What to Expect at 7 Weeks Pregnant

BABY DEVELOPMENT

With the first muscles now in place, your baby is starting to move a little, although still involuntarily. The legs and arms are lengthening, elbows are forming, and the toes and fingers are beginning to look like ‘real’ toes and fingers - a.k.a. the future ‘little Indians’.

Your baby’s eyesight is also developing. The optic nerve is practically functional and starting to react to differences in light ever so slightly. As you can see, there are lots of little changes to expect this week!

YOUR BODY

They say pregnant women’s cravings are the strangest – and you’ll most likely discover that there’s some truth to that! That’s because the changes to your hormone levels can also alter your sense of smell and taste.

So some things you avoided like the plague before – like pineapple on your pizza – may sound very appealing all of a sudden. While what you loved pre-pregnancy – such as your favorite perfume, or even the smell of your husband! –  may be a big turn-off now.

It is this sensitivity to smells and taste – along with hypoglycemia or low blood sugar – that is said to be partially responsible for morning sickness or nausea, which is one of the early pregnancy signs most common to women.

NUTRITION

With the approval of your doctor, this might be a good time to add a snack to your regular meals.

Your body, under the influence of natural hormones, is already thinking ahead. It needs to store some fat tissue to begin preparing for the final months of pregnancy and, after that, breastfeeding.

A simple snack of around 200 calories – for example, a medium-sized banana with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or a cup of carrot sticks with 2 tablespoons of dip – can help you meet your energy needs plus those of your growing baby.

TIPS

Have you been feeling sick in the middle of the afternoon or right before sleeping? Then you already know by now that “morning” sickness can strike at any time of the day.

Bouts of nausea can be caused by low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia. Once you feel better, try adding that snack we were talking about.

If you’ve been vomiting often, drink a little orange or buko juice to replace lost fluids, or suck on a little crushed ice. Ginger is a good remedy for nausea, as well, which you can use to make salabat or ginger tea. If buying ginger preparations from the health food shop or pharmacy, best to make sure that they are suitable for pregnant women.

Always let your doctor know how you’re feeling and what remedies you’re considering – most likely they’ll have recommendations for you and schedule tests if they’re needed.

Eager to find out what happens next? Click here for a peek into the milestones of week 8.