Inside that tiny, blueberry-sized embryo, a neurological explosion is taking place. Your baby's brain is generating roughly 100 new neurons every single minute. The head is currently much larger than the rest of the body to accommodate this massive, rapid brain growth.
🍼 What's Happening With Your Baby
The brain is dividing into three distinct parts: the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. These will eventually govern everything from problem-solving to breathing and heart rate.
The arm and leg buds have grown longer and are now distinctly divided into hand, arm, and shoulder segments, and leg, knee, and foot segments. The hands look like tiny paddles.
Kidneys are forming and will soon be ready to start producing urine. The umbilical cord, the vital lifeline connecting the baby to the developing placenta, has formed and is functioning.
🤰 What You're Feeling This Week
At 7 weeks, the pregnancy is asserting its presence aggressively. Food cravings and aversions are likely dictating your entire diet. You may find you can only stomach plain carbohydrates — toast, crackers, and pasta.
Excess saliva (ptyalism) is a bizarre but common symptom right now, often accompanying nausea. You might literally feel the need to spit frequently.
Your skin might be breaking out like you're a teenager again, thanks to the massive surge in androgens and progesterone, or it might be glowing — pregnancy hormones affect everyone's sebum production differently.
The Umbilical Cord Forms
The mature umbilical cord has fully formed, containing one large vein that brings oxygenated blood to the baby, and two smaller arteries that carry deoxygenated blood away.
✅ What To Do This Week
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Stay hydrated by any means necessary — if plain water makes you gag, try sparkling water with lemon, sucking on ice chips, or eating water-dense fruits like watermelon.
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Prepare for your first prenatal visit — write down the first day of your last period, any medications you take, and a list of questions for your doctor. This appointment is usually very information-heavy.
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Avoid changing litter boxes and gardening without gloves — Toxoplasmosis risks remain high, and soil can carry the parasite just like cat feces.
"If all you managed to eat today was a sleeve of saltine crackers, give yourself grace. The baby is taking what it needs from your reserves. Survival mode in the first trimester is completely acceptable."
— A Note From Your Body, Week 7