6 weeks pregnant
Length: 0.4 cmWeight: 0.2 g
Baby development
My brain has begun to develop and the heart, which so far has been no bigger than a poppy seed, has begun to beat.
The abdominal cavity, chest cavity, spine and digestive system have begun to take shape whilst my tiny legs and arms begin to emerge. My jaw and tiny teeth can be seen. By the end of the week, my bloodstream is in full flow and you might be able to distinguish between my eyes, nose and mouth — if you could see me. The amniotic sac is developing, but so far it contains no amniotic fluid. The umbilical cord is also in the early stages of development, but it is still short and requires a little more strengthening to be able to withstand all the hitting and pulling I'll do later on in the pregnancy. The first few weeks are filled with a lot of rapid development, even if a lot of that activity might go unnoticed by mum at this stage.
I still receive nourishment from the yolk sac and will continue to do so until weeks 9-10, when the placenta takes over that role. If my mother was to ingest something not good for me, it wouldn't cause me any harm since most of my nutrition comes from the yolk sac until week 9-10. From the moment my mother discovers she is pregnant, it would be in both of our best interests if she followed the food recommendations for pregnant women.
Mothers development
You are probably starting to feel the symptoms of pregnancy now. Nausea and vomiting are common and usually the most bothersome.
If you are vomiting a lot, you may be worried about the lack of nutrients for your unborn child. Fret not. Vomiting can’t hurt your baby. It receives its nourishment from digested nutrients and thus gets everything it needs. Hormone level changes in your body cause feelings of nausea. Stress, hunger and fatigue can exacerbate the symptoms, so listen to your body, rest, and eat little and often. Cold foods that don’t smell too much can help combat feelings of nausea. If the level of discomfort is too much to deal with, prescription and prescription-free drugs can be purchased to alleviate the situation. However, be sure to always speak with a doctor or midwife before using them.
Other common symptoms of pregnancy include tender & sore breasts, headaches and fatigue. You may also feel a numbing sensation in the lower part of your abdomen, a pain that sometimes spreads towards the groin region. This might be caused by a growing uterus, which is quite normal, but it may feel a bit uncomfortable. If you feel the need to pee all the time, that would be down to an increase of HCG in your blood. The growing uterus coupled with your kidney working overtime to rid your body of waste are reasons why you might feel the need to relieve yourself often. This isn’t dangerous and eventually passes later on in the pregnancy.
Co-parent
Does your partner think that the food you cook smells bad? Do you smell too?
We know that it can be a small consolation to say that "it is completely normal!" But… it's completely normal! A good start might be to find and get rid of everything that might affect your partner's heightened sense of smell and make breakfast in bed. The nausea is usually at its worst right then, and if it comes in a tray with some well-chosen favourite (which doesn't smell bad!), It can be a good help to alleviate nausea. These symptoms are likely to linger until week 12 when they should slowly ease up. And maybe all of a sudden she may begin to appreciate your scent again.
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