Pregnancy Calendar – Week Six

At about one fourth of an inch long, the embryo is now about the size of an orange seed! The heartbeat is steady and detectable by a trans-vaginal ultrasound. The eyes and ears begin to form, as well as an opening for the mouth. Vital organs continue to develop this week, and buds form on the body that will become the arms and legs. The intestines are starting to develop, and breathing passages will appear where the lungs will be. The muscles are also forming, and by the end of the week, spontaneous movement will most likely occur.

You may start to feel morning sickness or nausea this week, or if you have already felt nauseous, it may get worse. Despite it being called “morning sickness,” you can experience it at any time of day, although most women report that queasiness is most intense in the morning. The exact cause of this nausea is not known, but it is thought to be related to the changes in hormones and increased sensitivity to smells. Even if you aren’t nauseated, you may develop aversions to certain foods, such as coffee and meat, partly because of their odors. As long as you continue to eat a healthy diet, food aversions won’t hurt the development of your baby. Try to avoid foods and smells that trigger your nausea, as well as fatty foods, which take longer to digest. Have a protein snack before bed, and you may want to take your prenatal vitamins before bed as well. Many women find that in the morning munching on crackers in bed, and then waiting fifteen to twenty minutes before getting up, helps them. Eating frequent small meals and ginger can help sooth queasiness. Another alternative remedy to try is wearing an acupressure band designed to ward off seasickness. (For more information, see “Survival Guide: Morning Sickness.”)

At this point, you may begin to experience frequent urination. This is because the increased amount of blood in your body—even at this stage of your pregnancy—leads to more fluid flowing through your kidneys and into your bladder. Many women report they need to get up to go to the bathroom more often at night. One reason for this is because when lying down at night, some of the fluid retained in the legs and feet during the day is absorbed back into the bloodstream and then into the bladder. In later weeks, you may also feel pressure on your bladder from your expanding uterus.

Hot Topic: Mood Swings

This is a time of wonder and not quite believing you are pregnant.