What is going on with your baby during week 7?

Changes in you at this stage Week 7

• If you were to have an ultrasound now, it would be able to detect the beating heart.
• Changes are gradual - you still won't show and many can't tell you are pregnant.
• Weight gain is very slow covering all parts of your body.
• Your blood pressure is lower than it was before you got pregnant.
• Some women may even lose weight due to nausea - this is not unusual nor something to worry about. Weight gain in the first trimester is not as important as in the subsequent trimesters when baby goes through major growth and development.
• Pregnancy symptoms like nausea, fatigue etc are to be expected in this time period
• By the 7th week the mucus plug is well established in your cervix; its function is to block out germs and prevent infections. The plug looses and passes in preparation for labor.
• While you may be elated you cannot help but feel anxious, fearful and negative at the prospect of becoming a mother
• During this phase you will have dreams and fantasies about what your baby will be like - these are the beginnings of your emotional bond with your unborn child.

Good to Know in Week 7

HCG Hormone

• During weeks 6 and 7 the hCG hormone (manufactured by the placenta) which was responsible for the positive sign during your pregnancy test may have now built up enough to trigger another change - morning sickness!
• Many women start to feel nauseated, total exhaustion, queasy and generally lousy.
• Morning sickness is just a misnomer - it can happen at any time of the day. Nausea and vomiting are signs of a healthy pregnancy. If you don't have these symptoms, the opposite isn't true. You are just plain lucky.
• Nausea does not affect the baby. Right now they are tiny so they don't have huge nutritional demands
• So even if you are not able to eat well, drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated. If you do not gain adequately be assured that your baby is thriving.

Wholesome Advice in Week 7

• If you are still smoking, get help to quit. Nicotine is highly addictive and you may need more than guilt to help you quit.
• Healthy diet is important but for now to help you through the tricky period of nausea, just eat as well as you can. Focus on healthy eating later.
• Check the sell-by and use-by dates on food packages at the supermarket to pick the freshest lot. Check bread, produce and dairy for signs of mold; avoid undated meat and dairy products.

Your actions can impact your baby's growth at this stage

Pregnancy-induced Forgetfulness

• Being forgetful about the most simple, everyday things like where you kept the keys or where you parked your car or why you called your friend, may worry you. This is normal behavior thanks to hormones, fatigue and being preoccupied with pregnancy.

Constipation

• This is a very common problem in pregnancy. Now that the muscles around the bowel are beginning to relax along with the pressure from the growing womb, your normal bowel movement gets inhibited.
• Plenty of fruit and fiber in your diet washed down with 2 liters of drinking water everyday will help. Regular exercise around the park will also help.
• Despite working on your fiber intake and if your constipation has not ebbed you should consider varying your diet, cutting down on meat or dairy products whenever possible. Practice these alongside:
  1. Soak five or six prunes overnight and have it with live 'bio' yogurt
  2. Massage your tummy in a clockwise direction starting from the left
  3. Take lactobacillus acidophilus supplements to increase bowel flora to break down faeces
  4. Use molasses instead in place of other sweeteners or take 2 spoonfuls of it before bedtime
  5. Some yoga positions safe for pregnant women may help stimulate the gastrointestinal tract - check with your yoga teacher

Top 10 Morning Sickness Easers

• Keep some crackers by your bed and eat a couple before rising in the morning
• Eat what you feel like eating and worry less about what you should be eating
• Remain hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids
• Consume clear fluids such as water or juice diluted with water
• Pack in 5-6 small meals each day instead of 3 square ones
• Take your prenatal vitamin with a small evening meal
• Chill out each day; set some time aside to read a book, nap or chat with a friend
• Get lots of fresh air
• Check with your doctor on vitamin B6 and ginger
• Try acupressure wrist bands - they may work

Common Concerns in in Week 7

Am I really pregnant at all?

• The fact that you do not experience many of the physical symptoms is going to worry you but you are not the only woman to feel this way or think of this. Yours is basically a problem-free pregnancy so enjoy.

Am I going to miscarry?

Miscarriage is most common in the first 12 weeks but with each day and week that goes by your pregnancy is more established. If you had some bleeding or cramping or any other concern, talk to your doctor. An ultrasound may be performed to rule out any possibility.

Weekly Nutrition advice in Week 7

• It is hard to eat nutritiously for every meal. You may not always get the nutrients you need or in the amounts you require. Your prenatal vitamin is not a substitute for food, so don't count on it to supply you with essential vitamins and minerals. Food is important, too!