I love these little updates and the development blog posts are definitely my favourite to do.

All according to Emma’s Diary, Baby Mills is now the size of a blueberry (13mm / 1/2 inch) - that’s 5mm longer than last week. His or her brain is generating 100 new cells every minute. Those paddle-like arms and legs are now emerging as joints and these now have miniature knees and elbows, and the beginnings of toes and fingers. Baby also has now has kidney’s in place although these aren’t formed enough to be fully functioning yet. Baby’s oversized head isn’t just large and oblong anymore; it’s actually a little bit pointy and the skull is beginning to harden,

And my favourite bit from this Emma’s Diary…

It is at this stage that there is some variation on a boy or a girl although (this) won’t be visible enough to determine what colour to paint the nursery until week 16…

SMA know-how

SMA’s update is more technical. The neural tube which forms the baby’s brain and spinal tube closes this week and the brain starts to separate into its many components. The umbilical cord is also now well-formed with one blood vessel delivering oxygen and nutrients to baby, and two others taking by-products away. Aswell as the kidney’s (as mentioned earlier), the liver is also forming and starting to make blood cells.

The eyes and ears can clearly be seen and the eyelids are starting to develop. Tiny nostrils are visible too.

Foetus at 7 weeks

Huggie’s focuses on the look of baby. It states that baby is currently covered in translucent cells and you can see the tiny veins pumping blood to its newly forming organs. Apparently baby’s lungs are also taking shape. The fact that all the updates point to organ development is fascinating as they have all been made possible thanks to baby’s now furiously pumping heart which now has a right and left chamber. Finally, in baby’s little mouth, the palate and teeth are forming. This explains why my own teeth are aching in the morning; any calcium I have, is being used up by baby as his / her bones and teeth are beginning to come into being.

Quote of the week from them…

Although you can’t feel it yet, the embryo is beginning to move and these first movements can be detected by ultrasound.

So this has been a major week for our little one. He or she is now just that; a boy or a girl! They’re moving around trying to get comfy whilst the brain and heart are busy at work creating all the essentials baby will need to be fully sufficient in later life. Even more important from this point on to ensure I put in some work too. I need to ensure I’m eating healthily and baby is getting a balanced diet - no more takeaways for me!