6th Week Pregnancy – Halfway through the first trimester

When you reach the 6th week of pregnancy you’re almost halfway through the first trimester. This means that the baby grows and develops.

The first pre-natal check up is also done during the 6th week of pregnancy. In fact, the first ultrasound can also be done to check the developing embryo.

Baby’s development

The development of the baby becomes more visible at the sixth week. The ultrasound may pick details of the ears, nose, and mouth. The nostrils and eyes are also developing. The legs and arms of the baby start to become apparent and the heartbeat can be heard noticing 100 to 160 beats per minute.

During the sixth weeks of pregnancy, the baby measures about ¼ inch long just like the size of a lentil bean. The lungs, liver, pancreas, and the intestines are all forming and the blood circulates. With this, the mother may notice gentle movements of the baby.

The neural tube that connects the spinal cord and the brain closes, thus starts forming the spinal cord at one end and brain on the other.

6^th week pregnancy symptoms

As the baby grows an expectant mother will also notice body changes along with the other symptoms such as intense food cravings, mood swings, morning sickness, weight gain, fatigue, nausea, and tender breasts.

At this stage of pregnancy, expectant mother should expect to gain at least five pounds. However, other pregnant women may experience weight loss due to morning sickness and nausea.

1. Frequent urination – The urge to urinate frequently can bring discomfort as you need to get up even when you’re sleeping to relieve your bladder. During pregnancy the blood volume of the mother expands, in the same manner that the kidneys also receive more blood at a faster rate. This is important so that the uterus will function better and to provide the necessary nourishment for the baby.
2. Congestion – Due to hormonal changes, a pregnant woman may experience congestion as a result of swollen mucus membranes.
3. Fainting spells – Dizziness or fainting spells is very common during pregnancy because the blood vessels dilates and at the same time the blood pressure decreases. This means that the supply of blood towards your brain is also reduced that makes you feel dizzy or light-headed. But, the fainting spells will pass away as the pregnancy progresses.
4. Mood swings – During the first trimester of pregnancy, a pregnant mother will experience extreme mood swings. You should not let the mood swings affect your attitude, instead you should try to talk to your partner or anyone and share how you feel. This way, you’ll find suggestions on how to deal your emotions properly.
5. Morning sickness – The hormonal changes are the culprit why many pregnant women suffer from morning sickness. This symptom may last throughout the first semester, but subsides as the pregnancy advances. You should also expect that there are lots of things that can trigger morning sickness such as smell of flowers, perfume, trash, or even of tea brewing.

At this stage of pregnancy, you need to take care of your health and as much as possible you should take extra precautions.

• Never try lifting or moving heavy objects.
• Cook your food well and always wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating them.
• Drink plenty of water to replenish the lost fluid caused by vomiting and nausea.
• Eat small portions of meal throughout the day to prevent the attack of morning sickness.
• Take multivitamins like folic acid as early as possible of your pregnancy to avoid neural tube defects.

Everything that you feel during your pregnancy is normal due to hormonal changes. However, if you can’t tolerate it or worried about it, you should consult your doctor.