WHAT'S GOING ON WITH BABY?
Your Baby at 6 Weeks Pregnant
Baby’s growth and size
Baby is doubling in size each week but is still itty bitty at about 0.25 inches. Still resembling a tadpole, baby’s jaw, chin, and cheeks are beginning to take shape, taking baby steps (pun intended) to looking more like an actual baby!
What’s new developmentally?
Some big changes happen this week! Baby’s heart is still developing but the cluster of cells that will eventually become the heart begin to pump around this time – how cool!
Fun facts about your week 6 baby
Small buds that will grow into baby’s arms and legs appear this week
Small darks spots for baby’s eyes and nostrils are beginning to form
Baby’s head now has little indentations where their ears will be
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MAMA?
Week 6 of Pregnancy
Week 6 pregnancy symptoms
Sore breasts
Bloating and gas
Nausea and morning sickness
Cravings and aversions
How should I be feeling at 6 weeks pregnant?
If you have been fortunate enough to dodge early pregnancy symptoms up until this point, week 6 might have you singing a different tune. At least 70% of women experience morning sickness in their first trimester – and it usually starts around week 6.
Bloating, tender breasts, and fatigue are among the other most common early pregnancy symptoms you might be noticing.
If you want to lean into some comic relief, I’ve got a good reel for you right here.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
More Week 6 Info
6 weeks pregnant ultrasound
An ultrasound is not typically performed at 6 weeks unless you have a history of something that would increase your chances of miscarriage or other complications.
If your provider recommends an ultrasound at 6 weeks, there are a couple potential reasons for this. One would be to estimate the age of your gestational sac. Other reasons might include if you have a history of recurrent miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, or if you have conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF).
If you do have an ultrasound this early, you can expect it to be a transvaginal ultrasound. Your embryo is far too small to see with an abdominal ultrasound.
What exactly is a transvaginal ultrasound?
Your provider will insert a lubricated wand into your vagina to visualize your gestational sac. While it might be a bit uncomfortable, most tolerate it very well and have no issues. And luckily, you only have to do one or two this way before an abdominal ultrasound can be used.
What if your provider doesn’t see anything when performing your transvaginal ultrasound? The most common reason for this is that it’s just too early to visualize the yolk sac, even with a vaginal ultrasound. Remember, baby is only a quarter of an inch right now. In addition, there’s a chance that your dating could be off, making baby even smaller.
Other reasons why your provider might not see anything during the ultrasound could be due to an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. Definitely not a fun thing to think about, I know, but just making sure you are aware of all the potential reasons.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of your uterus, most commonly in your fallopian tube. This is rare but can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
In addition to an ultrasound, your provider will likely order a blood test at this visit to check your hCG levels. While not always the case, decreasing hCG levels along with an inability to visualize a yolk sac during an ultrasound can indicate a non-viable pregnancy.
Why is my belly so big at 6 weeks pregnant?
Progesterone, also known as the pregnancy hormone, is to thank, or maybe to blame, for a lot of the unpleasantries that accompany early pregnancy, including bloating and constipation. The combination of bloating and constipation together can make your 6 week belly feel more like 26 weeks!
Progesterone relaxes the muscles of your intestines which can cause a serious slowdown in your gastrointestinal (GI) system. And don’t forget, the prenatal vitamin that you are taking has iron in it which can also contribute to constipation.
If you are feeling constipated already, you will definitely want to read more about constipation remedies in this post.
6 weeks pregnant and pooping a lot?
Constipation and bloating are far more common in early pregnancy, but fluctuating hormones can cause loose or watery stools too. Some women even notice changes in their bowel habits as one of the earliest signs of pregnancy – even before a missed period or positive pregnancy test.
In addition to hormones, dietary changes and stress can also cause frequent bowel movements in early pregnancy.
6 weeks pregnant with no symptoms, should I be worried?
We’ve talked a lot about all the early pregnancy symptoms but what if you are one of the few that don’t have any? Should you be worried if you don’t feel pregnant at all?
Everyone experiences pregnancy differently, some have symptoms even before a missed period and others might not experience symptoms at all, and both are okay!
Early pregnancy symptoms typically make an appearance around weeks five to six after your missed period, with some beginning as early as one or two weeks after conception.
“Studies have indicated that around 1 in 475 women reach the 5-month (20-week) mark before realizing that they are pregnant. Sometimes it’s as simple as someone not looking or feeling pregnant until they are nearly halfway through their pregnancy.” (source)
So while it’s definitely unusual for that to happen – it’s not impossible!
Typically, a lack of pregnancy symptoms or loss of pregnancy symptoms is not a cause for concern, but it’s always a good idea to bring it up to your OB provider to make sure all is well.
And if you find yourself with worrisome thoughts early in pregnancy, I encourage you to try and replace them with the thoughts from this post:
“I am pregnant until someone tells me I’m not pregnant.”
“Today I will focus on being pregnant, not on miscarrying.”
“Today I woke up still pregnant, for that I am grateful.”
WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOUR BUMP?
6 Weeks Pregnant Belly
TIPS & RESOURCES FOR WEEK 6
Tips for 6 Weeks Pregnant
Choose a provider and research where you want to give birth – hint, there are more options than giving birth in the hospital with an OBGYN. Learn more about delivery options here and the main differences between OBGYNs and midwives here
Along the same lines, go ahead and schedule your first prenatal appointment once you’ve locked in step one
A lot of women start taking a prenatal vitamin while they are trying to conceive but if you haven’t started one yet, go ahead and do that! I personally loved Ritual’s prenatal vitamins when I was pregnant
The iron that’s in most prenatal vitamins might cause constipation so throw in a daily stool softener (I recommend Colace) if you notice any issues! If you want to learn more about ways to cope with constipation in pregnancy this IG post should help!
Sign up for MLN Weekly Pregnancy Updates to stay up to date on everything going on with your pregnancy. So much good information and it’s all free!
For more first trimester info, head here, where I discuss ALL the things you need to do once you get that BFP!
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