By now, you’ve probably known about your pregnancy for a little while and may have already gotten used to the idea of welcoming your baby in a few months. Even if you don’t see a baby bump this week and the circle of people who know about your pregnancy is probably still small, the anticipation is growing day by day. That makes it even more exciting to find out what is happening in your body this week and how your baby is developing.

How big is your baby in week 7 of pregnancy?

The embryo is between 5 millimeters and one centimeter in size this week, comparable to a blueberry. During an ultrasound, small black dots can now be seen where the future eyes will be. The beginnings of arms and legs can also already be made out.

7th week of pregnancy: What's changing for you

Your body is now running at full throttle—literally. Because it needs to transport more blood during pregnancy, your resting pulse increases by about 10 beats to around 80 beats per minute. The blood volume in your body also increases by 30 percent to supply your baby. This increased blood flow affects your entire body, which you may notice through symptoms such as a constant urge to urinate and increased discharge.

Relieve symptoms: Fluid balance and circulation

This week, the hormone cocktail is also making itself felt in your body through various symptoms. Many women are now particularly affected by fatigue that was previously completely unknown to them. The reason is the hormone progesterone, which relaxes and calms your body. What helps most is taking as many rest breaks as possible. The increased blood volume and faster pulse can also lead to circulatory problems or high or low blood pressure in the 7th week of pregnancy. The following tips and home remedies can help get your circulation back on track:

• Alternating showers and cold foot baths

• Sports and exercise outdoors

• Wearing compression stockings

• Adequate hydration: at least 2.5 liters of fluids per day, preferably water, tea, or diluted juices

Exercise can also help with high blood pressure, and getting enough sleep is important, too. If you’re affected, it’s best to consult your doctor.

7th week of pregnancy: Development of your baby

In the 7th week of pregnancy, the embryo’s face changes significantly. Its head grows rapidly this week, and the eyes, auditory canal, and nose continue to develop. However, it will still take some time before they are fully functional. Not only is the embryo’s face becoming more complex, but its brain is also becoming increasingly sophisticated and begins to divide into three parts in the 7th week: forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. Each of these three parts has its own function and will be responsible for different tasks later on. Other major organs such as the heart, stomach, and liver are also growing now, and the spinal cord is fully formed. The reproductive organs begin to differentiate during the 7th week of pregnancy: genetically, the sex was determined earlier, but up to now, all embryos have developed in the same way. Muscles and bones are already forming, and even if you haven’t noticed it yet, your baby is already making its first involuntary movements in the 7th week of pregnancy.

The midwife search

In the 7th week, it’s high time to start your midwife search. “High time?” you might be wondering, after all, you’ve only just learned about the little being in your belly. However, in many areas there is an acute shortage of midwives, and unfortunately, it’s often not so easy to find the right care for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. You might also be wondering why you even need a midwife. In an uncomplicated pregnancy, a midwife can, for example, perform all examinations from the beginning—aside from the three scheduled ultrasound scans—and support you with childbirth preparation. During the birth, a midwife must always be present, whether in the . After the birth, you are entitled to the care of a midwife who will regularly check on you and your baby during the postpartum period. As you can see, your midwife accompanies you for quite some time. That makes it even more wonderful to have a trusted contact person from the beginning—someone you feel well cared for by. LILLYDOO midwife Sissi shares tips in the video on what to look for when searching for the right midwife.

This is now important

• If you already had high blood pressure before pregnancy or have diabetes, contact your doctor as soon as possible. To avoid risks for
  you and your baby, more frequent check-ups are necessary in these cases.

• If you don’t have time for a nap in your daily routine but are craving a short
  break, relaxation or breathing exercises are a good alternative. Sit or lie down with your eyes closed. Breathe in deeply through your nose, hold your breath for two seconds, then exhale through your mouth for five seconds. Repeat the exercise six times. Alternatively, you can consciously focus on relaxing individual muscle groups while sitting or lying down. Stretch and loosen up after five to ten minutes to get your circulation going again.

• Try to increase your iron intake through your diet now. Your iron requirement doubles during pregnancy due to the needs of your developing child, and iron deficiency is common at this stage due to the increased blood volume. Foods rich in iron include meat, fish, and eggs, as well as oatmeal, broccoli, and legumes.

In week 7 of pregnancy, it’s probably the less pleasant side effects that are keeping you busy. Listen to your body and take breaks whenever possible, and remember: even if they can really throw you off track, these annoying symptoms are a sign of your child’s development!

With our pregnancy calendar, we want to accompany you through this exciting time and provide you with relevant information, which is also created in exchange with our
LILLYDOO experts. Nevertheless, the information listed here can
never replace personal consultation with your doctor or midwife. Always contact your healthcare professional with questions and for professional care.