You’re at the midpoint of the first trimester, and probably feeling exhausted and emotional, plus pretty nauseated! It’s all par for the course when you’re seven weeks pregnant. Here’s what’s going on with your baby, your body, and your symptoms during the seventh week of pregnancy. 

Baby at seven weeks pregnant

Get this: your baby is now 10,000 times the size s/he was at conception. Sounds huge, right? Truth is, your little baby’s size is comparable to a pea, so still way tiny! His or her growth continues at an exponential rate this week. A lot is concentrated on the head, where new brain cells are being churned out at 100 cells per minute. The mouth and tongue begin forming this week too, as do the arm and leg buds.

In organ development news, your baby’s kidneys are now in place and ready to begin their important waste management work. Bet you’ve never been so excited to hear about urine production (ahh the life of a mom)!

Your body at seven weeks pregnant

One of the biggest symptoms at seven weeks pregnant is feeling as if you're on an emotional roller coaster. You could be feeling happy and excited at one moment and then depressed and exhausted the next. Not to worry: any weepiness, heightened sensitivity, and headaches you may be experiencing are normal and won't last forever. In the coming weeks, your body will adapt to the new hormone levels and you will get your emotional equilibrium back. 

Feeling tired or even exhausted? Your hormones are surging, particularly progesterone, and your body has begun the intense work of supporting and growing another human. It’s busy growing an entire organ, the placenta, to support your baby’s growth, so forgive yourself if you can’t find the energy these days to get off the couch!

Seven weeks pregnant ultrasound

At seven weeks, an ultrasound could show the baby’s heartbeat and be very useful to practitioners in dating the pregnancy. A transvaginal ultrasound would provide the most accurate information on your baby and pregnancy at this stage. It is still early for the baby’s heartbeat to be detected on an abdominal ultrasound or heard through a handheld fetal Doppler. 

Seven weeks is how many months pregnant? 

At this stage in your pregnancy, you're one month, three weeks (1m3w) pregnant. 

Common symptoms at seven weeks pregnant

Feeling sleepy? First-trimester exhaustion arrives for many pregnant women in force this week, and you might find yourself longing for a nap every afternoon. This is quite normal and is a sign that your body needs to start storing up energy and nutrients for the rapid changes you’re going through. 

Other symptoms may include darkening skin around your nipples (the areolas) and frequent trips to the bathroom to pee. This recurring need to urinate is another common symptom that happens in early pregnancy as your expanding uterus continues increasing its pressure on your bladder. This symptom will ease up at about week 12 or 13, when your uterus expands beyond your pelvis.

You may continue to get mild, hormone-related headaches periodically, but avoid taking medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen, which are not safe for pregnant women. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is considered safe to take occasionally during pregnancy. Always speak to your doctor before taking any medication. Read more about the risks of these over-the-counter pain relievers for pregnant women.

Other symptoms you might be feeling at seven weeks pregnant:

• Nausea, vomiting, and food aversions
• The beginning of weight gain (or loss, if you’re very sick!)
• Constipation or a sluggish digestive system
• Heartburn 
• Tender breasts and sore nipples
• Increased saliva production
• Heightened sense of smell and sensitivity or even repulsion to certain smells

Pregnancy checklist at seven weeks pregnant 

Some women can't wait to tell their friends and family members that they're pregnant at seven weeks; others are more comfortable with keeping this news a secret until they're into the second trimester. This is a very personal decision and there's no right answer for everyone.

If you haven't read up on the foods that you should avoid when you're seven weeks pregnant, now's a good time to do so. You’re also going to want to make sure that you're practicing good food safety habits since food-borne illnesses could cause harm to your baby.

There's no reason not to travel when you're seven weeks pregnant (other than the fact that you might not be feeling much like going anywhere!). Make sure you travel safely, however, with these pregnancy travel tips.

Also, now's the time to learn more about the prenatal tests that your healthcare provider could order for your baby.

What to Expect at 8 Weeks Pregnant