7 weeks pregnant: Your guide to this week of your first trimester

At 7 weeks pregnant, you’re well into your first trimester. At this point, you might be contending with early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea and tiredness and the different lifestyle changes recommended by your doctor. 

You may also be wondering when to tell friends, family, and colleagues about your pregnancy. The short answer? There’s no right or wrong time — it’s just when you feel ready. Some people wait for their first ultrasound scan (which generally happens close to 12 weeks pregnant), while others let close friends and family know as soon as they test positive. You do what’s right for you.

You might have questions about what’s going on with your body and your baby at 7 weeks pregnant, and you’re certainly not alone. It’s natural to wonder whether your symptoms are normal. You might also be wondering what some of the signs of a healthy pregnancy are. So, to get the lowdown on what’s happening when you’re 7 weeks pregnant, a Flo expert outlines everything you need to know. 

Your baby at 7 weeks pregnant 

Developing limbs

At 7 weeks pregnant, your baby is growing at a rapid rate. In fact, the brain grows at around 250,000 nerve cells per minute throughout pregnancy. Your baby will then be born with more than 100 billion neurons. Pretty amazing, right? And it isn’t just their brain that’s undergoing constant change — their limbs are also starting to form.

The small buds which started to grow out of their body at around 6 weeks of pregnancy will continue to develop, forming cartilage that will become the bones for their arms and legs. The end of each bud will then flatten out (this can look like small paddles that will eventually become their hands and feet).

Forming inner ears

As your baby’s major limbs continue to grow, their finer, more delicate features will also continue to form. As their eyes and mouth continue to develop, the beginnings of your baby’s inner ears will also form around 7 weeks pregnant. While your baby doesn’t have ears as we know them around this time, the foundation of their hearing system is growing. 

How big is a baby at 7 weeks?

Length (crown to rump): 9.5 mm or 0.37 in. 

Weight: Too small to calculate accurately

Size: Equivalent to a blueberry

All measurements are approximate and vary within the normal range.

Your body at 7 weeks pregnant 

No matter how many conversations you’ve had with friends who are already parents, early pregnancy may have left you with questions. No two pregnancies are the same, and people experience different symptoms at different times. Understanding how your body might change may help you prepare for what’s to come. 

Breast changes

At 7 weeks pregnant, you may have known that you’re expecting for a couple of weeks now and started to feel some of the early pregnancy symptoms your friends and family told you about. Your baby is only around the size of a blueberry, so you won’t be able to see a bump just yet, but you might feel and see some pretty big changes happening with your boobs. At this stage, your breasts may look and feel bigger as well as feeling tender and sore. This is all due to changes in your hormone levels. 

After you conceive, your body releases a surge of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin (the latter helps your body to create breast milk). This is why your boobs may feel bigger and swollen. Having sore boobs is never enjoyable, so if you’re struggling with extra sensitivity, consider wearing softer fabrics and supportive bras. 

Pregnancy sickness and nausea 

Hormonal changes are also the cause of a number of other pregnancy symptoms, and one that is well-documented is pregnancy sickness. While it is sometimes more commonly known as morning sickness, you may be very aware at this point that nausea during pregnancy isn’t just reserved for the morning — it can happen any time, day or night. It’s caused by the hormones estrogen and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is produced shortly after you conceive and continues to rise throughout your first trimester. While it can cause some pesky symptoms, it plays an important role in supporting your baby while it’s developing during early pregnancy. 

Managing pregnancy sickness can be tough, and while lots of people report experiencing it, it isn’t something that should be downplayed. There are some at-home remedies that may help with pregnancy sickness, including: 

• Eating small, regular snacks and meals throughout the day 
• Consuming ginger in the form of capsules, tea, candies, or even its raw form
• Getting lots of rest
• Drinking lots of water

If your nausea and sickness are severe, don’t be afraid to reach out to your doctor. They will be able to talk you through your symptoms and may recommend taking anti-nausea medication. Similarly, if you have questions about why you feel so nauseous or are worried, speak to your doctor. 

