Month7
How your baby has grown
Height: 35cm / Weight: 1,000g
- ① Your baby’s visual and auditory capacities are almost complete and it responds actively to outside stimation.
This is when your baby’s hearing, which has been growing consistently, becomes complete. Thus, your baby may start straining the body or become startled by the strange sounds outside your body. Your baby distinctively hates the sounds of anger and noise while enjoying comfortable and relaxing music and the mother’s voice. Not only that, but the visual capacity develops that your baby may respond by flinching when exposed to strong sunlight. - ② It seems like there is not enough room for a baby to move around in the uterus.
Your baby can move the limbs freely as the amniotic fluids are enough, and probably that explains the frequent changes in its position in the uterus.
How your baby's body changes
- ① Stretch marks along your abdomen and breasts.
As your abdomen expands with the amniotic fluid filling up, you may notice purple streaks along your abdomen and breasts. It is the result of capillary vessels under the skin being torn as your skin stretches. Most of them will gradually disappear after the delivery. An enlarged abdomen may leave you short of breath and make it difficult for you to sleep. - ② If you continue to feel lumps in your abdomen and it becomes severe, see a doctor immediately.
Your uterus comes up in the middle of your navel and the pit of the stomach to press against your bowels. You experience indigestion and the pressed colon may lead to severe constipation. You may feel a sense of excessive expansion and tightness in your abdomen. If this is the case, you must take a rest until it disappears. If it still continues or becomes severe, you must go to a hospital to check the risks of a premature birth. - ③ Varices may occur in your thigh, calf of the leg, and the external genitals.
You gain weight as you’re pregnant and it may cause pain in your back and pelvic region. Your feet may swell and you may get leg cramps. The amount of blood increases to expand the blood vessels and the enlarging uterus presses the veins to cause varices in the external genitals, thighs and the calf of the leg like a spiral spreading in the color of a bruise. The exact cause of leg cramps is not found yet and is estimated to be the deficiency in nutritional elements, such as minerals, and muscle fatigue. You may prevent them somewhat by eating well-balanced meals, massaging your legs and wearing soft, comfortable and low-heeled shoes.
Health Checkpoint
Regular checkups
High blood pressure in pregnancy may occur in the third trimester, but it shows no specific external symptoms. Therefore, it is important to visit a doctor on a regular basis. Preeclampsia accompanies high blood pressure and proteinuria. Here, high blood pressure refers to blood pressure indicated as 140 mmHg on a contractor and indicated as over 90mmHg on a diastolic device. You may check the proteinuria with a urine stick test. If you are concerned about preeclampsia, you need to check into a hospital not only for an accurate diagnosis, but also to take preventive measures to stop it from developing into eclampsia (formerly known as the toxemias of pregnancy).
What You Should Do
- ① Massage your body continually to prevent rough skins
Your skin will stretch to cause roughness around the abdomen as the skin expands. In particular, the abdomen walls start to divide to cause purple streaks centered on the navel, and slant or vertical streaks in the buttocks and thighs. Body massage on a daily basis may help prevent rough streaks caused by weight gain. - ② Lie down on one side to sleep comfortably.
At this time, it is difficult to lie down on your back due to your enlarged abdomen. Such a position may cause blood circulation to deteriorate as the enlarged uterus presses the main vein along the spine, therefore, it is recommended to lie down on one side, bend your legs to touch the ground or put a pillow between your legs. The height of your pillow is also a deciding factor in comfortable sleeping. The most recommended height of your pillow is the one that keeps the curves of the cervical vertebral of your neck in a natural position.