6 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms and Signs

How big is my baby?

Compared to last week, at 6 weeks pregnant your baby is about four times the size, about 1/4 of an inch or 6 millimeters. While this is still quite small, this is a relatively huge gain in only seven days.

At this point, there are dark spots where your baby’s eyes and nose will be forming. Two small holes directly opposite will be ears some day. There are four tiny buds that are the very start of your baby’s legs and arms.

While your baby’s heart was beating last week, by the end of this week it will be doing so with a regular rhythm. Your baby’s backbone and ribs are in their earliest stage of development. All of this is happening within just a quarter of an inch.

Am I losing my mind too?

When you are 6 weeks pregnant, your body has continued to build up the hormone hCG and you may start to feel nauseous, tired and irritated. You may also have difficulty remembering things, focusing or concentrating.

All of this is perfectly natural and normal and understandably frustrating. Self-care at this point should be your biggest priority. If you are starting to enter the phase of not feeling well, don’t put pressure on yourself to do everything you used to do before you were pregnant.

Establish what your real priorities are and let those not so important things fall to the side for a little while. Also, ask you mate to help out. By taking care of you, your significant other is taking care of the baby too.

Do I really have to give up…

I’m guessing that you could probably think of something to fill in that blank. When you first find out that you’re pregnant, it may feel like a piece of cake to give up your morning coffee for the sake of your child. By the time that you’re 6 weeks pregnant, you may be missing your latte a little more than you thought you would be.

The bottom line is yes, there are a few things you should refrain from for the duration of your pregnancy like caffeine, alcohol, smoking, sushi, soft cheese, and contact sports.

However, you don’t have to feel guilty about it. It is perfectly normal to pine for a little bit of your pre-pregnancy lifestyle. It doesn’t mean that you love your baby any less or are any less thrilled to be pregnant. It does mean that you’re human!

Personally, I think that the more that women (those that are pregnant and those that are not) are able to just admit and accept their feelings, whatever they may be, the happier and healthier they will be in the long run.

So, it’s okay to admit that you are missing your morning cup of coffee or your glass of wine with dinner – admit that that’s how you feel and accept that it’s the way it is for the next nine months.

Being a good mom isn’t about feeling a certain way – it’s about taking care of yourself so that you can take care of your baby.