Your week 7 guide

The umbilical cord is now working as a two-way supply line. Blood travels out to the placenta carrying carbon dioxide and waste, and returns carrying oxygen and nutrients drawn from your circulation. The two blood supplies stay separate throughout; they meet across a thin membrane where the exchange happens rather than mixing.

Hands and feet are still webbed paddles, but ridges are appearing where fingers and toes will separate. The digits are being sculpted partly by cells in the spaces between them dying away in a controlled, programmed manner. That removal is as necessary as the growth itself, and it is why fingers emerge rather than simply lengthen.

The kidneys are forming and tiny nostrils are appearing on the face. The kidneys will begin producing urine within a few weeks, which becomes a major part of the amniotic fluid your baby floats in. The nostrils are currently blocked with tissue plugs that clear later, and no breathing happens through them until birth.

Nausea, frequent trips to the toilet, bloating, excess saliva, tiredness and mood changes may all continue. The frequent urination is partly hormonal and partly the growing uterus sitting directly on your bladder. Excess saliva, which nobody warns you about, is harmless but genuinely unpleasant, and spitting it out rather than swallowing it sometimes helps the nausea.

Food smells can suddenly feel overwhelming or repellent. Heightened smell is one of the more reliable early pregnancy changes, and cooking smells, coffee, bins and other people's lunches are common triggers. Cold or room-temperature food gives off far less aroma, which is often more effective than trying to push through.

Breasts often grow and ache before anything else shows. The tissue is already changing in preparation for feeding, and the tenderness can be sharp enough that sleeping on your front becomes impossible. A properly fitted, supportive bra, including a soft one for sleeping, makes a bigger difference than most women expect.

Write your questions for the first antenatal appointment while they are fresh. Booking appointments cover a great deal of ground quickly, and it is easy to leave without asking the thing that has actually been bothering you. Include the awkward questions, because your midwife has heard all of them before.

Check your skincare products and any medicines against pregnancy guidance. Products containing retinoids and high-strength salicylic acid are usually advised against, and some common painkillers and cold remedies are not suitable in pregnancy. A pharmacist can go through the actual bottles with you in a few minutes.

Protect rest, fluids, food you can manage and gentle movement, and let the rest slide for now. The first trimester asks a great deal of you while showing almost nothing for it, and lowering your standards for a few weeks is a reasonable strategy rather than a failure. Ask for the help you need at home rather than waiting to be offered it. InshaAllah, letting someone share the day-to-day jobs can protect a little rest.

Hydration when feeling sick: Regular fluids matter especially when nausea or vomiting makes eating and drinking difficult. Small, frequent sips are usually more manageable than a large glass at once.

Water is the sensible first choice, though some women tolerate cold, fizzy or differently flavoured drinks more easily. Seek medical advice promptly if you cannot keep fluids down, are passing very little or very dark urine, feel faint, or notice other signs of dehydration.