Enter week 7 of pregnancy. By this time, you have settled comfortably with your new life. Most women are able to overcome the feelings of extreme emotions by this stage. They are able to look at this new phase with a greater sense of responsibility. They want to learn more and are ready to take the challenges of motherhood. Let us have a look at how your baby develops at week 7 of pregnancy and some symptoms that you may develop during this period.

Growth and development of Baby at Week 7 of Pregnancy

At 7^th week, the fetus is almost the size of a grape. The embryo measures about half an inch or 2.5 cm. But do not think the growth is too slow because it is almost the double the size of what the baby was in the previous week.

The growth of the baby becomes faster with each passing week. At 7^th week, the embryo generates more than one hundred brain cells every minute! The brain begins to develop into a complex structure. The heart of the baby also continues to develop during this phase.  However, the week 7 pregnancy is marked especially by the development of the kidneys. The joints in the hands and legs also develop at this stage.

Read More: Week 8 of Pregnancy: Pregnancy Week by Week

How many months are 7 weeks

At the seventh week, you are about one month and two weeks pregnant. You are almost at the middle of the first trimester.

7-weeks pregnant belly

If you have already let the secret out to your near and dear ones, you will find them staring at your belly with a hope of seeing it bulging. When you are about 7 weeks pregnant, you will find it hard to resist the temptation to stand in front of a mirror to notice the changes in your belly from different angles.

However, with your baby being just a size of a small grape, it will be like asking for too much, too early. The uterus can outgrow the pelvis only after the 5^th month. Even in the case of a twin pregnancy, the belly doesn’t start appearing at week 7 of pregnancy.

Read More: Week 4 of Pregnancy: Pregnancy Week by Week

7-week ultrasound and prenatal care visit

The seventh week may be too early for you to visit a doctor for a prenatal check-up. However, most women are advised to not delay the first prenatal visit especially if they have had a history of miscarriage or a high-risk pregnancy.

An early prenatal visit is also advised in today’s challenging times keeping in mind the higher levels of stress faced by women. The life of women is no longer limited to looking after household chores. They have too many things to handle including their family and career. So, they can seek prenatal advice at week 7 or earlier. This will help them to seek advice about managing their routine life, career, traveling, etc.

The ultrasound test at week 7 of pregnancy will show the growing arms and legs. The baby at 7 weeks will also have a developing heart, and kidneys. In case of twin pregnancy, 2 separate gestational sacs will become evident.

7 weeks pregnant symptoms

The 7^th week of pregnancy can bring with itself a few more symptoms. However, making slight changes in your lifestyle and eating habits will help you to manage them easily.

• Nausea: Morning sickness can worsen at week 7 of pregnancy. You can try chewing on a small piece of ginger to avoid this unpleasant symptom.
• Cravings and aversions: You may develop an urge to eat specific foods. Sometimes, the cravings are too unique to the extent of being weird. It is also common to develop strong aversions to the foods you once liked. You may not even be able to bear the sight and smell of those foods.
• Frequent urination: an increased frequency of urination can become worse in week 7 of pregnancy.  Even though you still do not have a bulging tummy, your uterus has enlarged considerably by this week. The enlarged uterus exerts pressure on your bladder thus causing a repeated urge to pass urine.
• Bleeding gums: some women develop bleeding from the gums at week 7 of pregnancy. The bleeding can occur while brushing or flossing the teeth. It occurs due to the increased blood volume in the body combined with the changes in the pregnancy hormones.

Read More: Week 5 of Pregnancy: Pregnancy Week by Week

Do’s and don’ts in week 7 of pregnancy

• You must avoid hurrying up with too many things in a short period of time. Pampering yourself is an important part that will help you take care of your baby.
• Bond with your partner. Let your partner know how you’re feeling and reassure him that you still love him. This will help him avoid taking your emotional outbursts personally.
• Make yourself feel good by indulging in activities you like. This could mean carving out some special time for yourself to do something just for you: go for a walk, curl up for a nap, see a movie or get a prenatal massage. This quality ‘me’ time will help reduce your stress levels and help you cope with the changes you’re going through.
• Rather than letting the frustration build up in your mind, find ways to decompress it. Identify the sources of stress in your life and change what you can. Practice meditation or other relaxation techniques if you still find anxiety creeping in.
• Eat well. A balanced diet is essential to ensure that your body gets all the nutrients to grow a healthy baby. It also helps to regulate the hormones that can cause mood swings. Food rich in simple carbohydrates like cakes, candies, and colas can aggravate the feeling of anxiety and depression. Eat nutritious foods so that you get more energy when you feel anxious.
• Make exercising a part of your routine life. Whether it’s yoga, swimming, walking or something else; exercising regularly will boost the levels of happy hormones in your body and give you a lasting buzz to keep you smiling.