Month 2 (Trimester 1)
At 6 weeks pregnant, your baby’s rapid growth and development continue. As you move through your first trimester, your baby has the beginnings of limb buds and their head is starting to take shape. Inside, the brain is beginning to develop1.
Here we’re exploring some of the things that are going on for you and your baby at 6 weeks pregnant, including what your baby looks like, some of the week 6 pregnancy symptoms, and why folic acid is so important for your growing baby.
Although they’re not yet fully formed, your baby has limb buds where their arms and legs have started to grow. By now their ears are starting to form, and currently look like tiny dimples on the side of their growing head. There are also thickenings on their face that will become your baby’s eyes1. Your baby also now has a thin, see-through layer of skin2.
This week sees the development your baby’s musculoskeletal system and organs, including the brain and liver2. If you were to have a vaginal ultrasound scan around now, it’s possible that you’d be able to hear your baby’s heart1, which is now beating at around an impressive 110 beats per minute3.
The first trimester is also an important time for laying the foundations of your baby’s digestive system4.
Your baby has grown significantly since last week. By now, your embryo is around the size of a pea at approximately 6mm long and has the appearance of a tiny tadpole2. Curved in shape, at one end there’s a bump that will soon become your baby’s head, and at the other the embryo has a tail2.
Throughout your pregnancy, even once their limbs have grown, your baby will still be measured from head to bottom. This is because their legs are often bent and flexed in the womb making it difficult to tell their exact size.
As your baby’s neural tube continues to develop, week 6 of your pregnancy is a good time to check that you’re continuing to get all the nutritional essentials, such as folic acid.
You’re another week along on your pregnancy journey, but it’s unlikely you’ll have a visible baby bump - especially if this is your first pregnancy. However, your body is working very hard to support your growing baby, as you provide them with everything they need to grow.
You might feel bloated, and it may be that you start to experience morning sickness around about now. This is a good time for you to start thinking about eating a healthy pregnancy diet, packed full of nutritious foods that you and your baby need for a healthy pregnancy.
The first trimester of your pregnancy is full of growth and change - even if you don’t notice most of it. If you’re yet to have any pregnancy symptoms, that’s OK. Some pregnant women go through their entire pregnancy without experiencing any symptoms at all, and there’s no way to predict what your experience will be.
Early pregnancy symptoms vary from person to person, but at 6 weeks pregnant you might be experiencing anything from sore breasts and constipation to those famous pregnancy cravings. Let’s take a look.
At 6 weeks pregnant, your breasts are changing. There’s an increased blood flow and an increase in pregnancy related hormones5. You may start to notice that your breasts are sore, and that they’re becoming larger. Your nipples may also stick out more and get darker in colour6.
For many pregnant women, the first trimester of pregnancy is one they remember for feeling tired and even exhausted. Make sure that you’re getting enough rest, as well as eating a healthy and balanced diet - this includes drinking plenty of water.
A common symptom at 6 weeks pregnant, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is also known as morning sickness. Whilst we don’t know for sure what causes morning sickness, many agree that it’s likely down to the hormonal changes taking place in your body during the first trimester7. Although unpleasant, there’s no evidence to suggest that morning sickness can harm your growing baby7.
Morning sickness can occur at any time of the day or night, but some pregnant women find that it’s worse as soon as they wake up2.
If you’re experiencing morning sickness, it’s likely that your symptoms will subside by around weeks 16 and 20 of your pregnancy, although there’s no way to know for sure8.
Some pregnant women suffer from very severe morning sickness which is known as hyperemesis gravidarum. If you find that you’re struggling to keep any food or fluid down at all, you have a temperature, or your sickness is accompanied by bleeding or tummy pain, seek advice from your healthcare provider8.
There are some things you can do to keep the feeling of morning sickness and nausea at bay. These include8:
Even if you can’t tolerate your usual amount of food, try to stick to a healthy diet , as this will give you and your baby the nutrients you both need.
If your symptoms do not settle or if they stop you from doing your daily activities, see your GP. They can prescribe anti-sickness medication that’s safe to take in pregnancy11.
If you’re experiencing pregnancy bloating and gas, it’s likely that the pregnancy hormone progesterone is at work. During pregnancy, progesterone helps to relax the muscles in your uterus in preparation for the growth of your baby. At the same time, it relaxes the muscles in your digestive system which can cause bloating and gas9.
Light cramping and spotting are common in the early stages of pregnancy6. However, it’s important to have any bleeding, and any severe cramping that’s accompanied by bleeding, checked by your healthcare provider.
If you’re experiencing mild stomach pain and cramps, this could be caused by constipation (constipation is another very common pregnancy symptom) or trapped wind. It may also occur because of the ligaments in your tummy starting to stretch during your pregnancy12.
At 6 weeks pregnant, frequent trips to the bathroom are one of the most common pregnancy symptoms. Your growing uterus is beginning to put pressure on your bladder, and whilst this can be a bit of an inconvenience, it’s really important that you continue to drink plenty of water. This will help to ensure that you’re staying hydrated during your pregnancy.
Ups and downs in your feelings and mood are down to the pregnancy hormones flowing around your body13.
As well as being a time of excitement, pregnancy can also be a time when you experience feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about the future. If you’re feeling this way, you can always talk to your doctor or midwife - they’re there to help. If you can, speak to friends and family about how you’re feeling, too, and lean on them for support when you need to.
Find out more about how you might be feeling emotionally during your pregnancy and beyond, here.
Whilst some pregnant women don’t experience cravings, for others they’re a firm feature of their pregnancy. There’s no way to tell if or when they’ll start, and the reasons why they happen are largely unknown. Although hormonal changes that affect your taste and smell are though to play a part14.
Reviewed by Bahee van de Bor
During pregnancy, you’ll need 700 mcg of vitamin A15 and you’ll be able to get that from a healthy pregnancy diet. There’s little to no risk of deficiency for pregnant mums in the UK – it’s more common in developing countries where malnutrition is a problem.
Vitamin A is found in lots of different foods, including16:
Too much vitamin A can be harmful to your growing baby’s body and nervous system , which is why you’re advised to avoid certain foods and supplements that contain it in high levels of it17.
Examples are:
Vitamin A has two forms; retinol that comes from animal products18, and beta-carotene which converts into vitamin A19. It’s an important vitamin during pregnancy, with a number of different functions that contribute to20:
At 6 weeks pregnant, there are plenty of things for you to think about as you look ahead to the reast of your pregnancy. If you haven’t done so already, schedule an appointment with your GP or midwife for your booking appointment, so that you can start your antenatal care as soon as possible. You’ll have a number of appointments and check-ups throughout your pregnancy, and you’ll be able to ask any questions you might have when you attend.
Other things to consider are:
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NHS. You and your baby at 6 weeks [online] 2021. Available at https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/week-by-week/1-to-12/6-weeks/. [Accessed January 2024.
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RCOG. Green-top Guideline update published [Online] 2024. Available at https://www.rcog.org.uk/news/updated-rcog-green-top-guideline-on-the-management-of-nausea-and-vomiting-in-pregnancy-and-hyperemesis-gravidarum-published/?fbclid=IwAR1nnwyerV3JLQ9DEd7XX-efuaax02DEbl2lvGumGxvBUSRHcZxz6aXasuM
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British Journal Of Midwifery. Vitamin supplementation and nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding [online] 2015. Available at https://www.britishjournalofmidwifery.com/content/clinical-practice/vitamin-supplementation-and-nutrition-during-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding. [Accessed January 2024]
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