Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

Your Body in Weeks 7-9 of Pregnancy

• Do you feel like you have the flu? Are you exhausted? Does everything bother you – from noise to smells to textures? That’s because your whole body is overly sensitive with the changes going on from the inside. Your senses are heightened, meaning something that once smelled good may now be revolting. Was coffee your first morning love, but now you can’t stand the sight of it? Morning sickness has settled in.
  

• To combat morning sickness, remove the (or however many you have) offender from your site. Cover it up, move to another room or even get it out of the house if it makes you feel better. One such offender may be coffee, especially in the morning. Some husbands are forced to buy coffee on their way to work instead of enjoying it at home before they go because the smell of it bothers so many women. Skipping coffee is just a small price to pay, since morning sickness usually only lasts a few weeks.
  

• Your body will still be undergoing the most rapid of changes during week 7 of pregnancy. Even if you haven’t had acne in ten years or more, your face may sprout pimples due to excess hormones. Since all of your tissues and membranes are expanding and working on hormone production, your sinuses don’t want to be left out either!
  

• You may feel like you have the flu and a bad sinus infection now too – but relax. It’s probably only your hormones, which you are stuck with for several months. They will even out and your body will stabilize, getting rid of the morning sickness. The stuffy nose – you may be stuck with.
  

• Other symptoms that may come and go include dizziness, crying at the drop of a hat, irritability, fatigue, sore feet, backaches, increased urination, constipation, cravings and vomiting.
  

• There is probably a visit to the doctor scheduled and you are terrified and excited at the same time, especially if this is your first pregnancy. Keep a sheet of paper handy and as you think of questions for the doctor, write them down so you don’t forget. With the hormones, the memory gets a little fuzzy too.
  

• You probably aren't showing much if at all by 7 weeks pregnant, though you might start noticing a small pooch look to your lower abdomen and your jeans may be far less comfortable. While you might be thinking about maternity clothes, it's highly unlikely that you're ready for them yet.
  

• At 7 weeks of pregnancy, most people will not be able to detect your pregnancy as you won't start really showing until many more weeks.
  

• You are definitely starting to grow at 8 weeks of pregnancy inside as your uterus continues to expand, however it is likely that you still are not showing much on the outside. This is particularly true of first time moms, though as we mentioned you will likely start feeling some tightening along your waistline. You may want to start looking for maternity jeans.
  

• At 8 weeks of pregnancy your once plum-sized uterus is probably the size of a grapefruit and your healthcare provider can actually better estimate the size by this point.
  

• One of the other signs of pregnancy at 8 weeks is that it's highly probably that you've started to go through some breast changes. Aside from the typical tenderness that comes with pregnancy, you may also notice that your breasts appear slightly enlarged. If anything, your partner will probably notice!
  

• Most women will experience some breast growth during pregnancy week by week, particularly near the end of pregnancy when the breasts prepare to make breast milk for the baby.
  

• You are probably still battling fatigue in week 8 of pregnancy and most certainly still enduring some nausea. Remember that the symptoms associated with early pregnancy at week 8 of pregnancy will pass with time, and most women go on to find their pregnancies quite rewarding and overall pleasant.
  

• If you are having a tough time with sore breasts, consider purchasing a supportive maternity bra. You should consider buying one a size or two bigger than your normal size, as you will need room for the inevitable growth brought on by pregnancy. A maternity bra should probably be one of your first purchases, even before you buy any maternity or baby clothes.
  

• Some women may notice mild abdominal cramping midway through their first trimester, right around week 8 of pregnancy. This is a very common experience and may continue for several weeks. The cramping is usually mild and does not cause any harm. Nor is it often anything to worry about but always contact your healthcare provider should have concerns.
  
  This typically happens because your body is working to accommodating a growing fetus, and your uterus is stretching as a result. This is a process that might cause some discomfort over time and it's quite normal. If you have any unusual abdominal pain or cramping however that is persistent and overly painful, or if you experience any cramping accompanied by bleeding be sure to contact your healthcare provider immediately or seek help at the emergency room if he or she is unavailable.
  

• Because of the additional pressure that the uterus is applying to the lower part of your spine right now, you'll probably be experiencing some lower back pain. You may also experience a sharp pain in your buttocks and along the side of your thigh due to the uterus also placing pressure on the sciatic nerve. There is little that can be done but if these discomforts are troublesome, you may need to rest or have physical therapy. Prenatal massage can also do wonders to ease any discomforts in the early, mid, and even the late stages of pregnancy.
  

• Women who have been pregnant before often report showing sooner than they did with their first pregnancy. While it is not uncommon to not start showing until the fifth month the first time around, many moms report that they started showing as early as eight weeks of pregnancy with their second and third pregnancies. If you are carrying twins or triplets, you will start showing sooner than if you were only carrying one because your babies will be taking up a lot more room in the uterus.