7 Weeks

Baby at 7 weeks.

Baby still appears to have a small tail (actually, it's an extension of the tailbone), which will disappear in the next few weeks. But that's the only thing getting smaller. Now almost half an inch long — roughly the size of a raspberry — there are elbow joints and distinct, slightly webbed fingers and toes. The basis for the baby's brain, bone marrow and nervous system are in place. In fact, both hemispheres of the brain are developing, brain cells develop at the rate of 250,000 per minute, and brain waves can now be detected. The teeth and the inside of the mouth are forming, and the ears continue to develop. Eyelid folds partially cover the tiny eyes, which already have some color, and the tip of the nose is emerging. The skin is paper-thin and the veins are clearly visible. The baby also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. The liver is busy producing red blood cells, and a loop of the baby's growing intestines is bulging into the umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from the tiny body. Tissue is beginning to develop that will form the backbone and the abdominal muscles. The heart is beating regularly, but so far, it is at the surface of the body and not yet in the chest cavity. The baby is like a little jumping bean, moving in fits and starts around its watery home.

I'm still feeling fine. There was a bit of a scare when I wasn't feeling too well Sunday morning, but then Layth was sick all night Monday night, and K didn't feel well tonight, so maybe something is going around. I'm starting to think about scheduling my first appointment with Dr. Powers and getting flu shots for me and for Maya, since we're considered high risk.

Worry of the day: I colored my hair today on a whim. Not a lot of color, just a slight change. This is the first time in over three years that I've done it, I think. Hours after doing it, I read that it is best to wait until after the first trimester to color your hair because of the chemicals that can be absorbed through the scalp and could potentially affect the baby. There is no hard evidence that the baby is at risk. It's more a protective measure than anything else, but given the fact that this is a higher-risk pregnancy anyway because of my age, I've been determined to do everything right, just to be safe. Here's to looking things up before I do them in the future.