Fatigue 

Your hormone levels fluctuate a lot when you’re pregnant, which means you may feel fatigued and in a lower mood than usual. “The increased size of the uterus and increased kidney function causes you to pee more,” says Dr. Allison K. Rodgers, reproductive endocrinologist, obstetrician, and gynecologist, Fertility Centers of Illinois, US. “You might feel tired at this point, as well as feeling nauseous or having vomiting symptoms. Some people will have some mood changes, but others won’t. It varies a lot from person to person.” You can learn all about the different symptoms you might experience during your first trimester using an app like Flo.

Your questions answered 

Should I have a belly at 7 weeks pregnant? 

The thought of your growing baby and belly might be really exciting to you. Everyone’s bump grows at a different pace, so it’s difficult to say when you will start to feel yours. However, since your baby is the size of a blueberry when you’re 7 weeks pregnant, you won’t be able to feel a pregnancy belly just yet. A baby bump doesn’t start to show until between 12 and 16 weeks.

“Most people do not have a belly yet,” explains Dr. Rodgers. “If it’s not your first baby, you will show sooner. Everyone is different. Some people show early, some later. It depends on your clothes and the angle of your uterus and whether it’s been stretched out with a prior pregnancy.”

How many months is 7 weeks pregnant? 

While some people, and most medical professionals, talk about their pregnancies in terms of weeks, others outline how far along they are in months. At 7 weeks pregnant, you’re into your second month of pregnancy — or 1 month and about 3 weeks. 

What are the signs of a healthy pregnancy? 

Knowing what’s considered to be normal or typical during pregnancy can be tough when each pregnancy is different. You’ll experience different symptoms from your friends, and if you haven’t experienced any symptoms at all, that can also be fine — some people don’t. 

While it’s difficult to say what the signs of a healthy pregnancy are (without going to see your doctor), some early pregnancy symptoms might feel alarming but are fairly common. These include:

• A heightened sense of smell
• A metallic taste in your mouth
• Constipation
• Thicker hair
• Cramps similar to period pain (keep reading to learn more about cramping during your first trimester)
• Headaches
• Suddenly liking or disliking specific foods
• Light bleeding or spotting from your vagina (keep reading to learn more about bleeding during your first trimester)
• Feeling bloated
• Peeing more frequently
• A white, milky discharge from your vagina

If you aren’t currently experiencing pregnancy symptoms, it certainly doesn’t mean that your pregnancy isn’t progressing. If you have some of the symptoms listed above, it’s still a great idea to attend your prenatal appointments and follow your doctor’s advice. 

Your 7 weeks pregnant checklist

Early pregnancy can be a time full of emotions. As you process the fact that you’re going to become a parent, you’ll also get lots of new information from your doctor. So breaking down some of the key things you can do at seven weeks pregnant might make things feel a little bit more manageable. 

Take choline 

Your doctor will have likely given you a rundown on the different vitamins and nutrients that can be beneficial in early pregnancy. It’s recommended that for the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy, you take a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day in addition to what you get in your regular diet. This helps to prevent defects in your baby’s developing neural tube. However, folic acid isn’t the only supplement that can help you during this time. 

If you’ve never heard of choline before, then don’t worry; you’re not the only one. This nutrient will help your baby as their brain and neural tube develop. “Choline is a great supplement along with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) to help with fetal brain development,” explains Dr. Rodgers. Choline can be found in foods like beef, broccoli, and chicken, and it’s recommended that you consume 450 milligrams per day. You will likely need to get this from your normal diet, as it’s not always found in prenatal vitamins. If you’d like more guidance on the supplements that might help you and your baby during pregnancy, speak to your doctor. 

Coping with constipation and bloating 

Dealing with bloating and constipation (when it’s difficult to poop or you’re not pooping regularly) is hard at the best of times. However, when you’re pregnant, these may be some of the routine symptoms you experience. At this point, you’ll likely be a hormone whiz, and constipation and bloating can both be attributed to the fact that your progesterone levels are higher during pregnancy. This slows your digestive system down, meaning that your food is processed at a much slower pace and may lead to constipation and discomfort. 

