Your Pregnancy - Week 6

This is the first week you’ll probably start to feel pregnant.

You might be feeling all of those (not so lovely) symptoms we covered in Week 5. Your body is now hormone city so don’t worry if you feel full of life one moment and ropey as heck the next. And you can definitely justify falling asleep in front of Netflix at 8pm. 

What does my baby look like? 

If you’ve got a can of Heinz Baked Beans hanging around, tip it out and have a look at a bean. That’s about the shape and size of your baby this week (around 6mm). If you have a really early scan they might be able to hear a heartbeat but don’t worry if not as it’s only just formed. 

There are the very beginnings of arms and legs, tiny buds that grow super quick over the next few weeks. And this is when your baby starts to form the eyes you’ll one day stare into. 

Is that a bump already?!

Freaking out a bit because you can’t button your jeans up? It’s not a baby bump yet. It’s just your average lovely bloating, in this case caused by the pregnancy hormone progesterone. Expect to do a LOT more farting over the next few weeks. You can also get a bit constipated in Week 6 so make sure you’re drinking plenty and eating fibre, fruit and veg. There is a small chance your bigger bump is down to two babies, but most mums don’t tend to find this out until their first scan.

What do I do now? 

If you haven’t done it already, drop your GP a line so they can get you booked in for your first appointment. You won’t have your first scan until you’re 8-12 weeks but until then take care of yourself by eating a balanced diet, cutting out alcohol and giving up smoking. There are a few foods it's best to avoid too. 

One thing to watch out for is UTIs (urinary tract infections) like cystitis. Yup, you’re going to want to wee more but if it’s burning, painful or you literally can’t get off the loo then it's time for a trip to your GP or local chemist. Make sure you tell them you’re pregnant.

If you’re a workout queen then there’s no reason to cut back on your exercise, but you might be too knackered for anything high energy. Listen to your body and don’t push through any pain, you’ll have plenty of that in about 34 weeks. Skip the sauna and hot tub too as the chemicals and temperature aren’t great for your baby. 

Have you joined our Facebook support group yet? 

Read: Your pregnancy - week 7