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Week 7

Welcome to week seven! Your baby is now called an embryo, and measures about 1/4 inch. The embryo continues to develop rapidly. The embryo resembles a little tadpole now; with a head, arm and leg 'buds', a trunk and a tail. He is curled up with his head on his chest. His arms are getting a little longer and his heart now has seperate chambers.

Image used with permission by ~Praying4Baby~

Tips for Mom
Do you find yourself making constant trips to the bathroom? You may find you are having to urinate a lot more now. Mild, infrequent headaches are common throughout pregnancy, but if a headache persists, or is accompanied by blurred vision, dizziness, or fainting, please contact your doctor. You will have probably gained a couple pounds by now, but weight gain should be slow at this point. Losing weight is not uncommon in these early stages either, as morning sickness can play a large role. Morning sickness may be affecting you.

Smoking during pregnancy is known to be detrimental to your baby's health and is associated with miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. If you are a smoker and haven't already quit, there's no better time to stop.

Make sure you are eating a good diet starting in these early weeks. A diet that is deficient in vitamins and nutrients may affect the baby's development. You also need to be eating about 800 more calories a day. They will help fuel the developement.

Sex during pregnancy is perfectly acceptable, unless your Dr has advised against it. If you have a history of miscarraige or early labor, he may have you lay off of it for awhile to be sure things are progressing properly. Many women find sexual relations during pregnancy completely freeing and enjoyable as they no longer have to be concerned about pregnancy. Some women, on the other hand, are completely turned off by sex and both her and her spouse may fear harming the baby. Don't worry though...the baby is completely safe in its amniotic fluid and normal sexual relationships will not affect it. It is recommended to avoid oral sex during pregnancy, however, as blowing into the vagina can cause air to enter and can cause miscarraiges. Douching should also be avoided during pregnancy.