7 Weeks Pregnant: Baby Development, Symptoms & Signs
Highlights at 7 Weeks Pregnant
Here are a few key highlights and things to look forward to now that you’re 7 weeks pregnant:
If you’ve missed your period and taken a pregnancy test, you might want to confirm your pregnancy with your healthcare provider.
Your baby's brain, lungs, digestive system, limbs, and facial features continue to develop.
Cue the pregnancy cravings—this is when you might start to notice them a bit more. Feel free to indulge a little as long as you’re maintaining a balanced diet.
How Many Months Is 7 Weeks Pregnant?
What stage is 7 weeks pregnant? Your healthcare provider will mostly refer to your pregnancy in weeks, but you might notice others mentioning months. At 7 weeks pregnant, you’re in your second month of pregnancy, even if you haven’t noticed any belly bump or symptoms!
7 Weeks Pregnant Belly & Baby Development
Brain sections develop: At 7 weeks pregnant, although brain development will continue until long after birth, the basic sections have formed by now. As the week of first trimester of pregnancy progresses, this organ will divide into three parts: forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. The forebrain will be responsible for things like reasoning, problem solving, and forming and retaining memories. The midbrain will relay electrical signals to their final destinations in the brain. The hindbrain will take care of breathing, heart rate, and muscle movement.
Features appear: Your baby's eyes, ears and nose begin to develop. Her eyelids form, but remain closed. Buds that will later be her limbs are growing fast, and there are paddle-like hands and feet forming, too.
How Big Is a Baby at 7 Weeks Pregnant?
Your little one is growing fast! At seven weeks, the embryo is about the size of a small blueberry, about 1/3 of an inch long.
Your Baby: What Does 7 Weeks Pregnant Look Like?
To get an idea of how things are developing inside your uterus this week, check out this illustration:
Pregnancy Symptoms At 7 Weeks Pregnant
At this early stage of pregnancy, you might be wondering how far along you are and when your baby is due. These are some of the 7 weeks pregnant symptoms you might be experiencing:
1. Headaches:
The pregnancy hormones that may be giving you morning sickness can also be responsible for headaches. Headaches during pregnancy can also be triggered by fatigue, hunger, and physical or emotional stress. You could try drinking more water, resting more often, and snacking regularly to prevent headaches.
2. Frequent urination:
Increased blood volume and hormonal changes during pregnancy trigger the kidneys to expand and to produce more urine, while your growing uterus also puts extra pressure on your bladder. All of this means you might be running to the bathroom more often. Instead of cutting back on fluids, make an effort to drink plenty. Plus, these tips could help reduce frequent urination during pregnancy and beyond:
Lean forward while peeing to completely empty your bladder
Practice Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
Avoid carbonated drinks, tea, coffee, chocolates, and spicy foods as these can irritate the bladder
Drink less water right before bed to avoid night-time visits to the bathroom, but stay very well-hydrated during the day
Sometimes frequent urination can be a sign of a urinary tract infection, so if your urine has blood in it, if you feel a burning sensation while peeing or have a tender lower abdomen, or if you have the urge to pee but only pass a few drops, then consult your doctor immediately.
Acne breakout:
You can blame the hormonal changes in your body for the acne outburst on your skin. In the initial few weeks it could result in excessive pimples on your face which is because of the increase in hormones called androgens. Before you use any medications or cosmetics for treating acne, consult your doctor to ensure it is safe for you.
3. Mild pelvic cramping:
You might feel a lot pelvic cramping even when you are not able to feel the baby move yet. A lot of activity is going on in your uterus and therefore you might feel little spotting too. There is nothing to get worried as this is very normal. However, if the cramps are more painful than the usual periods pain, you should consult the doctor right away.
7 weeks pregnant symptoms might also include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, along with the other symptoms you have been experiencing so far.
How Big Is a Pregnant Belly at 7 Weeks?
Can you start showing at 7 weeks? You probably won’t see any difference in your pregnant belly at 7 weeks, even with twins, as your baby (or babies) is only the size of a small blueberry! Still, slight bloating around your abdomen may accompany your pregnancy at seven weeks, giving you what appears to be a small belly bump showing. Just know that a baby bump usually doesn’t show until around weeks 12 to 16, when your uterus starts to move outside your pelvis area.
What Does 7 Weeks Pregnant Look Like?
To get a better idea of what your belly might look like around 7 weeks pregnant, when you’re in your second month of pregnancy, check out the image below.
Ultrasound At 7th Week Of Pregnancy
In the 7th week pregnant ultrasound, you will see the major development of your fetus. Your fetus at 7 weeks will have developed its major organs like the pancreas, liver and appendix. You would also notice his/her ears, nose, ears, mouth, toes and fingers in 7 weeks pregnant ultrasound.
7 Weeks Pregnant: Questions for Your Healthcare Provider
After seeing your healthcare provider for the initial appointment, you'll typically have prenatal checkups about once per month until the last two months of your pregnancy, when the visits will become more frequent. These appointments give you the perfect opportunity to ask questions and bring up concerns. Some questions you might want to ask include:
What's the best way to manage weight gain while pregnant?
Are there any special precautions to take at work during pregnancy?
What plans are in place for labor and delivery? Talk with your healthcare provider about possible labor complications and other challenges that may come up in the delivery room, and how they'll be handled if the time comes.
Is “pregnancy brain fog” a real thing?
What are the signs of hyperemesis gravidarum?
FAQ At 7 Weeks
Toxoplasmosis is an infection that's passed through raw or undercooked meat and cat faeces. Unless you have a weakened immune system, this infection does not affect you, but it could be harmful to your baby. In fact, you may already have had toxoplasmosis without knowing it — if so, you are immune. To avoid coming in contact with the germ, if you eat meat order your meat well done, wash your hands thoroughly after preparing meat, and take yourself off kitty litter duty for the rest of your pregnancy.
Precautions & Tips At 7th Week Of Pregnancy
Keep drinking plenty of water, despite all those trips to the restroom
Make sure any meat you eat is well cooked. Get week-by-week expert tips on pregnancy to keep track of your baby’s development & to ensure well-being of both you & your baby during entire nine months journey!
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7 Weeks Pregnant: Your Checklist
Yes, it’s early, but it’s also an exciting moment! As you anticipate your new pregnancy, consider the following to-dos:
Make sure you're getting enough folic acid and other essential nutrients in the form of a prenatal vitamin.
Get a flu shot early in flu season.
Read up on prenatal care so you know what appointments and tests are likely to happen over the coming months.
