making you feel dizzy or lightheaded sometimes. Again, this is completely normal, so don't freak out! Sit down if it happens, and take deep breaths until it passes.
However, if morning sickness doesn't go away quickly, don't worry—it's not unusual for it to last longer than a month or two during early pregnancy. This can be especially difficult if you're trying to work through your morning sickness at work or school, but luckily there are ways to help.
7 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
- Your uterus has doubled in size to accommodate your growing baby. Unfortunately, this means that you will still experience the constant urge to pee.
- You may start to have a breakout on your face (thanks, hormones!). A change in complexion is uncommon and your skin may also change from oily to dry or vice versa.
- Varicose veins may also begin to appear due to increased blood flow.
- Nausea continues to be an unwelcome visitor. This can also be due to a heightened sense of smell that makes you want to gag at the scent of familiar things or even persons, like your partner's sweat. Do not worry because this will fade along with your pregnancy.
- Your food cravings will probably kick in. However, because of your heightened sense of smell, you may also start to have food aversions. Also, you do not imagine it – excessive saliva is normal when pregnant. Hormonal changes, nausea, and heartburn can be the culprit of this weird pregnancy symptom.
- If it hasn't already started, you may experience digestion problems like gas, heartburn and constipation during this week of pregnancy.
- Another famous pregnancy symptom that has already begun - mood swings! Studies found that extreme mood changes caused by fluctuating hormones flare up between weeks 6 to 10 of pregnancy.
7 weeks pregnant and there’s a brown discharge when I wipe - what’s this about?
Experiencing brown discharge when you're 7 weeks pregnant can be a common occurrence and is often nothing to worry about. This discharge is typically old blood that may have been trapped in your cervix and is now making its way out.
It can also happen due to hormonal changes and increased blood flow to the pelvic area during pregnancy. However, it's always a good idea to mention it to your healthcare provider to rule out any potential concerns.
Maternal Weight Gain
You're probably starting to feel a little larger at 7 weeks pregnant, and you may notice that it's harder to bend over or even walk up the stairs. You might have gained some weight—and that's normal. Your body is working hard right now and needs all the help it can get. Your weight gain is part of a healthy pregnancy!
When you're pregnant, you need extra calories and nutrients to support your growing baby and supply fuel for your own body. For most women, that means gaining 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. But every woman is different—some gain more (or less) than that, so don't worry if your body is doing its own thing.
Your doctor will measure your weight at each appointment and let you know how much weight gain is recommended.
Nutrition
It's important to get a good idea of how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy and then ensure that you follow the guidelines. Starting to be more conscious of how you eat is a good idea now that you're 7 weeks pregnant.
Here are some tips for keeping track:
- Keep a food journal for a week or two. This will help you see how many calories you're eating, what foods you're eating (vegetables, fruits, protein), and how much exercise you get every day. You can use this information to establish a baseline for what's normal for your body—and then be sure that your diet is on track as your pregnancy progresses.
- Eat small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. This will help keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day, which will benefit both mom and baby!
- Drink lots of water! This helps flush out toxins from the body and keeps everything running smoothly while also helping with hydration levels—which is important since many women find themselves dealing with frequent headaches when pregnant due to increased blood volume in their bodies!
7 Weeks Pregnant Belly
How does your stomach feel at 7 weeks pregnant?
If you're pregnant and wondering what your belly will look like at 7 weeks, don't worry! There are a few things to keep in mind.
First, how far along you are matters. If you're further along, the bump will be bigger. Second, if you're carrying twins or more (which can happen as early as week 7), the belly will be bigger and rounder. Third, if you've never been pregnant before, your body might not be used to growing a baby—so don't worry if it's not as big as you expect!
7 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound
7 weeks pregnant is when you will start seeing your baby's heartbeat on an ultrasound. At this point, the pregnancy becomes visible, and you will be able to tell whether or not it is progressing as expected.
At week 7 of pregnancy, you may have started feeling symptoms such as nausea, breast tenderness, fatigue and bloating. You may also notice that your abdomen has grown slightly larger than normal.
The best time for an ultrasound scan is at seven weeks pregnant because this is when your doctor can confirm whether or not you are pregnant.
Early Pregnancy Cramps
Early pregnancy cramps are the pain you feel in your lower abdomen and pelvic area. The increased blood flow causes them to your uterus, which causes stretching and irritation of the ligaments that support your uterus. The pain can occur at any time during early pregnancy and can be felt as early as one week after conception.
How to treat early pregnancy cramps?
There are several remedies for treating early pregnancy cramps at 7 weeks pregnant, including:
- Apply heat or ice packs to the painful areas;
- Drink lots of water to stay hydrated;
- Avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting or walking up stairs;
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Ultimately, check with your doctor to make sure everything is okay.
Pregnancy Care: Your Checklist at 7 Weeks Pregnant
- If you have not already started it, do include folic acid in your diet. A daily supplement of about 400 grams is recommended. This nutrient is crucial in your baby's brain development.
- If you already have an exercise routine in place, ensure that all the exercises you are doing are safe during pregnancy.
- It might be time to wear clothes that are a tad loose--you'll be bloated so your regular clothes may feel constricting.
- This is the best time to start photographically documenting your baby's growth.
- If you haven't yet, talk to your partner on how to go about announcing your pregnancy. Some want to wait until the end of the first trimester, while others are more excited to break the news. While at it, make sure you're spending a lot of quality time together.
Pregnancy Announcement at 7 Weeks
Is 7 weeks too early to tell family you're pregnant?
Announcing a pregnancy at 7 weeks is entirely a personal choice. Some people choose to share the news early with close friends and family, while others prefer to wait until they're further along in their pregnancy, usually after the first trimester.
At 7 weeks, some might still be keeping the pregnancy under wraps due to concerns about miscarriage, which is more common in the first trimester. However, sharing the news early can also come with emotional support and excitement from loved ones.
Ultimately, the decision is up to you and what feels right for your unique situation.
Why Is the First Trimester a Critical Stage of Pregnancy
The first trimester is a time of rapid growth and change. It's also the most critical stage for your baby's health, so you should be extra careful about what you eat and do during that time.
Suppose your doctor has told you that there are any issues with your pregnancy, such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. In that case, it's even more important that you follow these guidelines closely.
The first trimester is when your body begins establishing a routine for itself as it adjusts to being pregnant. It's also when it starts producing necessary hormones and nutrients for the baby. For example, the placenta doesn't start working until after week 8 of pregnancy; before that, your body will create its supply of progesterone and estrogen to support the pregnancy.
Your next week: 8 weeks pregnant
Your previous week: 6 weeks pregnant
Updates from Pheona Ilagan
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it's important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn't serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.