Pregnancy 7-10 Weeks: An Overview

Week 7 of Pregnancy

Still in your first trimester, you are now seven weeks pregnant and your precious baby is growing rapidly, even if you haven’t realized you are carrying a baby yet. Your little one is about the size of a blueberry this week, but still over 10,000 times bigger than he or she was a month ago. The most significant developments for baby this week include the sprouting of the arms and legs, the forming of the mouth and tongue and the development of permanent kidneys. Last week, your baby’s little heart began beating and they are beginning to form those muscles so it won’t feel like too long before you can feel them kicking you. The scale is not really important this week because many women may have gained a few pounds while others will actually lose weight at this stage due to persistent morning sickness. Week seven of pregnancy is likely to bring with it headaches, lower backaches, nausea and tender breasts. Your friends and family most likely will not be able to tell you are pregnant and you probably have not visited the doctor yet. Most doctors suggest your first visit at eight weeks pregnant.

Week 8 of Pregnancy

Week eight of pregnancy marks an amazing milestone for your little angel. Brainwave activity starts during this monumental week. He or she is developing her little fingers, toes, lungs, ears, and nose and even beginning those first subtle and spontaneous movements. Your baby is now even producing urine which will be excreted into their amniotic fluid. If you are like most women and predisposed to suffer from morning sickness then it will have kicked in by now. You may also have some cramping due to your expanding uterus that is already twice its normal size. Because of this, you will also have the urge to urinate more. If you are feeling more tired than usual, this is completely normal as your body is working extra hard for that little one. You will also likely have your very first prenatal appointment this week and it will likely be one of your longest visits. You can expect to talk to your doctor about your health history, your options for prenatal genetic testing and run some basic tests. Prenatal genetic testing can test the baby for several genetic disorders and diseases such as Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis. At either this appointment or your next, your doctor will perform an ultrasound to confirm your pregnancy and more accurately pinpoint your little one’s age. This will be the first time you get to see and hear your beautiful baby’s heartbeat. What an exciting week!

Week 9 of Pregnancy

You are now nine weeks pregnant and your baby is officially considered a fetus. The fetus determination is made when the baby’s placenta is developed and has begun producing hormones. Though he or she only weighs about a fraction of an ounce, most of their essential body parts are formed. The baby has finally lost that reptilian tail and begun to develop teeth buds. They are now mostly developed, though there is plenty of growing to do and your baby is ready to put on the pounds. You may or may not begin to have a noticeable belly bump by now but your symptoms are probably increasing. Amazingly, your uterus is already the size of a cantaloupe. Around this time many women feel moody due to those raging hormones, continue to suffer from morning sickness and be making frequent bathroom breaks during week nine of pregnancy. You may be starting to gain a little weight. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists the recommended weight gain for pregnancy is 25 to 35 pounds. This means that during your first trimester you can expect to gain about one to five pounds.

Week 10 of Pregnancy

In just a few short weeks, your little baby has grown to the size of a prune. At 10 weeks pregnant your baby’s bones are forming and they may even be practicing swallowing amniotic fluid at this stage. All of the vital organs are not only developed but functioning on their own. He or she will begin to grow those tiny little finger nails. During week 10 of pregnancy you may begin to notice even more aches and pains. These are most likely associated with a process which stretches your ligaments and muscles. It may be a good time to pick up a few maternity clothes if you haven’t already because your breasts and waistline will be feeling tighter and tighter with each coming week. Your emotions are still running high and you are still feeling nauseous most of the time. Almost all women are feeling exhausted around this stage, so be sure to get plenty of rest.