By the 6th week, almost every woman knows that they are pregnant. Not just through the home pregnancy test kits and blood test but even through the symptoms that are gradually starting to grow. For the baby, the period between the 1st week and the 8th week is known as the embryonic period where the baby is only an embryo.
But even while the embryo is only as big as a pea in the 6th week, all the vital organs are developing at a rapid pace.
As the hormone levels are raging by now, you can experience a wide range of symptoms ranging from fatigue, morning sickness, nausea, and more. While the physical changes are not visible yet, a lot is happening on the inside. Even your uterus is now preparing itself to accommodate the baby.
- 1st Week of Pregnancy
- 2nd Week of Pregnancy
- 3rd Week of Pregnancy
- 4th Week of Pregnancy
- 5th Week of Pregnancy
It is because of the growing size of the uterus that frequent urination is a common symptom of pregnancy. Apart from the uterus, increased flow of blood to the kidneys is another reason making you visit the bathroom more frequently than normal.
If you are pregnant for the first time, the initial few weeks are excellent to start getting used to the motherhood. The symptoms are not too severe until the 3rd month of the pregnancy, the first couple of months are also ideal to make some important lifestyle changes with respect to your diet and exercise. Read this post to know what you should expect from the 6th week of your pregnancy.
Baby’s Development in the 6th Week
When you are 6 weeks pregnant, your embryo is going through some pretty important development. While it is only about 0.25-inches from head to bum, important organs like heart, brain, lungs, intestines, kidneys, and spinal cord are already starting to form and many of them are already working.
One of the most important developments in the 6th week is the baby developing tiny buds in the places where their arms and legs would be. It’ll take a few weeks for the baby to start moving the arms and kicking. However, as the baby would still be too small, you won’t really start feeling the kicks until the second trimester.
The body of the baby is pretty disproportionate with the head being way bigger than the rest of the body. But the size of the body will gradually reduce in the following weeks and the rest of the body would increase in size.
The beautiful face of your baby is already starting to develop tiny nose, eyes, cheeks, chin, and jaw. In just a couple of weeks from now, your baby would already start making facial expressions and sucking his/her thumbs. The development of the inner part of the ears has started too. The heart is now divided into four chambers like it should be and pumps blood already.
Physical Changes in Women in the 6th Week
While the symptoms can be plenty, you don’t really look pregnant in the 6th week. It’ll take a few more weeks for the baby to grow in size that would show on your belly. If you haven’t already shared the news with the world, you might wait for a few weeks until you start showing. A lot of women wait until the end of the first trimester before informing others. However, you might share the news with your family.
The chances of miscarriage fall drastically with every passing week and minimal by the time you finish the first trimester. So, it is up to you whether or not you want to share the news in the 6th week.
Signs of 6th Week Pregnancy
Even by the 6th week, a lot of women do not really start experiencing a lot of symptoms, especially if they are pregnant with a single baby. However, things can be significantly different for women pregnant with twins. Some common symptoms of the 6th-week pregnancy are as follows-
- Nausea
- Morning sickness
- Tiredness
- Bloating
- Frequent urination
- Spotting
- Heartburn
While most women might have already visited an obstetrician or doctor to confirm the pregnancy, the 6th week can be a great time to do so if you haven’t already. While the home pregnancy test has confirmed your pregnancy, you should still visit a medical professional to make sure that everything is in order.
Tips for 6th Week Pregnancy
While you might not feel it yet but your body is already preparing itself for the transformation that it needs to go through in the following months. As the owner of your body and the mother of your future baby, it is your responsibility to start taking care of your body and provide it with the best nutrition. Some tips that should follow in the 6th week of pregnancy are-
- Eat smaller meals multiple times in a day rather than a few large meals
- Keep yourself hydrated
- Only eat home-cooked food
- Make sure that your food is not under-cooked
- Continue taking your pre-natal supplements
- Sour beverages and foods can help relieve nausea to an extent
- Consult your doctor if you are on any kind of medication
- Regular exercising can help
Conclusion
You’ve completed 5 weeks of your pregnancy without even realizing it. While the initial few weeks are known to be easy, things might start getting serious from the 6th week. You can start experiencing a lot of symptoms in the 6th week and some of them might make you feel depressed or unhappy. The best way to avoid this is to surround yourself with the people you love.
Switch to a healthy diet and if you are unaware of the things you should eat, you can consult your obstetrician. The baby is going through a massive transformation and has already developed all the important organs. All this development would definitely need a lot of nutrition and you are responsible to provide the same to your baby. Eat good and exercise regularly to keep yourself active and let the baby grow in the safest way possible.
Pregnancy Checklist at 6 Weeks Pregnant
- Visit an obstetrician if you haven’t already
- Start preparing for your first prenatal appointment
- Keep moving
- Consume a lot of water