Week Six Of Pregnancy

Week 6 Of Your Baby’s Development!

Your baby is the size of a lentil

You’ve reached your 6^th week of pregnancy and it’s time to celebrate a milestone – you are halfway through your first trimester! Your baby (still called an embryo at this stage in development) is consistently growing and its shape is now becoming much more distinct (although still a few more weeks off resembling something closer to a baby).

The exciting news in week 6 is that your baby’s head has started taking shape. The tissue folds into a bump-like structure (head) and begins developing into the baby’s jaw, chin and cheeks. The liver, lungs, heart and kidneys of the baby also start taking shape this week. The little heart of your embryo would now be beating at a rate of approximately 110 times per minute.

By week 6, the baby is about a quarter of an inch in length and resembles something like a lentil bean. The baby might initiate its first movements this week. But these movements are usually very gentle and it will be many more weeks until you will feel them.

Week 6 Of Your Health, Mind & Body Changes!

During week 6 of your pregnancy, you might be experiencing more frequent episodes of morning sickness combined with fatigue and a general feeling of nausea and exhaustion. While this can be an unpleasant time, if you’re suffering you can take solace in the fact that morning sickness is a good sign about what’s happening with your developing baby.

Unsafe Foods During Pregnancy

Doctors recommend paying close attention to your diet in week 6. Along with including healthy, nutritious and energy-supplying foods, you also need to ensure that you don’t consume anything that could potentially harm your baby such as:

-unpasteurized or raw milk
-deli meat or cold cuts
-soft cheese like blue vein, brie and camembert
– raw or undercooked meat, fish and eggs
– alcohol

While the first trimester is essentially the time where eating a healthy and nutritious diet is very important, it’s also ironically the time where you often feel like doing anything but, thanks to nausea, vomiting and various food aversions or cravings. Don’t stress if you are constantly sick and can’t stomach the foods you know you should be eating. Just do the best you can and remember to take a pregnancy multivitamin.

“As soon as I knew I was pregnant, I was so careful with my food choices and ate really healthily. Then morning sickness kicked in and I literally lived on cheddar cheese, frozen lasagne and fruit for 8 weeks.“  Amy

This is a good time to try and get plenty of fresh air in the outdoors. It can help curb nausea but also benefit the baby since exposure to sunlight will help your body to produce much needed Vitamin D.

As a new mom-to-be, you might have put on a couple of pounds by week 6. Alternatively, mothers who experience a lot of morning sickness end up losing weight. Both situations are normal. If you’re gaining weight, your clothes will begin getting tighter, especially around the breasts and waist. You might notice fuller legs too. Frequent urination is common since the uterus has started to push down, putting pressure on your bladder.

Week 6 Of Your Next Steps!

• Try to eat as healthily as possible from now on in even though It might be the last thing you feel like doing right now! If you can stomach them, smoothies are a great way to add heaps of nutrients into a quick meal that requires no cooking. Add your choice of milk, choice of fruit, couple tbsp. oats and flaxseed oil, avocado, flaxsmeal or LSA meal for some healthy fats.
• Start taking your pre-natal multivitamin if you haven’t already – this will help address any deficiencies in your diet
• Although, consumption of alcohol and smoking should be stopped right at the onset of pregnancy, if you haven’t done so, now is the time. Seek help from  your doctor if you’re struggling with this.
• While there may seem to be many sacrifices at this stage of the pregnancy, moderate caffeine consumption is generally considered safe. This means if you’re a coffee lover,  you can still enjoy one cup a day.