7 Weeks Pregnant
Your Baby
During the 7th week of pregnancy, your baby has grown from 1/17 of an inch to 1/3 of an inch. While your baby may still be very small, many of the crucial organs are developing rapidly. Arms and legs are growing, but fingers and toes have yet to sprout. In the last week, your baby has grown from 1/17 of an inch to 1/3 of an inch. The brain also continues to grow as do the lenses of the eyes, pancreas, and nostrils. Soon, your baby will take on a familiar shape.
A 7-week fetus with yolk sac on ultrasound
Your Body
The body is still fighting through the changes common during early pregnancy. Hormone levels are rising, morning sickness abounds and you may be feeling hungry one minute and sick the next. Fatigue may leave feeling as though have been up all night despite sleeping for 10 hours or more. These are the battles of pregnancy, but you will see some reprieve in weeks to come.
During the 7th week, there is not much going on medically. If the doctor ordered blood tests or prenatal tests during an early visit these tests may be returning to the office for results. In most cases, you may have already just taken the blood pregnancy test. If multiples are growing, the hCG levels will be off the chart for this early in the pregnancy and you may be receiving a call for an early appointment.
Dad
Dads can help out in a variety of ways even though they may not feel like what they are doing is helping at all. If there is a cat in the house, Dad will need to take care of the litter box from now until the baby is born. Cat feces can contain a harmful parasite that causes toxoplasmosis which can cross into the placenta. Other things dad can do include helping mom eat regularly and supporting her through the horrible bouts of morning sickness. Keeping a note on the fridge of all offending smells and tastes may help dad keep track of foods that are welcomed and those that are not.
Tips For This Week
— Morning sickness can feel horrible and scary. What if the baby is not getting enough nutrients because mom cannot eat? These fears are common, but the baby is doing fine despite mom’s sickness. Fighting off morning sickness altogether may be impossible, but a few tips go a long way.
— Ginger products are great at calming the stomach. Gingersnaps, ginger ale and real ginger can all help fight nausea.
