Congratulations – you are 6 weeks pregnant!!! You may have just found out or you may have known for a couple of weeks now. You are currently in the realms of early pregnancy which is very exciting.

The first trimester can be exhausting as your body is working extra hard to grow your little baby. Many women will have to get through the whole first trimester before getting their first scan. It is important to remember that you must access professional medical advice if you are worried about anything.

Lots of expectant mums admit that they don’t enjoy the first month or two of pregnancy as they are constantly analysing how they feel, and it is hard to socialise with friends when you are feeling like you are ready for bed at 2pm in the afternoon.

This week you may find that your pregnancy symptoms step up a notch as your HCG levels start to rise.

Many pregnant women comment that 6 weeks is when their nausea starts and some women even end up vomiting.

Pregnancy Week 6 symptoms

Pregnancy week 6 could see your symptoms increase as your body is supporting your baby’s development.

• Experience morning sickness
• Some women experience severe nausea
• Frequent urination
• Extreme Fatigue
• Swollen and sore breasts
• Larger and darker areolas around the nipples
• Emotional and mood swings
• Increased blood flow could cause dizziness

What is my baby doing at 6 weeks?

Baby development is all systems go this week, this is the week your baby’s heart could be picked up on an ultrasound this week. Your baby’s development this week also involves the kidneys, liver and lungs too.

Your babies facial features are starting to develop with jaws, chin and cheeks starting to form a face you will be kissing in 7 months. Your little one also has indents on both sides of the head, these are ear canals in the making.

Your baby looks like a little tadpole at the moment, your little one has a tail with leg buds tucked into the torso. Your baby doesn’t look like a baby just yet but it will very soon, by the time you get to your 12 week scan your little one will resemble a little baby.

What is happening to me at 6 weeks pregnant?

Now we have looked at your fetal development what is happening to mummy at 6 weeks pregnant, lets have a look at what is happening inside your body and why?

Frequent Urination

You are in and out of the bathroom a lot at the moment and this can be due to an increase of blood flow to your pelvic area which is great for sexual pleasure but not so great sleeping through a whole night without having to get up a couple of times. Your kidneys are also getting rid of more waste and as your uterus is growing it is also pushing down on your bladder. Frequent urination does not mean you are drinking too much and do not be tempted to limit the fluids, it is much easier to get dehydrated during this time.

Heartburn and Indigestion

Heartburn is pretty much a guarantee during your 9 months of pregnancy because your muscle at the top of your stomach relaxes. You can minimise the chances of heartburn and indigestion by avoiding citrus, tomato, greasy and fried food, this can be difficult when you feel nauseous as you may find you crave these foods during early pregnancy.

Breast Tenderness

Your breasts during early pregnancy are extra sensitive, your breasts are growing and your nipples are sticking out more than usual. It is worth mentioning what feels good and what doesn’t to your partner. Some women struggle to shower due to the sensitivity of the breasts under the dropping water. Your breasts are preparing to feed your baby and the darker areolas around your nipples turn your nipples in to a bullseye and make it easier for your baby to latch on when it comes to breastfeeding.

Nausea and vomiting

These are classic signs of a normal pregnancy, nausea and vomiting often increase around week 6 of pregnancy. You may find you have food aversions and it is important to remember that this time will pass and try and eat small meals throughout the day to help with nausea.

What size is my baby at 6 weeks pregnant?

Your baby is the size of a pearl from a necklace, a jelly bean and the size of a sweet pea this week.

How can I look after myself at week 6 of pregnancy?

Of course, as expectant mothers, all we want is a healthy pregnancy and it can be difficult to manage your early pregnancy symptoms alongside your day to day life. Our mental health can suffer during this time as fatigue takes over and morning sickness too, the ability to do anything more than the bare minimum seems impossible.

It is important you take this time to look after yourself, here are some things you can do to support yourself during this time;

• Maintain a healthy diet if you can but you may be totally off fruit and veggies and that is ok too, just eat what you can to get through this period (remember to check what foods to avoid during pregnancy)
• Join a pregnancy forum and connect with other pregnant women
• Keep a pregnancy journal, document how you feel, your symptoms it can be lovely to look over the memories of your pregnancy.
• Get in to bed and watch some movies, see our list of Netflix must-sees for pregnant women
• Make a pregnancy scrapbook with all the things you like the look of
• Drink plenty of water, if water cannot cut it drink your favourite sugar-free juice.
• Eat small meals to help if you experience morning sickness
• Wear stretchy or roomy clothing to help with comfort
• Get in to bed earlier
• Read a book to help you relax

What should I start thinking about when it comes to pregnancy at 6 weeks pregnant?

If you are not already, at 6 weeks pregnant you should be taking prenatal vitamins. Make sure your vitamins have everything you need to maintain a healthy pregnancy. You can speak to your healthcare provider about what vitamins should be included or use a well-known brand.

We do recommend telling your workplace if you are pregnant to protect you at work and also to make them aware in case they needed to consult medical professionals if you needed it.

Here is what other mums have shared about their 6 week pregnancy

“I suffered with vaginal bleeding at 6 weeks pregnant, my doctor said I could have been dehydrated and to drink plenty, a few weeks after drinking more I found the bleeding tailed off. In the early stages I was in bed extra early and my bloating meant I ordered maternity clothes early. After week 6 my pregnancy hormones were through the roof and morning sickness was absolutely off the scale. I read that it often meant a healthy pregnancy and after the vaginal bleeding i was clinging on to that. I went for an early scan at 6 weeks pregnant and had a vaginal ultrasound scan, i was thrilled to see my little baby with a heartbeat, i loved seeing my growing baby.”

“After multiple pregnancy losses, i contacted the doctor immediately and he put me on the pregnancy hormone progesterone to help stop early pregnancy bleeding. I was also on baby asprin which is meant to help mums that have suffered multiple miscarriages. I had blood drawn and the pregnancy hormone hcg was 46,500 which my doctor said was really high.”

“We wanted to keep our pregnancy news a secret but i work with my friends and they witnessed my terrible morning sickness at 6 weeks pregnant, we had just got married and they put two and two together. I spent my evenings putting together a pregnancy checklist and printed out all of the items i wanted for the baby, i created a wish list and stored all the links”

Carla Lett

Carla is the founder of MyBump2Baby. Carla has a huge passion for linking together small businesses and growing families. Carla’s humorous, non-filtered honesty has won the hearts of thousands of parents throughout the UK.

She has previously written for the Metro and made appearances on BBC News, BBC 5 live, LBC etc. Carla is a finalist for Blogger of the Year award with Simply Ladies inc. Carla is also the host of the popular Fifty Shades of Motherhood podcast and The MyBump2Baby Expert podcast.