Pregnancy Week 7
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- Pregnancy Week 7
Your baby's brain is developing rapidly in week seven. Get the details on the latest changes, plus advice on preparing for your first prenatal visit and bonding with your partner during your pregnancy.
How big is baby?
Your baby is now about the size of a small blueberry. Her arm buds, which formed last week, now look like paddles.
Baby's Development
Your baby is already developing amazingly distinct facial features. Dark spots mark the areas where her eyes and nostrils will be, and a little mouth and ears are starting to form, too. Your baby's brain is also growing more complex; if you could take a peek, it would be clearly visible inside the transparent skull. In fact, nerve cells in your baby's brain are growing at an amazing rate -- 100,000 cells per minute! And she's started to move in small, jerky motions, although you won't feel these movements until about your fourth month of pregnancy.
Baby Week 7
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Week 7 Ultrasound
During this week of the first trimester, you can see baby-to-be is developing in a bubble within the gestational sac. The bubble around the embryo is the amniotic cavity filled with amniotic fluid. This liquid environment gives your baby room to grow and develop and to move. The amniotic fluid also cushions your baby-to-be from any external pressure on the abdomen. The black area inside the head is part of the developing neural tube.
Read MoreWatch Baby's Growth
An Embryo Forms: Weeks 4 to 8 of Pregnancy
Mom's changing body
Even though you're not starting to show yet, you may notice you've put on a few pounds and your pants are starting to feel tight. You aren't big enough for maternity clothes at this point, but you might want to start shopping for the future. Your skin may be going through some changes already, too. If you're lucky, you'll be sporting the pregnancy glow, but don't be surprised if your skin reacts to the influx of pregnancy hormones with a break-out.
Weekly Tip
Granted, it's hard to focus on other people's feelings right now -- what with having to tend to your own tummy issues -- but there's a rather selfless question you'll want to ponder: How is your partner taking all of this? Some partners are super-supportive and ecstatic, while others may feel overwhelmed by the slew of changes taking place. It's perfectly normal for yours to suddenly obsess over the family finances or fixate on the idea of moving to a bigger home. (Just call it the male version of the nesting instinct.) Chat up your guy to feel out any of his worries or concerns. Goodness knows you're going to be counting on him to do the same for you.
Must-Reads
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It's the one time you're actually supposed to eat more--and yet it suddenly seems like every food is off limits. Here, the final word on which foods to skip and which ones are A-OK during pregnancy.
An Embryo Forms: Weeks 4 to 8 of Pregnancy
Chances are you have no idea you're pregnant yet-but your body is already hard at work. Watch as the egg undergoes its wondrous transformation to embryo.
The Ups and Downs of Pregnancy Emotions
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Starting to Feel Pregnant
You're pregnant! And probably starting to feel that way, although your belly won't pop for a little while yet.
Week 7 Ultrasound: What It Would Look Like
At seven weeks pregnant, your baby is about the size of a blueberry! Now you can figure out your due date, and use an ultrasound to detect the baby's heartbeat and brain development.