At week 6, you are already a month and a half into your pregnancy journey. At this point, your baby is developing at a rapid rate! Your body is also changing in many ways, and it will let you know it is. You are still a long way from the end of your pregnancy, but you may find that most things are already different. Don’t worry, though. We’re here to tell you everything there is to know about being pregnant at six weeks.
How Big Is Your Baby At 6 Weeks Pregnant?
By this time, your baby has grown to around 1/8 – 1/4 inches. That makes it roughly the size of a pomegranate seed or a grain of rice. While very small, it already looks like a tadpole due to its tail. This tail will eventually become your baby’s spinal column.
Your baby’s arms are also beginning to form while other organs are still developing. Skin and teeth have also started to appear. It is also when a vaginal ultrasound can detect your baby’s heartbeat. That makes week six an exciting time for you and your partner!
What Are The Pregnancy Symptoms At Week 6?
Week 6 is still very early in your pregnancy, so the symptoms you’ve experienced before can still be felt.
Changes To Your Breasts
Your breasts may experience several changes while you are six weeks pregnant. These changes are meant to prepare your breasts for the act of breastfeeding.
One such change is the swelling and soreness of your breasts. They may become sensitive and tender to touch.
Another change that can occur is the darkening and enlargement of your areolae. It is due to pregnancy hormones affecting skin pigmentation. Veins can also become darker while the nipples increase in size with the areolae.
Nausea and Vomiting
During this week, you may feel nauseous and be prone to vomiting. While inconvenient, this is a prevalent pregnancy symptom this early on.
This symptom is also known as morning sickness. Funnily enough, nausea doesn’t happen during the morning, as the name suggests. It can happen at any time of the day.
Specific movements or smells can trigger morning sickness. It can also occur if you haven’t eaten anything in a while. Fortunately, it won’t affect your growing baby in any way, so it should be safe.
Frequent Urination
As your baby grows, your uterus grows with it. While your uterus expands to accommodate your child, it can begin to press on your bladder. It may make you visit the bathroom more than usual.
Another cause of frequent urination is increased blood flow to your pelvic area. That is another effect of hCG. The primary beneficiaries of this increased blood flow are your kidneys, which work overtime.
Pregnancy Fatigue
While six weeks pregnant, you may feel exhausted even when you haven’t done anything strenuous. It is known as pregnancy fatigue and can be caused by several factors.
The first cause is the increased production of progesterone. This pregnancy hormone relaxes your muscles, making you feel tired or sleepy.
The second cause of pregnancy fatigue is the building of the placenta. Your body uses energy and resources to construct this essential organ. Even if you haven’t done anything intense, your body indeed has.
Other reasons for pregnancy fatigue include increased production of blood, high metabolism, and other pregnancy symptoms.
Food Cravings And Aversions
Do you have a distaste for certain foods? Well, during the 6th week of pregnancy, you may be surprised to find your stomach grumbling at seeing them. While the reasons behind this are not as understood as other pregnancy symptoms, hormones are the likely culprit.
Nevertheless, food cravings are completely normal and expected.
Unfortunately, the opposite can also happen. You may find yourself steering clear of food you used to like before. Fortunately, you can expect this to go away near the end of your first trimester.
Cramping
One of the more inconvenient symptoms during this week is abdominal cramping. Fortunately, it is common for women to experience this. It is also not a cause for concern, as cramping is due to your uterus expanding to make more room as your baby grows.
Constipation
The list of inconvenient pregnancy symptoms continues with constipation. It refers to when your bowel movements become infrequent or difficult.
There are several reasons why you can experience constipation at this stage of your pregnancy. The first is the high levels of progesterone being produced by your body. As mentioned previously, progesterone relaxes your muscles. Unfortunately, this also affects your digestive tract.
Another reason can be your growing fetus and uterus pressing against your bowels. It makes passing your stools more difficult than usual.
Mood Swings
This week, you can expect to go through many emotional highs and lows. Pregnancy is a big deal, and the changes to your lifestyle can weigh heavy on your heart and mind. Given your circumstances, you can feel emotions you didn’t expect to feel. For example, you can feel happy and excited despite thinking you would feel anxious and stressed.
However, another reason for your mood swings can be the high amounts of pregnancy hormones your body produces. The levels of these hormones can also change, leading to your moods changing with them.
More Vaginal Discharges
While a pretty regular occurrence, you may notice more of this happening during your pregnancy. It is for the sake of your baby, as vaginal discharges are meant to prevent harmful bacteria or infections from spreading. Your discharge should look the same way it did before your pregnancy.
Light Spotting
Along with more vaginal discharges, you may also experience some light bleeding from your vagina. That usually happens during early pregnancy and is likely due to increased blood in your cervix.
Things You Should Do During Week 6
Get Yourself Some Prenatal Care
For the 6th week of your pregnancy, it is highly recommended that you book an appointment with a prenatal care provider. If this is your first visit, your doctor will have you undergo different tests. These will help them identify potential risks or complications for you and your baby.
They will also advise you on maintaining good health during pregnancy. They may recommend lifestyle changes such as exercise or avoiding certain substances.
It is important to remember that prenatal care does not end after the initial consultation. You should keep in touch with your prenatal care provider to get the best care possible during pregnancy.
Focus On Eating Healthy
Your body is growing through many changes, so it can support your baby as it develops. It takes a lot of energy and resources on your part. Therefore, it is important to eat food that contains essential nutrients.
You should include fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. It is because they contain the following nutrients vital to the development of your baby:
Vitamin B
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Iron
Calcium
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
You should also take prenatal vitamins to supplement the nutrients you’re already getting.
Start Working Out
Throughout your pregnancy, your body will face physical challenges. Physical activity is an excellent way to prepare for the times ahead. Aside from being a way to stay in shape, it also reduces the chances of conditions such as gestational diabetes and hypertension.
This early in your pregnancy, exercising is generally safe for both mother and baby, so long as you do not overexert yourself. Strength training and yoga are two great examples of activities with benefits that increase muscle strength, decrease stress levels, and reduce anxiety.
Plus, you don’t even need to leave home to get a workout! All it takes is an exercise mat, dumbbells, or resistance bands – then you’re ready to go!
Avoid Things Harmful To Your Health
While it is still very early, you should already be looking after your well-being. That means abstaining from any activities or substances that could be harmful to you and your baby.
If you have a smoking or drinking habit, you should avoid it while pregnant. Too much caffeine can also be bad for your health.
You should also ensure the water you are drinking has been treated and considered drinkable. Your food should also be well-cooked. Finally, you should thoroughly wash the fresh fruits and vegetables before eating.
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