Guide to Being Seven Weeks Pregnant
By now, you've gotten accustomed to puking all day. And, most likely, you're absolutely certain that you're pregnant.
The unfortunate thing about early pregnancy is that you're so consumed with managing the sickness that you don't really have a chance to meditate on the amazing changes going on inside.
In appearance, your baby is transforming from a featureless, c-shaped tube into a tiny creature with a head. And what's going on inside that head is nothing short of amazing. Let's look at a few of the things you can expect during your seventh week of pregnancy.
What You Might Be Feeling
As your pregnancy advances, your breasts are growing, and you don't want to eat. Sounds great, doesn't it? Under other circumstances, it might be.
But you've got some other things to contend with, too. The puking. And then the puking. Which is followed, unfortunately, by more puking. You may have a serious problem with the sight of food. And here's the lowdown on those growing breasts: They hurt. And it's hard to find a comfortable bra.
You might find that this is the end of underwires for you for a good long time. The Mayo Clinic Web site even recommends switching to a sports bra to make your breasts more comfortable.
What's Going On in Your Body
At this point, some pretty exciting changes are happening as your little one grows: The baby is starting to look more like a baby.
The little mouth, nose, eyes and ears are taking shape, and tiny hands are starting to develop at the end of the arm buds.
One of the most important developments at this point is that the umbilical cord has formed, so you're feeding the baby with every breath.
And talk about brains. Your child's brain is growing at the astonishing rate of 100 cells per minute.
What Your Partner Should Know
This can be a difficult time for a partner who really looks forward to your evening meal together every night.
First of all, if you're the cook, you'll probably be taking a few weeks off. Some smells may be too much to handle, and even the sight of food for preparation can be overwhelming. You might not even want to sit at the table near the food.
So your partner should be prepared to fix his own meals, and to not prepare them for two. He might even need to eat alone for a few weeks. Just make sure he brings you whatever you feel up to eating!
Some Things to Consider
During this stage of your pregnancy, you'll want to consider the following:
- You might want to keep a bathroom in sight all the time. One of those new developments could be the need to urinate frequently -- alternating with the puking, of course.
- Eat six mini meals each day to keep your blood sugar up. If the idea of sitting down and eating a plate full of food is unbearable, find a few items you can manage, such as apples, crackers, cereal or noodles, and eat them every few hours to keep up your blood sugar and your energy.
- Schedule routine exercise. Doctors recommend that most women continue to exercise during pregnancy. Just be sure to set aside time for it, or it will be preempted by all that time you're spending in the bathroom.
Don't Worry If...
You've had a manicure. Nail polish is considered safe, but the jury's out on the chemicals in acrylics, so wait on that service until after the baby's born.
Other suggestions on good practices with the nail salon: Make sure it's well-ventilated. If you walk in the door and double over from the fumes, then find another salon, at least during your pregnancy.
Some consumer safety groups also recommend that for pedicures, you should stick with salons that use portable bowls that are thoroughly cleaned after every use. You want to avoid the stationary sinks with channels for water jets. They're harder to clean, and they could harbor fungus.