Seven Weeks

Week Seven: Arms and legs begin to grow

You are 7 weeks pregnant. (five weeks from conception)

The embryo is around 13 mm (1/2 inch) in length.
The heart is beating with one chamber.
A dividing wall is formed in the heart.
Arm and leg buds begin to grow.
The lower jaw and the vocal cords are beginning to form.
The mouth opening is formed.
The inner ear is being created.
The digestive tract is developing
The navel string is being created
The following organs are being formed: the lungs, the liver, the pancreas and the thyroid gland.

The baby's eyes and inner ears are starting to develop. It is about now that your baby's major organs (heart, lungs liver, spleen, and kidneys) are beginning to develop. Your baby's digestive system is becoming more refined as the stomach and intestines develop. Remember the Folic Acid you should be taking? Well, since the Neural tube (later known as spinal cord) begins to fuse, folic acid is important in preventing neural tube defects. The embryo size is about a 1/8 inch (4mm) long.

On the 26th day after fertilization, the embryo's tiny heart begins to beat. Other major organs, including the kidneys and liver, have begun to develop, and the neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord, closes. The physical sensations of pregnancy have started--nausea, fatigue, sore breasts and frequent urination.

The embryo's arms and legs begin to grow from buds at each side. At first the hands and feet are shaped like paddles, but the fingers soon take shape. Lenses of the eyes appear - You would notice your baby's appearance is becoming increasing like a newborn's. Brain is growing well - Did you know that over the course of the remaining months that your baby's brain will develop over 100 billion neurons? This is just the beginning.
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So, a little update. I had the ultrasound last Friday. First of all, the tech was rude, just RUDE. I was not pleased with her, but I tried to ignore that and focus on what was important. The baby had a heart rate of 122 BPM, and measured perfectly! The tech pointed out that the baby implanted a bit lower than she liked, so she sent a message to my OB about it. My OB got back to me a bit later, and said it's not a big deal most likely, but asked me to take it easy and put me on pelvic rest (no sex/orgasms). I've had no spotting/bleeding, and just the typical cramping from the growth of the uterus, nothing bad at all. So, I am not worried! My first prenatal appointment is tomorrow, so I am hoping they'll do a quick ultrasound and find baby has moved up, but they may make me wait another week or so. We'll see!

I've been quiet here because.. I am EXHAUSTED. I'll take it, I am not complaining! But the exhaustion has set in, and all I want to do is sit or lay down, preferably lay down with my eyes closed. Ha. I am sleeping quite a bit, napping 1-2x a day minimum. The littlest of things wear me out. I feel like I am sleeping most of the time, and if not sleeping - then I am helping the kids with homework, making dinner (unless hubby is doing it, which he is a lot lately), or eating.

My nausea is here nearly 24/7, but other than three times that I've gotten sick, I'm good! The nausea just feels like I am drunk constantly, like my body is ready to rid of my stomach contents, but it never does. My food aversions are getting a bit worse, enough that we have a million leftovers in the fridge because each day I want something new. Oops! Yesterday I HAD to have a berry smoothie from Costco, so the kids and I went there real quick after school. It was so yummy, too!

My only naughty craving, which I have every pregnancy it seems? Beer. I want a cold beer. Yummmmm. OF COURSE, I do not drink when pregnant, never ever, not even a sip. And being my husband doesn't drink, it's not like we have it open in the house ever. But the idea of a cold beer, oh it sounds nummy.

I'm mainly craving protein filled foods still, though I want cookies nearly every night, lol. This is all typical first trimester stuff, and I am hoping it's only another month of sleeping all of the time before I begin getting my energy back.