7 Months Pregnant: What to Expect During Pregnancy

At 7 months pregnant, your little one is on a roll, growing quickly and getting prepared for their grand entrance into the world.

So congrats, mama!

You’re two-thirds of the way to making a human!

And you might be literally feeling the weight of the task.

As you go through these final months, you may be experiencing some aches, pains — and other surprising symptoms.

Leaky breasts, heartburn, back aches….

The third trimester can be one for the books.

We’ll take you through what you can expect from this exciting, beautiful, challenging time — and answer some questions about what your babe may be up to in there.

In this article: 📝

How many weeks pregnant is 7 months?

Month 7 of your pregnancy runs from about week 28 to week 32.

That means it’s the first month of your third trimester — and the finish line is coming into view.

At 7 months, your baby will be somewhere between 14 and 15 inches long (35 cms and 38 cms).

That’s about the length of a laptop screen.

And the average baby weight at 7 months pregnant is in the region of two to four pounds.

Other interesting things to know about the babe growing inside you?

Their lungs are developing 🫁

By month seven, your fetus’ lungs are developed, but not ready to breathe by themselves.

As Dr. Fatema M Dawoodbhoy explains, “Lungs are considered mature at 37 weeks, but they still need development at 28-32 weeks”.

It’s why many preemie babies need some help breathing by themselves if they’re born before 37 weeks.

They’re hearing things! 👂

While they have been hearing sounds inside your body since about 18 weeks, by the time they reach the third trimester, they start hearing sounds from outside, too.

Yep, that means you can sing and chat away.

They’re listening!

They’re learning how to blink 👁️

At about 28 weeks, your baby can open and close their eyes.

Another adorable thing?

Their eyelashes have made an appearance!

They’re trying out new moves 🦵

They might be curling up (yep, into a fetal position) and moving their legs into criss-cross-apple-sauce.

It’s like a yoga class going on in your belly.

You may notice a change in their movement as you enter this new trimester.

There’s less room in there now, so their movement may be more subtle than before.

And yep, now’s the time to start counting kicks.

What should I be feeling at 7 months pregnant?

There’s no one way to do pregnancy, and we all tend to have different experiences as we reach the various milestones.

So “should” is a tricky word — but here’s what you might experience.

By this point in your pregnancy, your blood volume has increased by up to 50% to support this operation.

And this, together with pregnancy hormones and the pressure of your growing baby, are responsible for many of the symptoms you might experience now.

We’ll take you through what might be happening at this stage with some of the more common 7 months pregnant symptoms:

Braxton Hicks contractions 🙃

You may have already experienced these “practice” contractions during your second trimester.

They don’t mean you’re going into labor — they’re just preparing your body for the real thing.

They typically don’t last too long — a tightening of muscles across your belly for about 30 seconds, and then they’re gone.

And they don’t happen to everyone, so don’t stress if you haven’t experienced them yet.

💡 Want more? Check out Your Guide to Braxton Hicks & False Labor

Boob leakage 💦

Yep, it’s a totally normal thing.

At this point, your breasts might be leaking colostrum, the liquid gold packed with all the nutrition your baby needs to thrive in those early days.

And if you feel like crying over that spilled milk, you’re perfectly entitled to, mama.

Aches and pains 😖

As things grow bellywards, you may find your back takes some strain.

Sciatica, pain along the sciatic nerve that runs from your lower back into your legs, is common at this stage of pregnancy.

And the pain may not be limited to your back.

It’s not uncommon to experience pain in other areas of your body.

Pelvic girdle pain is one of the more common experiences.

The main culprits here are relaxin and progesterone, two pregnancy hormones that loosen up your ligaments and joints in preparation for birth.

While these are very helpful for your pregnancy, they may put your body out of its usual alignment and cause pain and discomfort along the way.

While these aches are a normal part of pregnancy, you don’t have to simply suffer through them.

Speak to your doctor about ways to ease things up.

Heating pads can help for short periods of time.

Physical therapy can also help, as can alternative therapies like yoga and pregnancy massage.

(Just check in with your doctor before trying anything new at this stage.)

If the pain is really severe, your doctor may recommend medication that is appropriate for you and your unique pregnancy.

Digestive issues 💩

From constipation (yep, it’s those pregnancy hormones again) to heartburn, there’s quite a bit of pressure on your digestive system right now.

Avoiding trigger foods and keeping your hydration and fiber levels up can really help.

But if you’re in a real pinch, talk to your doctor about medication.

Frequent peeing 🚽

If it feels as though your need to pee is growing with the size of your body, you may be right.

That little squirt (no pun intended) is putting pressure on your bladder, meaning you might be making more frequent trips to the bathroom.

Hemorrhoids 🍑

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins near your anus and lower rectum.

And yep, they can be uncomfortable.

All that increased blood flow (particularly to your lower half) coupled with the pressure of your growing baby can be at the (ahem) bottom of this.

While hemorrhoids are generally harmless, they can be painful.

So chat with your doctor about ways to find relief — honestly, they’re nothing to be embarrassed about, you’d be surprised how common they are in pregnancy!

Fatigue 🥱

It’s not hard to see why you may be a little more exhausted than usual over this time.

There’s a huge demand on your body right now, and sleep may be harder to come by than ever.

It’s time to max out on self-care.

Rest whenever you can, eat a balanced diet, and get some light exercise (unless your doctor has told you otherwise.)

When to see a doctor at 7 months pregnant

If you notice signs of early labor, contact your medical team.

Here’s what to look out for:

• Cramping: Cramps at 7 months pregnant can be par for the course — but if you’re at all worried or the pain is severe or sudden, get to your doctor immediately.
  
• Bleeding: While light spotting can be normal, heavy bleeding (especially if it’s bright red) is not. Also time to get to the doctor.
  
• Fever: Feeling hot or getting chills? Take your temperature (if you can) and get to your doc.
  
• Bloody diarrhea: If you see blood in your stool, get to the docs straightaway.
  
• Pain when you pee: Another thing to keep an eye out for — get to your doctor as soon as you notice this one.
  
• Severe anxiety or depression: Finally, if you feel very anxious or depressed, it’s important to seek help. And know that there is help available, mama. While pregnancy hormones can impact us in all sorts of ways, it’s important to get help if you are struggling with your mental and physical health. You don’t have to do this alone.

What does 7 months pregnant look like?

As for a universal standard for a 7 months pregnant belly, well, it doesn’t actually exist.

Your doctor may measure your fundal height from about 20 weeks.

This is a measurement from your pubic bone to the top of your baby bump.

While it’s not an exact science, it is one tool doctors can use to measure your baby’s growth.

The number of weeks of your pregnancy should roughly coincide with the fundal height in centimeters.

(So for 28 weeks, your fundal height should be around 28 cms.)

But many factors could influence this measurement, including if you are pregnant with multiples or simply have a much larger baby than the average.

So, provided your doctor is happy with your progress, and you’re feeling OK, don’t worry too much about having a specific size belly at this point.

Can you fly at 7 months pregnant?

Yes, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, you should be able to fly domestically until about 36 weeks — so you’re still okay at this point.

Airlines may have earlier cut-offs for international travel.

And it’s always best to check in with your doctor before you head off.

They’ll be able to tell you if there’s anything to worry about and provide a letter for the airline if needed.

You’ve made it to the third trimester.

That’s no easy feat.

And while pregnancy symptoms may have left you feeling pooped, they’re not forever.

Your babe is already practicing the important skills of blinking, hearing, and kicking — and it’s not long until they’ll be able to show them off to you.

If you need support through this final stage, join us on Peanut.

We’re here for you, mama! ❤️