In the seventh month, the fetus can hear her mother’s heart beat. She knows Mommy’s voice and is starting to hear voices outside mom’s body. She can hear the voices of her family. The baby is also aware of changes in light. She can detect light and dark, especially extremes, such as bright sun light.
The baby’s eyes are open and eye lashes are growing. If the baby is a boy, the testicles will descend this month. Your baby may suck her thumb. By the end of the month, the baby weighs between two and two and a half pounds. She is between thirteen and fifteen inches long. If the baby were to be born now, her chances of survival increase.
As the baby grows, it is getting crowded in the uterus. The baby won’t be able to move as feely in the fluid. This results in lighter movements felt by the mother. The kicks may not be as strong as living conditions get cramped. Sometime after twenty eight weeks the baby will settle into a head down position. Most will stay in this position for the rest of the pregnancy.
At your monthly visit, the doctor will listen to the baby’s heart rate and check the fundal height. This is important for detecting problems such as too much or not enough amniotic fluid. The nurse will check your weight and blood pressure. A urine sample will be taken to check protein and sugar levels.
You may have a glucose tolerance test at this visit. This checks how well your body is metabolizing sugars. It is useful for detecting gestational diabetes. You will be given a glucose solution to drink. Blood will be drawn to determine how well you are processing the sugar.
If you fail this test, you will be given a three hour test. This involves drinking the solution and having blood drawn over a three hour period. This gives a better indication of how the body is processing sugar over time. Don’t panic if you have to go back for the three hour test. Most women who fail the one hour test pass this one.
You may begin to feel some of the discomforts of the third trimester. Some of the common discomforts include constipation, heart burn, headache, indigestion, nasal congestion, back ache and leg cramps. As your belly grows, your center of gravity shifts. This may make you feel clumsy. Your growing baby may also make sleeping more difficult.
Many women begin feeling Braxton Hicks contractions during this month. These are practice contractions. They are not very painful, but feel more like a tightening. These contractions don’t cause the cervix to efface or dilate. Real contractions get stronger and closer together. The general rule of thumb is to call if you have more than four contractions in an hour.
Some women begin to notice colostrum in the breasts. This is the baby’s first milk. Don’t worry if you don’t have colostrum leaking. This is not an indication that you will have trouble breastfeeding. Many women have no noticeable colostrum and go on to have a great experience breastfeeding.
Don't forget to check out our next article. The 8th Month of Pregnancy.