Pregnancy Week 6

At 6 weeks pregnant, your baby is still very small:  by the end of this week, your baby may be around the size of a lentil. The amniotic sac is much larger by comparison and is helping create a protected space for your baby to grow.

This is a big week for early development. The chest and abdominal areas are continuing to form, and the tiny buds that will become your baby’s arms are beginning to appear. Early facial structures are also starting to take shape, including the beginnings of the jaw.

Inside your baby’s body, the early heart and main blood vessels are developing. The aorta, one of the major blood vessels from the heart, is forming, and circulation is becoming more established.

Other organs are beginning their earliest stages too. The lung buds are forming, and the liver, pancreas and intestines are starting to develop. Your baby’s intestines begin forming partly from the yolk sac at this stage.

The placenta is also continuing to develop. Over the coming weeks, the umbilical cord will become the important link between you and your baby, helping carry oxygen and nutrients to support growth.

At 6 weeks pregnant, pregnancy hormones are rising quickly. You may be starting to feel more obviously pregnant now, although some people still have few symptoms.

You might notice:

The need to wee more often can happen early in pregnancy because of hormonal changes and increased blood flow through your kidneys. Later in pregnancy, your growing uterus will add more pressure on your bladder too.

Your breasts may feel fuller, heavier or tender, and the darker skin around your nipples may become more noticeable. This is part of your body’s preparation for breastfeeding, although it can feel uncomfortable.

If nausea or vomiting is making it hard to keep food or fluids down, contact your GP or midwife. Severe pregnancy sickness can need treatment, and you do not have to just put up with it.

Week 6 can be a surprisingly emotional stage. You may feel tearful, irritable, moody or unusually sensitive. Some of this may be linked to rising hormones, but there is usually a lot going on mentally too.

You might be adjusting to the idea of being pregnant, worrying about symptoms, wondering when to tell people, or quietly counting down to your first appointment or scan. If you are feeling sick and exhausted, that can make everything feel harder.

It is also common to feel anxious if your symptoms come and go. Early pregnancy symptoms can fluctuate, and that does not automatically mean anything is wrong. If you are worried, or if something feels unusual for you, ask your GP, midwife or early pregnancy unit for advice.

If you feel persistently low, panicky, unable to cope, or frightened by your thoughts, speak to a health professional. Emotional health matters in pregnancy too.

This is a useful week to check which foods to avoid or limit in pregnancy. Advice includes avoiding some cheeses, pâté, raw or undercooked meat, raw shellfish and liver products, and limiting caffeine to no more than 200mg a day. Oily fish and tuna also have recommended limits.

Helpful checks this week:

If nausea or vomiting is stopping you keeping fluids down, ask for help. Severe pregnancy sickness can be treated, and you do not have to wait until you are desperate.