To help you combat constipation, you should try to eat fiber-rich foods such as whole-grain bread and rice, fruits, and vegetables. Drinking water and staying hydrated may also make it a little easier to poop. If your constipation and bloating don’t go away after trying these at-home remedies, speak to your doctor. 

Managing mood swings

The changes you go through during early pregnancy aren’t purely physical. You have a lot to get your head around, and your fluctuating hormone levels can wreak havoc on your mood. If you feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster, rejoicing one minute and crying the next, then rest assured that these feelings can be normal during pregnancy (and you’re certainly not alone in having them). Your body is getting used to operating with higher estrogen and progesterone levels. If you find they’re affecting your day-to-day life or you’re worried about your mood and mental health during pregnancy, then always speak to your doctor and try to be gentle with yourself. Allow yourself to go through the motions without feeling guilty or embarrassed. 

Urge to pee 

Sitting through a movie without having to get up to pee three times might be a distant memory, and it’s easily explained. During your first trimester, your body produces more blood to support your developing baby and placenta. It’s the job of your kidneys to filter out your blood and remove any waste from your body in the form of pee. As more blood is circulating around your body during pregnancy, your kidneys have more to filter, so you might find yourself peeing more.

While getting up in the night to pee is annoying, there are some things you can do to ensure you’re comfortable. Make sure you drink lots of water during the day so you stay hydrated. If you find that you have to get up during the night to pee, you can cut out drinks later in the evening. When you go to the bathroom to pee, make sure you completely empty your bladder. If that means sitting there for a second longer, then it may cut down on how many trips to the toilet you have to make. 

When to consult a doctor at 7 weeks pregnant 

If you haven’t already, 7 weeks pregnant is a great time to contact your doctor to schedule your first prenatal appointment. Generally speaking, you’ll have your first prenatal appointment when you’re eight to 12 weeks pregnant, so if you haven’t had yours yet, don’t worry. Your doctor will be able to confirm that you’re pregnant, take a health history from you, talk you through any symptoms, and provide lifestyle advice. They may also calculate your due date. How do they do this? Your health care provider will calculate your baby’s due date 40 weeks from the first day of your last menstrual period. So tracking your periods can be helpful. You might see figures like 7/3 or 7+3 in your medical notes. This is because your health care provider will monitor your pregnancy in completed weeks. So 7/3 means seven weeks and three days. 

Your doctor may also ask you about your menstrual cycle, period, and any pregnancies you’ve had before. This may feel intrusive, but they may want to check if you’ve had a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus) in the past. Both of these incidents can be painful to talk about, so don’t feel pressured to go into any more details than you’re comfortable with. If you have had a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, your doctor may want to keep a closer eye on you as your pregnancy progresses and will be able to answer any questions or worries you may have. 

Remember, you don’t need to wait until your appointment if you have any concerns or questions about your pregnancy. However, at 7 weeks pregnant, you should contact your doctor immediately if you experience: 

• Severe cramping
• Vaginal bleeding
• Changes in vaginal discharge
• Fever
• Dizziness or fainting
• Severe vomiting

This isn’t an exhaustive list and just an example of some of the changes you should look out for. Some of these can be a sign of miscarriage or other health complications, so it’s essential that you speak to your doctor about the best next step for you. And if you’re ever worried about any other symptoms you experience during pregnancy, then don’t hesitate to reach out to your health care provider. 

7 weeks pregnant: The takeaway

The first weeks of pregnancy can be different for different people. You might be tracking regular symptoms by 7 weeks pregnant or be noticing new, weird, and wonderful changes every day. It’s hard not to compare yourself to others or wonder what’s normal at 7 weeks pregnant, but the most important thing to remember is that no two people’s pregnancies are the same. If you have any questions, reach out to your doctor — there’s no such thing as a silly concern or question.